he should be playing with boo boo keys, he's literally 1

Emerging from his chrysalis had not been an easy experience.

First, it had been dark. Miserably so. And loud it echoed around the small shell Worm had found himself in, a loud roaring that never seemed to end. Instinct told him to push, so push he did. He scratched with pinprick claws, gnawed with baby teeth until eventually a hole broke through the barrier that kept him from the outside. Yet, the moment the crystalline barrier caved in, water splashed through the small opening he'd made.

It was cold and wet, he pushed himself as far away from the sensation as he could; it was just a few droplets, but that was all he needed to decide he hated it.

Which, only made his skin crawl when he poked his head out of the top of the chrysalis to see nothing but water. Water as far as the eye could see, his chrysalises had been bobbing out in it. A lone island in this sea of nothing but crystal clear waters.

So, he hatched the only plan someone could do in his shoes. He cried. A mournful caterwauling only echoed across the waters, all from a body so small it could fit into a palm. He yowled for something he did not know. For comfort, for saving. Yet, all that had answered was his own voice, echoing back from across the waters.

Eventually, he'd curled up at the bottom of the floating chrysalis; frightened, petrified that any moment his makeshift boat would take on water and sink. If anyone peeped inside, they'd only see a pair of big, round eyes, peering back out at them. Watching the sky fearfully, frozen, like the slightest movement would wobble the shell and capsize it; which very well may have been true.

It was a small miracle that the lagoon had been so still. Eventually, gembound and chrysalis would be washed up. His first days were spent curled up inside the chrysalis, first afloat on the lagoon, then on its shoreline. Even when it was safely on land, he refused to leave; pushing himself as far back against the back walls as he could.

There were sounds, noises, smells and Worm had no way of knowing what they were. If they were just as terrifying as his awakening into this world.

Soon, the sounds of waters rising, lapping back at the shell of his chrysalis hiding spot would spur him into movement. Over the days, the chrysalis had decayed further, falling away until there was no roof above Worm any more. Until there were more holes than walls.

He'd fled then.

Bolted into the open and ran, and ran, and ran. Until his little lungs burned, until his paws stung, until the cool air stung his throat and he couldn't keep going any longer...

...Worm heaved for breath when he came skittering to a stop, the waters were smaller here. Full of slippery creatures that never seemed to venture outside their ponds. Too exhausted to run further, but too frightened to remain still. Everything was loud, bright, new. It sent prickling sensations up his hackles, deeply uncomfortable feelings and his chest-- His chest, it hurt. It felt as if something inside of it was going to thump its way out of his ribs.

It is with great reluctance he remains stopped by the ponds. Looking thin, dehydrated and wrecked. Barely a few inches big and full of an exhaustion only an adult should know. Worm doesn't lay down, he can't make his legs do that, so instead he stands hunched awkwardly over his legs; as if trying to balance his weight carefully on them without needing to strain his muscles further.

There were all sorts of things around him, ponds, rocks, creatures in the waters and out of them. He didn't know what any of them were. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. 'What now? What next? When would it all stop being so new and scary?'
He threw his head back and yowled once more. For what? He didn't know. Perhaps someone or something would come to him, and tell him it would just be alright.

Maybe.

Imp was in Pisces: a rarity, but he was travelling a little, this week. The reasons were twofold, but could be summarized by "Imp was bored and wanted to paint in other places for once," and "Imp was almost out of said paint." He was scrounging around for things he could use as pigment when he heard that tiny yowl.

"Fuck," he hissed, wincing, his little jump of surprise not at all dignified. But then, he never was. Dignity and Imp weren't related. Not even distant cousins. They'd never, most likely, even met in passing.

It took him a few minutes of short flights and scrunched-nose sniffing, his bats' ears rotating here and there, to find the tiny kitten. At first his gaze passed over Worm, mistaking him for a rock or something, except then he noticed how naked the little thing was. Like, bare skinny flesh, not rock at all.

Imp blinked all his eyes, and waddled over, wing-walking toward the kitten. He called out as he did, because he knew HE'D have been scared shitless for something so much larger to come up on him outta the blue. Plus, he had no idea yet if this was actually a Gembound, or a Lesser, or some kinda weird bait in a trap or whatever (he'd have seen far stranger things).

