ORIGIN

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Amazon frowned miserably. She wanted to say no, she wanted to be that mature, strong little lizard she thought she was, but Tenzin's offer was too good. And Pride seemingly cared little for it. She wanted to tell him that it was something, that throwing away his health for her was absolutely something important. But she knew him enough to know that he would do so anyways. After all, he was Pride and the way Envy spoke about him, he would die for her, despite their short relationship.

Finally, after a stretched moment of silence, she squeaked. "If...if you're sure Pride. I'm in your dept, forever. I don't know how I'll ever thank you for this." She looked up towards Tenzin and nodded. "Okay...I'll do it."

@Pride

Tenzin gave a soft and thoughtful trill of sound. "Please, come closer," he said.

Then he sighed softly. This will not be easy.

The phoenix began to glow softly, a gentle, icy blue that twisted toward the pair like tendrils of mist. Pride would first feel a deep-seated, sharp pain throughout his gemstone and into his body--and a growing weakness, a fading strength, as if his very life and essence were being drained away.

Amazon, meanwhile, would feel her strength returning--her pain fading, her body growing healthier.

Amazon will gain +1 cycle of health and survival before returning to her current state. Pride will feel ill and weakened, regaining his strength over 1 cycle.

The phoenix then rocked back, the magicka fading. He appeared tired, sagging a little in the water, but for now he waited and watched the two Gembound before him--hoping that all had gone well.

Pride stepped obediently forward, the worry flickering higher in him--only natural, really. There was fear, there. His last coherent thought was--I wonder if this will hurt?

It did.

With a cry he fell to his knees, shocked by the intensity of it--it was like a spear, a knife, driven through his gemstone, the pain radiating throughout his body. Is this how she always feels..? he thought, the thought breathless and wild. He felt ill--he felt weak, as though his magicka and his very life were draining away.

For a moment he realized how helpless he was--how at Tenzin's mercy; if the phoenix chose to kill him, he could do absolutely nothing in recourse.

But the pain release as abruptly as it had come, and he realized at once that it had only been a moment.

A blessing, that.

Slowly he lay there, turning to gaze at Amazon through confusion-hazed eyes, the weakness heavy on him. He felt as though he could barely walk, should he try, right now, to stand. But what of her..? Had it worked?

"--Did it... work?" he asked, hoping.

Worrying.

@Amazon

Amazon was also worried that it would hurt, for both of them. Of course, she was much more worried for Pride, as he was the one giving up his health for her to live longer. She closed her eyes and stepped forward, waiting for it to be over.

But she couldn't help but open them again at the sound of Pride's cry. She looked over, fear and worry clouding her gaze and she stepped forward, as if she could do something to help him. But then a feeling, a wonderful feeling of strength began to flow into her body. The pain that plagued the skin around her gem was receding. The headache was fading away. The weakness in her limbs that she had thought were now just normalcy was being replaced by strength she hadn't known for cycles.

She felt good.

Even after the spell was ended, Amazon couldn't move, her entire body shocked at how normal she felt, how awake and alive she was. In that moment she didn't care that Pride would suffer, that he was suffering right then, next to her. She had suffered for cycles and now...now she was free.

If a lizard could cry they would be flowing endlessly from her eyes. Instead, her entire, tiny body shivered with such powerful emotions that she could barely contain it all. She looked over as Pride asked her and all she could manage was a joyful squeak.

@Pride

Pride gazed blearily at Amazon, the sickness keeping him reeling. He felt as though he would be sick--he was sick. He thought he would fall apart then and there; perhaps... that was not a bad thing, if the lizard now did not feel this way.

He wasn't sure what the squeak meant, however, and he asked--concern evident in the croak of his voice--"Is that--a yes?"

He glanced at Tenzin, who seemed to be waiting close by--and to him, the phoenix looked weary.

"Thank you," he offered. "Did this drain you? I am sorry, if it has--and beyond grateful for your aid."

