ORIGIN

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It had been almost a cycle since Pride had given Envy a shard of his stone. A lot had happened since then; and none of it particularly good. Although they would never admit such a thing, Envy knew that they were in over their head. But away from all the chaos, Envy had set aside a crumbled room, a serene and quiet little grotto where they could sit, and watch it grow.

The gemstone- Pride's little act of charity- had taken root, and grown.

Envy watched it with fascination, returning whenever they found the time. Of all their hoard, this was the most precious prize of all. If it disappeared, they would want to know. So, they'd set aside this room, where they were certain none of the others would look. Envy didn't even know if Pride knew where to find them; but surely the stag would be able to follow the signs. They weren't too far from the Throne.

They were, today, as with any day, watching the growing chrysalis, within which they were beginning to see a glimmer of pale green. The chrysalis was small, too; only a little taller than they were. Moving forward, the weasel pressed an ear against the chrysalis, and when they held their breath they thought they could hear a quiet creak as the child within shifted.

The weasel's gaze flitted to the empty doorway that lead to the outside for a moment. It was quiet enough that they could hear their own breathing. Slowly, they raised their ear away from the diamond surface, but remained close enough for their breaths to pool white on its surface. "Soon," they murmured. "Soon you'll be able to see the world." It was just a statement of fact- but as they said the word, Envy felt a shudder of apprehension that set their spines on end. What would it look like? Would it be beautiful like Pride, or sickly and weak like them? What if it hatched and died immediately?

What if it outdid them in every way? What if it ran away and left them behind?

No. They weren't gonna let that happen. The weasel curled up against the diamond chrysalis and prepared for a long wait. Soon- soon it would hatch. And Envy wasn't leaving until it did; no matter how long that took.

Speech. Thought.

@Pride

Pride came in swiftly, seeming to nearly float over the ground with his swift and graceful trot.

"My King?" He slowed, nostrils flaring; Envy had updated him often enough about the growth of the stone, but he still wasn't quite certain as to where it was. He ended up circling near the Throne, head high and nostrils flaring.

He wanted to update Envy--to excitedly inform them that both his and Mercurius's stones had hatched--and to check on Envy's own. His own. But he had no idea where they'd actually put the thing, and found himself wandering aimlessly, his enthusiastic energy rapidly dwindling. Rather than locating the scent--Envy's smell was everywhere, here--he managed, instead, to walk directly away from the hidden area.

Why the hell had they hidden the damn thing?

To keep it safe, he answered himself wryly. To keep it safe from the likes of Reseda.

"ENVY?" he called out, his musical voice carrying through the ruins.

@Envy

Envy startled as Pride’s voice rang out through the ruins- close by where Envy had hidden the chryalis, but far enough away that Envy quickly relaxed. Heart still hammering, they popped their head out of the entrance to their small room, and looked around. Distantly they saw Pride- but they weren’t sure if he was coming or going- and the weasel knew they would have heard him if he’d already passed their secret alcove.

They hesitated before calling out. “Pride? Over here!” they called out, lingering in view for a few more moments before returning to the chrysalis. They sat opposite it as they waited for pride to arrive, ears perked and listening for any movement in the Chrysalis. They were quite clearly transfixed, although their quills were slightly raised- a hint to the nervousness insise them. The weasel was clearly unprepared for the onset of parenthood.

Speech. Thought.

@Pride

Pride turned at the call, his jaunty, floating trot bringing him right back to the little room. He ducked inside, peering around--at Envy, at the rubble within, at the faint glint of the chrysalis.

"Envy," he repeated, a little out of breath, as a greeting. "our stones have hatched. Both healthy, both beautiful--I came to let you know and to check on yours. When did you say you granted it life? Was it long after ours? Ours came yesterday. Yours may not be far off!"

He caught his breath, and shook himself a little, regaining his composure. He could see that the weasel's quills were bristling, a bit--and he wasn't sure why--but then, who knew why Envy thought anything? They were always so damn negative, even in the best moments. Though--Pride could forgive them... because thinking back on it, hadn't he been nervous as hell?

"...Are you anxious?" he asked, moving in a little further to settle himself. "I know I was."

@Envy

The little weasel looked up as Pride entered the room, a jolt shooting through them as the stag spoke. They shook their head in an irritable manner to try and get rid of the disgusted feeling that rose in their, and grunted. Again came the painful reminder that Pride's other friend had been given two stones, and that they themselves were an afterthought. And, of course- the results were, as Pride described them, beautiful. The weasel was suddenly unsure if they wanted the little one to hatch out for fear of what would emerge- surely whatever did, Pride would be disappointed. Surely it could never compete.

Envy opened their mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Their quills prickled upright just that little bit higher. They turned back to the chrysalis, and stared. "I bet that ours will be even more beautiful." they said finally, shoulders sagging with pent-up tension. Their voice was taut with anxiety- it was unclear how long they'd been waiting by the stone. They approached the chrysalis again, once again drawing close enough that they could see their breath on its surface. "Not long after... I... I can hear it moving inside."

Envy finally turned their gaze away from the Chrysalis at his question, and even though they didn't answer right away, the look in their eye should have been more than enough. They shivered, quills rattling in the quiet. Perhaps Pride's admission of his own feelings coaxed them. "I don't know. I... might be. Are you?"

Speech. Thought.

@Pride

At Envy's question, Pride realized something--and with this realization came guilt. He wasn't nervous, because he hadn't cared as much about this stone.

