ORIGIN

Leon didn't know how long he had been asleep for. It must have been at least a day before he was awake enough to remember what happened. It must have been a little bit longer than that, too, before he had the energy to slowly pull himself onto his paws and stagger away from the battleground. The earth was littered with speckling of crimson and streaks of burnt, black dirt. Claw marks, pieces of melted leather, and tufts of fur spoke of the fight that had occurred there just the day before. And the fissure. That deep, dark maw in the earth that had swallowed Cancer whole. It was the only reason Leon was still alive, yet the bear turned his eyes from it, lips pressed into a grim line.

His entire body ached even more than when he had first passed out. The adrenaline pumping through his veins had protected him from the pain, but now it was here in full force. His muscles screamed and his bones felt like they were going to shatter, his chest was tight and breathing hurt his lungs. His vision was still blurry even. The deep gashes that cut across his throat and up the right side of his muzzle had crusted over, but would be quick to reopen and bleed again at the slightest trauma. What was worse was the general feeling of unwellness through his whole body, as an artifact of both his chipped stone and the radiation that Cancer had hit him with. It made his stomach churn and every so often, Leon would have to stop where he was and vomit. Even after his stomach was emptied he dry heaved and choked, his body desperately trying to heal itself.

The trek back to Pisces took far longer than the run from it. It was a couple hours, at least, of Leon stumbling through the tunnels and cave rooms, having to stop for numerous rests until finally he found the entrance to Pisces. Just a little while ago he had lingered here, tormented by the path that promised to take him through it. Some part of him was still hesitant to enter, knowing that if he did, he'd be met by the worried faces of his friends. The rest of him was just desperate to find somewhere he would be safe. If he could just... go back to his den... he could sleep and everything might be okay.

Leon huffed and pressed on. It wouldn't be long before somebody would notice his return - especially since he was returning alone. His head hung and he limped, fighting through the ache in his body to make his way back towards his den.

and that’s when the shadow came, and darkened your china face
the dancers still shook and swayed, but i couldn’t look away
they were all in their chemicals, a hundred cars up an icy hill
and we were stood under them, grim and quietly grimacing

and you spoke with that voice i love, and love awoke in my boilin blood
where death sat a sec before, the road is lit and i’m going home
He dragged his paws on the stone floor, knowing that he'd be found even before he reached the dark, lonesome maw of his den. It had been weeks since he felt this floor, weeks since his eyes moved over the familiar cracks and patterns in the dust-laden rocks, weeks since he felt the familiar weight of mist on his fur. But it was welcome. It was what he'd missed. Even after all that happened, his muscles had creaked to a slow, and the mist made him smile - tears gathered in the corners of his eyes.

Before he saw her, he felt her. Everything in him pulled towards her, it was the feeling of his other half finally coming together, the feeling of him - his other half. Leon's eyes slowly lifted from the floor, still dotted with tears, the brown fur beneath his eyes darkening. Just as she stared at him in disbelief, he stared at her back, unable to tear his eyes from the golden girl that emerged from the darkness to meet him. Unable to look away, for fear that she'd vanish when he looked back. Unable to look away, for fear that he would look again and see something else - maybe she was a memory and he really was dead. But she choked out a sob, and Leon felt the squeeze in his chest. She ran forward and as soon as she met him, his legs gave out, his muscles finally found their reprieve. He collapsed into her embrace, accepting the safety and security she gave him over all else.

there will be no caving in, no suicide note, no pills & gin
i’ll hear your voice again, and it stirs me like a pealing bell
echoed by everything, everywhere, by every fraught fibre, by every cell, hear em telling you:

you’re not the only one feeling this stuff, you’re one of us
Hind legs folded beneath him, his head lay on the back of her neck, pressing his wounded face against her right shoulder. His left front paw came up, clutching the back of her head and holding her, holding her closer than he'd ever before, so afraid that he'd lose her he couldn't move again. His wide eyes brimmed with tears now, staring past her into the cave room that slowly began to populate with the faces of his friends. He could feel his heart staggering, reaching out for that heartbeat he felt, reaching out for the synchrony it craved. He barely registered the pain of her rasping tongue against his wounds, knowing that she was only doing it to help; that was right, he'd forgotten. The pain was forgotten when he saw her.

As she started to pull away, Leon instinctively clung to her, unable to let himself let go of her. But as soon as his muscles felt defiance of his will, they screamed, and he squeezed his eyes shut before releasing her. It took all of his strength to hold himself up as she withdrew and he met her eyes, still wide, still frightened, in complete awe, pleading - please, have me back. Then she cried again and his heart wrenched, but she moved forward and she bumped his head. The bear's short, round ears pressed flat against his skull and he pushed back against her skull, only the lightest of forces; his expression softened until it betrayed naught but doleful, defeated and half-lidded eyes, simply relieved that he was home with her.

and thats when the shadow lifts and the camera reveals her lips
and the lava under your skin – you gotta always remember it
and try not to talk at all, and say all of that common stuff
no just let the lava come and all the love you been holding off
yeah that’s when we’re rising up – feel the elevator pull your guts
each floor’s like the medicine drops – the only fear is the fear it’ll stop

but it won’t because, cause its in your blood, you’re one of us
Her voice illuminated the silence and his eyes lightened, flickering up to meet hers again. The cracking of her melodious intones pierced him and he rubbed his thick muzzle against her cheek in a bid to stifle her tears. "I wouldn't - I couldn't..." Leon stammered and strained to speak through the tightening of his throat. As much as he had wanted to leave her behind, he knew that one day it would have to end. Be it sooner or later, it would end and he would go back to her. He would always go back to her whether or not she wanted him, or needed him, or even thought about him, he'd go back to her if only to see her happy again. The bear felt his heart quake, closing his eyes as he relished the sensation of her being so near.