"Heya. You okay? Are you a kid or... A worm or something?" he asked, tilting his head this way and that. He had no idea what the kitten's name was; it just looked kinda like a worm right now. Small, pink, hairless.

And, showing some measure of empathy, the hybrid stopped a few yards off... rather than come right up and LOOM or something.

Worm might have bolted, if his legs hadn't felt like lead. So instead, he just looked. Really, looked, with big, round, uncomprehending eyes. If Worm had figured out how to speak, he might've questioned what Imp was, but sadly that wasn't something he'd picked up, not right this second, at least.

After a beat, he managed a quiet, "Uh-huh." Along with several very meek nods. He hadn't exactly given much thought to what he was, truthfully. Between the threat of drowning and then the running in fear, it hadn't left much time for pondering, but he supposed being a Worm-Kid was as good as anything.

It was another beat of outright gawking at this many-eyed person that, perhaps out of childish curiosity, Worm blurts out. "Do I look like you?" Which, while harmless question on its own, is less harmless when the cat grimaces; as if he'd bitten into something bitter, as he asks. Very much as if he really didn't wish to look like this hybrid. Even going as far to stick his tongue out between his teeth. Ew.

Why did this person have so many eyes? And why did it have those sticky-outy bits? Worm was vaguely certain he didn't have those, but he had to make sure. Which was a concern that briefly overwrote the fear that had gripped the youngster.

It seems manners hadn't been on the kids list of natural born talents.

The kid didn't exactly elucidate, but the fact Worm answered at all indicated "kid" indeed to Imp. "Worm" he put in the "maybe" pile. But, like, tentatively. He was pretty sure it was some sorta fucked-up cat.

He was about to put on his best friendly, reassuring smile and introduce himself when he got hit with the biggest insult of his life. At once, he was stifling a sputtered protest, because what the fuck? He looked AWESOME! He had lot of eyes, and glowy shit, and fur! And pretty, sparkly scales and feathers, and-

Imp took a deep breath. Okay. Okay. FUCK. Okay. Don't start a fight with a child. Look at it. It's fucking tiny. Don't. Don't make fun of it. Don't argue. It's like an inch long. Fuck. It took all his self-control, his half-formed smile still frozen on his face, not to be really fucking mean.

He could do this.

He could-

"Nah, you're nowhere near as cool." Pause. Wait, fuck, no. "You'll get there, someday. Maybe." The grin soured, much as he tried not to let it, because honestly he felt bad for the thing. LOOK at it.

It looked like a penis with ears. And Imp was an expert.

"Are you, uh. Did you just get hatched? Shit can be dangerous," he tried, then winced and hastily corrected himself. Language, dipshit. It's a kid. "I mean, stuff can be dangerous." To elaborate, he gestured vaguely. "You know. Lots of... stuff. I'm Imp. I can find you someplace safe, uh, probably." He fidgeted a little. He'd never been a great father figure; he was more of an eternal rebellious teen at heart.

Worm tried his best to not look deeply, awfully upset that he wasn't as cool as this 'Imp' person. But, being just a couple days old, he wasn't particularly good at it. His eyes widened into, big, round, hurt-filled saucers. His ears pinned back, his tail drooped pathetically between his legs.

He was lame. Uncool. Maybe he'd be cool one day, but right now? He was lame? That's harsh news for a gembound on their first cycle. Perhaps the worst news of his entire life so far.

It was tough out here.

Maybe he should accept the safe place to stay, especially if this was the nicest strangers they had out here. He shuffled on aching paws, exhaling a deep sigh before conceding. "Okay." Though, Worm made no move to get any closer to Imp. This stranger, though nice, could likely gobble him up in one or two bites, and that's not a risk he was willing to take! The thought crossed Worm's mind that this very cool stranger may take him to a spot where Worm could be eaten by others; but he was hungry and dead tired. Anything was better than running in circles...

There was another beat, as Worm thought other Imp's words. Completely oblivious to any internal struggle the stranger was having. Then, as true to any child, quickly figured out the one word he wasn't supposed to hear. "What's 'shit'?" Asked with all the sickly sweet innocence a ratty kitten could muster.

