ORIGIN

Envy slid through Orion like a tiny, sly shadow, their eyes flickering as they scanned the surrounding area for... something useful. One thief was enough; they needed to find something to protect their hoard, whether that be through magic or otherwise. So, Envy picked their way through crumbled buildings and piles of rubble, nudging at any and all sharp objects before moving on with a grunt.

They did have one idea, but pride held them back, knowing that Dezba could hear their every thought, and feel their every feeling... they didn't want to stoop down to her level, not when they'd already rejected her magic once. But hadn't they already... sort-of... mastered it? They could, after all, tap into the Plant element to turn light into energy, a sensation that had long since faded from their fur they scuttled around lazily. But that was different! Even though it used plant, Envy liked to think of it as being closer to light. They still thought that plants were useless, and they knew that nothing Dezba did would ever be useful to them! But... wouldn't she be angry if they stole it from her, and got better than her?

Envy was still hung up on indecision as they reached the Throne, clambering up a set of steps that were taller than they were, at least when travelling bipedally. As they entered the room, they began their search at first, shifting through the rubble, but a noise quickly alerted them to the fact that they weren't alone. the weasel paused, turning towards the throne that stood by itself amidst the crumbled room. There was someone there; and Envy approached with paws pattering to see what they were doing. They sat back, watching them struggle for a time, and then announced their presence with a raucous laugh at the sheep's struggles, not bothering to offer any sort of help.


"speak."

Envy's laughter only doubled as they crumpled to the ground with a yelp, failing in their efforts to climb the throne. Their laughter died down to a quiet snicker, fangs still bared in a toothy grin, as they rose back up from the ground. Envy held their gaze with barely-disguised disdain and mirth colouring their face. "Why would I want do that? I'd miss the rest of the show," they said, shrill voice rising into another cackle. "And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

Still sitting comfortably back on their hindpaws, Envy's tail thrashed with their laughter, their paws folding over emaciated chest. They met the lamb's glare challengingly, barely blinking their narrowed, lilac eyes, watching carefully as they stepped closer. The other creature appeared to be much younger than themselves, but they were far larger, which made Envy's chest flare with indigence, although externally the smirk never left their face. How dare they spite Envy by having everything they could not? That alone made it easy to feel contempt for their very existence.

Contempt hurt less.

"speak."

Envy snickered loudly, tilting their head as though in scrutiny as the anger of the other turned to further amusement. look at them, trying to look big and strong to cover their asses of their own failure. That ain't gonna work with me. "Aw look," Envy crooned, fur bristling with anticipation. "It knows how to use big, bad words! How cute. Too bad there ain't anything behind em!"

Envy tittered smugly to themselves as they admired their own intelligence. They loved it when they managed to make bigger creatures angry; it didn't matter how massive you were in comparison to the little weasel, biting the bait automatically brought the victim down to their level, and eased the edge on their rampant bitterness. In fact, they were starting to like this little sheep, the anger in their eyes fading into genuine amusement. Not that she could know that though, as Envy snorted quietly, resting their paws across one another and massaging the fur on their wrists. "So, what do they call you, anyway? So I know who to refer to when I'm bragging later." Envy grinned, baring sharp, red-tinted little fangs and waving a paw dismissively.

"speak."

The sheep failed to respond to their taunts, and Envy bristled with gleeful mirth as she lowered her head to charge. They remained where they were, planning to dart out of the way at the last second to drive them into an even more frenzied rage- but left it slightly too long, and suddenly found the hefty newborn bearing down at them with terrifying enormity. They let out a stunned squeak as they felt the full force of the lamb's head smack into them. They saw stars for a moment and the next thing they knew their serpentine body was writhing in the air as they sailed impressively out of the throne room.

They barely had the chance to register a jealous thought in their weaselly little brain before they were tumbling to a bedraggled halt, head over tail over head over tail- and then smack, into a stony pillar.

It was only their tiny weight and the impressive flexibility of their emaciated form that saved them from serious injury. For a few moments they were winded out of word or thought, but then they slowly and surely pushed their paws under them and hauled themselves onto all fours. they tried to sit on two legs, but dizziness sent them sprawling to the floor again. Fierce nausea birthed from fear rose in their stomach, and they spat out a globule of fluid- even they couldn't tell if it was blood or cinnabar. Swaying in wooziness, they staggered to their feet and looked for the sheep who'd humiliated them. Envy couldn't stand being humiliated.

"You wasted- ugh- all that effort on me? I'm flattered," they spat, trying to stand tall, and look completely unshaken, as though they hadn't just been thrown like a ragdoll by a newborn. " S-still, you'll pay for that. I'll make sure of it." They forced a cackle but didn't move any closer, remaining a safe distance away in case the sheep decided to charge again. They kept their back to the pillar, almost hoping that it could do their work for them.


"speak."

Envy watched the sheep with disdain bubbling in their lilac gaze, but as they saw the way that she tumbled to the ground, panting, they felt an effortless grin crawl across their face. They choked out a cackle, hoarse and nasty, and entwined their paws together. "Was it even worth it? Looks to me like you're worse off than I am, you fluff-brained, milk-drinking oaf!" they shot back, outwardly amused but bristling at the sheep's insults, although this time, they kept at a safe distance back against the pillar.

"oh yeah? Well, I think you should be taught a lesson! Have you ever heard of respecting your elders?" Envy puffed out self-importantly, baring sharp little teeth as they sucked in their breath ready to counter the next volley of insults. "Oh, whatever, kid. Why don't you go practice on a wolf or something? I'm sure that'd be a lot more entertaining. For me." They examined the back of a paw, smirking slightly at the thought of them offing themselves over something so silly.

Their gaze snapped upwards, however, as the sheep demanded that they prove it. The weasel was torn in that moment between a desire to rise to the challenge and protect their fragile ego, and one to shy away and bolt before things got nasty. They narrowed their eyes, examining them judgementally, and sniffed. "Hmph. You're just a baby. Even I wouldn't stoop that low. Besides, it'd be wasted on you anyway. You'd never be able to appreciate the effort and intricacies that go into my magic."

"speak."