Before long she pulled away again, leaving Leon feeling exposed. That happiness and warmth suddenly spawned in him began to plummet as she asked that question, Where is Cancer? Leon blinked at her, for a quick second dumb founded, and then jealous, and then upset, and then guilty. Almost two seconds later there was a fluttering of wings, and suddenly Bevy had drifted down from on high only to crash land in the moss, then hop back up and greet him. They both pressed him for what happened. Leon was dead on his feet, and for a brief moment he found that familiar frustration bubbling up in him that they hadn't just expressed their worry for him. Then, he was guilty again - Cancer was their leader and arguably more important, he'd been here to care for everybody whereas Leon had simply vanished. It was Leon's fault he was gone.

The bear's shoulders dropped, as did his gaze to the paws of the lioness. "He- I'm sorry-" Leon's voice broke as he struggled to maintain evenness, struggling through that pit in his stomach that had suddenly opened up, the pit- "I don't know." He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head slightly. "We- we were fighting, and he knocked me back. He came at me with the knife. Then the ground shook and opened up, and suddenly he was gone." It was hard enough for him to remember it, let alone recount it in front of Makyna and Bevy, the two Gembounds who cared about Cancer the most. His voice shook with shame. "I don't know where he is." Leon's voice strained, and his head finally hung. "I'm sorry."

yeah that’s when we’re rising up, out of the ashes and plastic cups
arm and arm on a dirty rug, where they’re all dancing to jungle love
i don’t care if a shadow comes, and covers us like a shovel of rocks
the party’s still going on

and i heard cathedral bells
His shoulders quaked as he quietly cried - and then he raised his head, as if it weighed a thousand pounds, and he looked back at Makyna. His eyes gleamed, and they pleaded forgiveness, for understanding, and for her to come back. He pleaded for her to come back. Cancer was gone and it was his fault, but he needed Makyna, he needed her to understand, he needed... he just wanted her to love him.

Makyna would soon find a series of scenarios evolving before her very eyes. The distant cave wall in the far end of Pisces would transform to mirror the wall of the pit that Cancer had tumbled into. The wall opened up, and out it spat the black leopard who tumbled onto the floor. The shifting and groaning of the earth, however, had greatly damaged him - as he fell onto the floor, he remained still, lifeless. Bleeding. Bleeding everywhere. Dead. The wall opened up again, and Cancer fell out a second time, this time stumbling onto the floor of the pit. Alive. Barely alive. But a shadow would hover over him. The lamb in front of him shifted, and then turned her head away. The dragon suddenly dove down and devoured the leopard. The wall opened up again, and Cancer fell out a third time, coughing and sputtering, and then the lamb shifted and turned away, and Cancer wandered around the pit looking for a way to escape. Then the wall opened up a fourth time, and Cancer tumbled out, and the lamb shifted and raised her head. She looked at Makyna. Directly at Makyna, into the eyes, the soul of the lioness, and then there was a flashing white and a burning in her head. The visions faded back into the far wall of the cave.

The bear's eyes lingered on her for moments more before they broke away. He could feel the wall that he had built crumbling now - what once was breached was no more. The walls were gone now, washed away by that deluge of emotion. Not even rubble remained after Makyna's anger had inspired him, and then took him over, and left nothing behind. She would know everything that he felt, and after that surge of helplessness and need, he knew that she had felt it too, and then she moved forward to make everything better again. A quiet sigh leaked from his lungs as she pulled him towards her. Leon let it happen, his body falling into hers again. His shoulders leaned against her, and his torn neck stretched across her shoulder, his chin resting on her back. She'd given him all and everything that he'd wanted, and so he closed his eyes, relieved.

He barely felt it when she tightened her grip. Bevy had hopped forward, touching his paw only slightly. He couldn't feel that either, when the bacteria began to fester within him in an attempt to ward off the potential illness that infection might bring. There was too many things for him to feel, and in turn he felt nothing, nothing except for the warmth of the lioness. Leon's orange eyes slowly opened again, flickering down to see Bevy. He was thankful for her, too - thankful that she had accepted his return and that she wanted to help. He really needed it. As much as he believed that all he needed was Makyna, he needed help to make sure that he wasn't going to succumb to the pure lack of energy his body had too.

The bird fluttered off, then swiftly returned with a care package of leaves. Leon turned his head only slightly to watch her, tuning his ears to listen. In truth, he looked exhausted. His eyes were half open and looked like they had dark circles under them, stained with tears as the fur was. She tried to assure him that the leopard would be okay, but Leon truly had no idea. He didn't know where Cancer had disappeared to, if he was trapped in the earth forever or if he would emerge somewhere else, beyond the cave? Bevy reassured him and hopped around, preparing the dressing before fluttering up to apply it to his chest. Though she spoke to Makyna, Leon summoned his strength to shift slightly and allow her access to his now scabbing injuries. "Th-thank you Bevy," He murmured tiredly, and then tucked his face into Makyna's thick ruff as he felt the bird poking around his injuries.

In a few quick moments, another creature had arrived on scene but Leon didn't recognize her. She was but a tiny thing, sandy coloured fur and bright blue eyes, hopping up to the gathering with curious questions. Asking where Cancer was. The bear very slowly withdrew his face to glance over at her, but couldn't find it in himself to repeat his explanation. It was no matter - she quickly became distracted, pointing out that he was the one to save Usui. Well yes, but how did she know...? Leon furrowed his brow slightly, but before he could say much, she was suddenly right next to him summoning her helpful magic as well. "A- ..." The bear stuttered, and his voice broke away. A hero... No. Not anymore.