Perhaps it was because with Mercurius, he'd intended to create life, to nurture children--with Envy, it had been a gift. Not an afterthought, as Envy might think--but something for the weasel to care for as they wished. With Envy's question, it brought into question, too, whether Pride was being welcomed into parenthood for this child, as well. Did Envy intend to allow him, then, some measure of raising it? He decided to reply in the affirmative--to stake his claim, so to speak, now. He knew that Envy could be... nervous, insecure; perhaps if he took a role now, and offered support, he could step up if and when Envy felt inadequate.

His response was calculated, but came out soothingly warm.

"I am, a little, but that is soothed somewhat after finding my previous fears groundless. We have no reason to be nervous, though; the child will have the benefit of both our support, no matter what. There will be three of them, after all; they will always be welcome wherever I may be, yes? They may grow together, learn together, even if at times they are apart; and if they need help, they will have us. It will be fine."

He wondered what Envy would say to that. Would they be jealous and possessive, even, of a child shared by Pride's stone? If they wished to push him away, so be it; he would simply offer his support to the child on their own, once they were old enough. They would be their own person, by then. He just hoped that Envy did not smother them, covet them, and hide them away as they did so much. He'd been coming to learn the weasel's ways more and more--the way Envy deliberately hid secrets, and magic, rather than share them with those around them. Rather than confront their King, though, Pride chose to say nothing, and simply offer his support; perhaps, he hoped, with time, Envy would learn that they did not have to keep everything to themselves, to "prove" themselves to anyone.

@Envy

Pride always knew just what to say; but even those words came with a shard of ice. Pride wanted to raise all three together? The weasel couldn't help but feel a sharp stab of disappointment. They didn't think they ever wanted to so much as see the other two- let alone see their child raised alongside them. Pride, with his words, clumped them all together as just three things- Envy's child wasn't an individual. It would just be another child, and probably the least favourite.

The other part of them didn't want their young one to be overshadowed, to live their life looking up at things better than them. That thought came with a jab of fear, as well- that their child's inadequacy would be an extension of their own.

But, exhausted, the weasel only nodded. It wasn't like they could stop him. And besides, Envy had more pressing matters to attend to. They heard the chrysalis creaking again, this time louder, and groaning. The weasel heard a sharp crack. They rocketed back from the chrysalis, dancing on the spot in front of it. They hadn't realized quite the extent of their anxiety, because the next thing they knew, they were flying into a panic.

"Pride!" they shrilled, between gasping breaths. "It's happening--!"

Speech. Thought.

The child within the chrysalis, meanwhile, had just started to come to. It had just noticed how cold these walls were, and how hard. And so, it struggled to make more room for itself, stretching tiny forelimbs and curling its plump little body. Something gave way- hard stone shifting beneath its paws- the fluid inside of its prison began to drain away. It felt air for the first time- bubbles tickling its face as they rushed to the top of the chrysalis.

It opened its mouth, but in the fluid, it still had no voice. Another heave- another crack- and the tiny creature- barely an inch bigger than Envy- flopped ungracefully out onto the cave floor amidst a puddle of amniotic fluid. Pale green, velvety sides heaved, it choked out a mouthful of fluid- and let out a plaintive bleat. Its eyes were still sealed shut, its body- although long, was plump and fat. And its little legs were tiny. Its ears- deer-like- were pressed against its head. One of them held a glistening diamond shard.

Safely out into the world, the baby found that the stone and the air of Orion was far colder than the place it had just left. It continued to cry pitifully.

@Pride

Pride watched in hushed awe, wide-eyed, forgetting even to breathe. It didn't matter that he'd seen two others hatch just the day before--it was nerve-wracking and beautiful all over again. He leaned over to offer Envy a reassuring nudge--they were panicking, or so it seemed to him--and then, as the child spilled forth and began to call out, he closed the gap with a couple swift steps.

Yesterday, Mercurius had been the one to immediately groom the child--but this one was wet, and cold, and Pride shouldered the welcome burden at once. He didn't, however, block Envy, instead moving aside so that they could approach, as well. He moved to rapidly groom the newly-hatched child's fur, and folded long legs to lay down beside it, so that there was warmth on offer, too.

His body language welcomed Envy; it offered reassurance to the child, too. He did not, however, say a word. It was time for the weasel to meet their first child, and he did not wish to interrupt.

@Envy

Envy held back, frozen in what seemed like complete disbelief as their child finally emerged. It was green, like them, yet paler- with small stubby legs and a small, long face that seemed too big for its body. It was so round, and so wet- but unlike their emergences, the liquid coating it was not red like blood. The child smelled new, and fresh, and warm and it was a smell that Envy would remember for the rest of their days.

The child was like them, only better- and they didn't know if this was what they'd been hoping for, or dreading. Only... the pitiful sounds it made cut right to Envy's core, the conflicting emotions keeping them rooted to the spot. The expression they wore was stunned. It took a few moments longer for them to realize that the young one couldn't see, its eyes still tight shut.

It was only when Pride lay down that the weasel shook themselves out of their daze, and stiffly, they moved closer. Not wanting Pride to be the only one to do anything, they started to groom the young one as well, although they were barely aware that they were doing it.

What they were aware of, though, was the velvety texture of its skin and the warmth of its body, like a tiny hot water bottle. Envy could feel its tiny heart beating almost as fast as theirs. They tasted the strangeness of the fluid it had hatched with.

And they felt it calming with every stroke of their rough little tongue.

Speech. Thought.

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Livius

Pride

Livius

Pride

Livius

Pride

Livius

Charity

Pride

Livius