ORIGIN

Nestled in the heart of Eridanus, concealed by its ferns and mud, lay a tiny chrysalis, half sunken into a small stream. Unluckily for the inhabitant, the half that was submerged contained its head. Worse yet, he had begun to awaken. With a soft, sleepy krawk, the tiny bird inside lifted his eyelids for the first time, gazing out blurrily into the world. The Turaco's chrysalis shined bright purple and blue, matching one of his long, gleaming talons. Shifting inside of the beautiful prison, Adeyemi attempted to take his first breaths - but found he couldn't. The angle of his chrysalis compressed his lungs, and the tiny bird squealed in instinctual fear, flapping his useless wings and kicking out against the hard surface, attempts barely nudging any part of the smooth pseudo-egg.

Frightened and agitated, the bird tried a different strategy - rolling his prison further into the stream nearby, hopefully managing to straighten it out and let him escape.

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As it seemed life was wont to do to the small creature, hardly anything went his way, and the chrysalis barely moved from its upside-down position. Thoroughly terrified now, he tried to call out once more, hoping someone, anyone would find him. "G'way! G'way!"

The young bird stayed in place for what felt like days, breath growing shorter and shorter, panic setting in more firmly now that it felt like wherever his useless chrysalis had decided to form was in the middle of nowhere, with no-one around to help. Steeling himself, frustrated beyond belief, he kicked out, wincing when claws met gemstone and sent a shock up his thin leg. "G'way!" The call was harsh and annoyed, and the turaco croaked, feeling his anger begin to grow, a slow burn over his body.

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And, as if called forth by the churning in his gut, flame. His beak, his feet, his eyes, all burned, bright pain making him screech. The bird kicked out again and again, talons lit with low, licking flame, burning the delicate skin - and the gem prison. One, two, three kicks - and the chrysalis gave, sending the turaco tumbling to the ground, the stream extinguishing the fire as well as filling his nostrils with acrid water. Choking, he crawled to the miniature river's shore, glaring at his surroundings like they'd personally wronged him... which, in his eyes, they had. "Ade-eeee-yem-iiii," he groaned, trying to get his tender feet up and under him. "Adeyemi," he clucked, more confidently when he could shakily lift himself up.

"I am Adeyemi."

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What was this? She sat and watched for a long time. The rolling of the chrysalis had caught her attention some days ago - afterall, there was not much else to see here. She'd wondered, briefly, if this place had stillborns or miscarriages, because every time she passed it after that, it was completely still.

But now?

It survived. It lived. Although it could only say three words, it had accomplished more than she had since she had emerged from the blue-green rock. Perhaps she was jealous of it, but at the same time she pitied it. Her flight feathers had already began growing in, but they weren't quite ready yet. The owl carefully lowered herself off the branch she perched on and slowly made her way towards the other bird.

And when she reached there, she was quiet for a moment. It didn't matter if Adeyemi had noticed her or not, because she stood for several seconds before she finally opened her beak to speak, unusually soft-spoken for a mere child, "Hello, Ade..yiii-mii."

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Movement caught Adeyemi's eye, and he twitched in place, head flicking from left to right as he tried to pinpoint it. His wings rustled, and though he'd never admit to being nervous, the shuffling of his burned feet gave the newborn away. "Who is there?" The call was croaked out, and he glared, betrayed by his own voice.

There - movement to his left. Adeyemi turned, bright plumage sticking out like a sore thumb against the muddy ground of Eridanus, and narrowed his eyes at the other creature. It looked like him - although, of course, nothing could measure up to his obvious power and grace, considering he'd burned his way out of that damnable crystalline prison - with wings, a beak, feathers and two bright, liquid eyes. Adeyemi let out a curious caw, hopping closer when the thing spoke.

Make that when the girl spoke. The soft voice startled him - considering the Hell he'd obviously hatched into, he'd assumed this beast, however much it appeared to be like him, would be just another challenge. She didn't seem to want to fight, so he fluffed up his chest feathers, straightening up and flapping his wings a bit, showing off the bright, flashy colors of his wing lining with a crow.