The vandenbrandeite glowed with health once more. "It has worked," Tenzin answered simply. And then, in response to Pride's question--"It is taxing." His voice still trilled, but it held a faint weariness to it. Already, he felt the need to rest, to descend into the deepest recesses of the lagoon and curl into his ice.

"And you are welcome. You may come to me again in a cycle, should you wish it--I will help as I can." He left the rest unsaid--that if Amazon wished an end to it, he would, if sadly, provide.

@Amazon

Amazon finally managed to regain her voice as Pride thanked the phoenix. "Y-yes," she chirped. "I feel...I feel good." No, that wasn't the right word to describe it. She didn't feel good. She felt like she could run through the whole caves. She felt so free that she could spread wings and fly, so light that she would just float to the ceiling without a care in the world.

As she noticed all of these things a goofy grin spread across her face. "I feel amazing." And even her voice sounded healthier. Where once there was a sort of hoarseness, a tiredness, it was all smooth and confident now. She stepped up towards the phoenix and tried to bow against but, unfortunately, Pride's strength did not make her any taller so it was more a small dip of the head. "Thank you...Tenzin, truly. Thank you."

And now she turned to Pride, who she noticed was quite sick. Her elation died away and she stepped forward, rearing up to place her front claws on Pride's leg. "And thank you, Pride...I don't know how I'll ever thank you for this. I don't know...what I did to deserve this..." Her voice began to shiver as emotions wracked her once again. There was a lump in the back of her throat as she tried to continue speaking but she couldn't.

It wasn't lost on her that Pride was now sick. Perhaps not as sick as she was, but still, he had weakened himself for her. For a second, a short, horrible second, she felt a flash of satisfaction that somebody else was experiencing the same pain and torment she had endured for many a cycle. But it was gone and she felt all the more guilty knowing she had thought something so horrible.

"Do you need to get back to Orion? Or do you need to rest here for a moment. I could get you something or find a place to stay for a little bit while you get used to...it?"

@Pride

Pride listened past the muddlement of his mind. It was difficult, he found, to focus--but Amazon was asking what they should do. Or rather, what he should do. But what were her plans..? He felt uncomfortable with allowing the much smaller Gembound to wander without protection--but he wasn't sure he would be able to travel, just yet, and he certainly didn't think the now-healthy reptile would want to simply sit around and waste what healthy time she had left.

"Ahh--what are your plans?" he managed, after a moment, and he seemed tensed, pulled into himself with the illness. "I could carry you for travelling, perhaps-... But I might need a night to rest, Amazon. I do not wish to leave you to wander back without protection, but if you are eager to be off, do not let me slow you down."

He looked again to Tenzin, his eyes pained. "Perhaps, if Tenzin is well enough to indulge me, we could speak for a time. I am sure he will be company enough--and it is good to see you well, Amazon," he added.

It was difficult to concentrate, to focus even enough to speak past the roiling unwellness he currently felt. It was if his very life force had been drained away--as if he had battled a long and unpleasant illness, and was losing.

"I can," Tenzin agreed softly. "For a time." He watched Amazon with a kind expression, and despite his icy sheen, he seemed downright warm.

@Amazon

Amazon hesitated. What were her plans? She had wanted to explore the caves, of course, as fast as she could. She wanted to see as much as she could and now that she was strong again, she had more drive to explore. And Envy had told her that they would take her to see everything.

But looking at Pride now, she felt a wave of guilt wash over her. Was she just going to run off for a cycle and leave him to be sick? Take his health and run off with it? That wasn't right. That wasn't just. But to not go out and use what time she had, it seemed like a waste of his sacrifice. She was so conflicted that she said nothing for some time.

"I...I wanted to see everything the caves had. I wanted to explore as much as I could but...I don't want to leave you like this and I don't want to force you to carry me around in your state. I'll happily stay with you as long as you need to recover enough to go home but, if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to at least have a look at Pisces while I'm waiting. I don't want to waste the time I have."

@Pride

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