ORIGIN - DO NOT BE AFRAID[hatching!]

A gouge in the rock cliffs of Monoceros housed reddish orange glimmer, perched. It was a chunk of fire opal, perfect in it's shape to the centimeter, a orb that flickered with pink and green flecks as light hit it. The chrysalis was wedged between the dry tan and grey rock. The opal twitched.

Rather unceremoniously, the orb fell from it's point in the cliff face. It fell to the hard stone ground, yet there was no impact. The chrysalis floated. And within the chrysalis, some odd creature twitched, a dark shadow within the bright orange orb. And then the top of it began to crumble. The rest of the bright crystal crumbled slowly, chunks and fine bits slowly breaking off and joining the current of wind. Bits of the being beneath began to be known. A flash of pink skin there, a pale, blinking eye there, and smooth, white chitin there. And then, there was nothing left of the chrysalis.

In its place floated a small creature, a pale white and gold ring that should not have been alive, let alone sentient, but it was. Three naked pink wings rimmed the creatures circular body. The bright gold eye on top blinked slowly, experimentally. Clockwise, the rest of the eyes that dotted it's frame followed, with the same cautious testing. It flexed it's middle pair of wings, the largest. It twisted slightly from side to side. It spoke with a hum.

"I am." It's voice was that of two young children's twined, emotionless and too young to identify any gender within.

The prince made it his duty to know what went on his domain, who entered, who left, and who was there to stay. The wind could carry scents far and wide through Monoceros, and on this particular day, it carried with it the scent of birth.

Alastor had never experienced such a phenomenon other than his own. It was not often that the Cave of Winds bore new life. He strode through the zephyrs and down wind-carved gorges, piecing together the puzzle that was a fluctuating, fading scent. If he had not been so close, he might have lost it entirely.

Eventually, Alastor tracked it down at the base of a cliff, a pale, circular thing hovering just above the ground. He stopped and squinted, then breathed in the scent once more. The giant destrier stood still for a moment, gazing upon the creature as his black mane danced in the wind. His silver eyes were stern and suspicious. He almost did not believe his nose. This is.. definitely the child. He had never seen any creature like it. It was so bizarre, alien. Was it even sentient?

He snorted. There was one way to find out.

The stallion strode forward, each step regal and proud. His neigh pierced through the air as he called out to it. "WELCOME!" Alastor's voice boomed over the wind, or perhaps it became the wind. Either way, there was hard to ignore. "WELCOME TO MONOCEROS!" He halted a few feet away and dipped his head graciously.

"Speech."
Thoughts...

@Temperantia

Temperantia flared its pale, featherless wings. A loud noise boomed in its ears, and it took a while for the Ophanim to register that the booming was a voice. It had welcomed Temperantia. It twisted in the air to face whatever had caused the noise. It blinked slowly, in a languid motion, like a cat in the sun. It was much larger than Temperantia, with odd appendages that it chose to let touch the floor. Temperantia found itself contemplating the dirt beneath it. It touched a lowermost wing to the ground in curiosity, noting the way it felt. It touched another wing to the ground. Perhaps this was how to be polite.

Perhaps...Temperantia was rude by not touching the rock as well. Then its pale gaze was upon on the large creature once more. What had the creature said? Welcome... "Welcome to Monoceros?" It parroted. So this is where it was? Temperantia was still a moment, even its eyes without movement as it took in the beige rocks surrounding it. Temperantia blinked. It felt nothing towards this dry place. Other than it and the rooted one, this place was empty, at least to Temperantia. But the dark creature with the shining thing upon its head knew this place.

Then the dark creature dipped its head to it. Temperantia took a moment to think. Oh. Was that polite? Must it do so as well? Like the limbs on the ground? Doing its best to keep its wings on the ground, Temperantia leaned forward in a mock dip. It leaned too far. The maneuver was too much. It lost its balance, flipping like a tossed coin until it managed to slow its spin and with flailing wings and the momentum dissipated. Temperantia floated in quiet nausea for a moment. It would not try moving again. "Welcome to Monoceros." It repeated once more into the air. Temperantia's eyes locked onto the other creature and its many limbs and few eyes. "Why do you touch the ground?"

@Alastor

Alastor nodded along as the thing mimicked his greeting. He hummed in agreement. Yes, yes, Monoceros." He confirmed. This was, indeed, the room Monoceros. Alastor shifted on his hooves and gestured with a swish of his tail at the windy cavern around them. "Home to the awe-inspiring Twister and its spawn,"He dipped his head a little, once again. "Yours truly, Alastor, Prince of Wind!." He bellowed his name with exuberance, clearly proud of his heritage and title.

Alastor blinked down at the creature, who appeared to be parroting him again and testing the ground. He wasn't sure if it had heard any of what he just said (or even understood), as it had taken to doing flips in the air. Alastor snorted. For a moment, he wondered if he was wasting his time. He had given it the benefit of doubt, but the thing did not seem that sentient.

Then, it spoke with independent thought.

The stallion's ears pricked forward, surprised at its thought capacity. Then, he gave it a funny look. "Why do you float?" He snapped back. Why do I touch the ground? He shook the thought from his head, although he took note to entertain it later. Alastor stomped his hoof. "Come now, we can discuss the nature of our bodies later." He stuck his he long neck forewords and his thick mane fell like drapes. Through the black locks, the horse's silver eyes pierced through. "You have a name, creature? "

"Speech."
Thoughts...

@Temperantia