"Who," he croaked, "are you?"

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.... Good question.

There was a silence as the owl thought to herself. How did this one think of a name for himself so fast? The creature shifted on her talons for a moment before the soft-spoken voice came once more, "I am unsure," the words lingered for a moment. "I have not found my purpose here yet."

She seemed to have assumed Adeyemi had found his entire purpose in life already, but there was another short silence before she spoke again. "You do not have to assert dominance."

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The response seemed to confuse Adeyemi, who huffed, soothing out his feathers with a twist of his body and a tilt of his head. "No, I don't," he agreed, pride making his tinny voice thick. After all, from the other fowl's response, he'd clearly already established who was top dog. Satisfied, the turaco eyed his company, trying to make sense of her. "Your... purpose," he repeated slowly, confused. "What is a purpose?"

The question was a bit hollow, anger making it so. After all, if he knew so clearly who he was, how could he be missing this so clearly vital information? He was Adeyemi. Adeyemi who... what? The bird distantly knew that he enjoyed the feeling of strength - burning his way out of his jail, his cocky "greeting" to the owlet staring at him - it sent a surge of electricity through his limbs, and the dull pain of the burns surrounding his feet seemed to dim.

Strength. But was strength alone a purpose?

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"A purpose; a main goal in life. A reason to exist and go on," she said. But, she began to turn and saunter off deeper into Eridanus.

"You'll be hungry," she said. "You will follow."

She did not turn back - so if he followed or not, she may not even know, but she continued to walk anyway.

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A reason to exist. The words froze Adeyemi in place, and for the first time since successfully escaping his chrysalis, he looked discomforted, offput, prideful stance wilting. "A... a reason?" The words were mumbled, hollow, bit Adeyemi quickly shook his head, seeming to remember he had an audience. "Adeyemi has a reason," he offered, voice growing stronger with conviction. "To be strong. Stronger than anything else. Than anyone else." He shifted, feathers flashing in the dim light.

At the owl's nonchalant retreat, he let out a panicked kraw! hurrying after her in a strange waddling trot, feet tender from their burns. He slowed when he reached her side, angry at himself for having followed orders so willingly. After all, if she was anything like everything else in this place, she'd turn on him too. Still, curious despite himself, he asked "Food?" softly.

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"Food," echoed the owl. Perhaps she chose to ignore, or just didn't notice the hatchling's seared talons, but she kept walking in relative silence. Only once did she turn to make sure Adeyemi was actually still following, head slowly swivelling back to look directly behind her at the bird before head turned back forward.

Minutes passed, before the owl finally came to a stop. "You will remain here," she said in the same soft tone. She began to creep into a clearing, sharp eyes immediately locking onto a mouse sitting amongst the green.

She started running after the creature - comically long legs looking almost out of place as she darted forward and lunged at the mouse. it's clear this isn't the way owls are actually supposed to hunt, if it be for practical or dignity reasons.

Yet, somehow, as the owl dives forward she manages to belly-flop directly on top of the mouse and tussle with the beast for a few moments, before she almost seems to just appear in front of Adeyemi again with the limp mouse in her beak.

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A shiver ran through Adeyemi when his companion seemed to twist her neck around in place, staring back at him through the shadows. Spooky. Still, he followed, gate awkward and ungainly. It would take time for the burns to heal, but even then, such a young bird had trouble moving with grace.

The owl's next order almost made him squawk, not liking how quickly she was reversing their previous dynamic, but he stayed in place, too hungry to argue. At the flurry of movement, Adeyemi hopped into the air, startled. He came down in an ungraceful heap, eyes glaring up at his companion balefully. "Oh, don't mind me," he muttered sarcastically, gaze softening when he focused on the mouse.

"Ah... I mean, thank you ever so much, of course," he cheerily backpedalled, struggling to stand and straightening his cattywampus feathers with a clearly false grin.