His brain ground briefly to a halt, which admittedly wasn't uncommon, as he tried to parse where to go from here. "Okay," the kid had said. No name, no suggestions, but Imp supposed that was just how being a new baby was. You didn't know anything yet, and-

-and his train of thought was interrupted by a horrible question. He winced, and his instantaneous reaction--no brain cells required--was unfortunate. "Fuck!" He winced again, harder. "NO! I mean. Those aren't great words for kids." His need to be helpful to a child kicked in, though. "Shit's a bad word. And it means something's bad. It's poop. You probably don't even know what poop is, yet, huh?" he added, the skin on his alligator snout scrunching up ever-so-slightly. "...Hey, listen, you got a name yet? I'm Imp," he repeated cheerfully, having already forgotten he'd offered it once.

"I'm thinking we can start with names, and maybe I get you some food, and then we can figure out what kinda place you might like. I've travelled all over the caves, so I can get you anywhere!"

He concentrated for a moment, setting the claw-tip of one wing on the floor. A sparkle, a flash, and a small banana popped into being; Imp quickly peeled this with his talons before pushing the fruit gently toward the cat. "This is a banana! It's magic; you can eat it, even if you don't like that sort've thing normally. It'll make you shiny for awhile, but it'll wear off."

Some Gembounds could call down lightning or summon a tornado or read others' minds. Well, fuck lightning; Imp could make magic bananas. Perfect for a weird, hairless little kid.

While the obvious question lingered, of what a 'fuck' was, the magical appearance of a fruit was a far more pressing and interesting issue. Though, it's doubtful the youngster would ever admit it, the appearance of the fruit had made him wince; as if the thing were some weapon to bludgeon poor scrappy creatures like himself.

Yet as he peeked through squinted eyes and saw this Imp-stranger peel the thing, he seemed slightly less threatening. Almost enticing, or perhaps that was the starvation. "I don't know what it is!" He announced, sounding slightly too cheerful as he eyed the fruit.

After a second had passed without the fruit or Imp lunging forward to strike, Worm slowly inched his way forwards on too big paws. "Oh. Um." A name? Right. What was it again?

Worm's eyes found their way back to the offered fruit, it didn't smell good but the ache in his stomach didn't care about that.

What was he doing again?

A name. What was his name? "Worm." He calls, without really clarifying that he wasn't just repeating words.

Yet still, Worm made no indication that he'd heard Imp again either, apparently conversational skills were learned and not entirely something a gembound could be born with; or perhaps that was just him. Maybe, he'd just simply been distracted by the offered food. Who knows.

Slowly Worm inches closer, and closer. Watching Imp as if the person who had offered him food may change his mind and eat the cat whole still. "What places are there?" Worm asks with a tilt of his head; though his voice wobbles with an uncertainty, and insecurity alike.

Then, with the talking out of the way, according to Worm, he digs into the offered fruit. Making a light noise or approval between gulped mouthful. Barely chewing each bite, as if he couldn't get the food into his stomach fast enough; shininess be damned.

And it was delicious; so much so, the gembound seemed oblivious to the radiant sparkle his skin was taking. Like a pasty, white person taking their shirt off at the beach, whatever those things were.

...Right. Imp made a mental note (with a mental wince) that maybe he was going a little complex for a probably-fresh hatch.

He rocked back as the kid ate, sort of entering a catlike loaf posture, albeit with winged forelimbs at his sides instead of underneath him. He looked around, and his mind briefly drifted, memories of his first meeting with Fahl coming back to him. It wasn't far from here at all, was it? he mused. Just another kid who needed feeding, though Imp had been straight-up blind at the time, so it hadn't been exactly easy and he wasn't sure this was the right place.

It sure smelled like it, though. Like cold water and fish.

Delicious.

He looked back to Worm, who was starting to sparkle. Really hope they didn't pick that because I called them that, he mused, worriedly. Imagine saddling a kid with a name like that right off the bat..? (Oh no.)

"Lots of places. Warm places, cold places, sort of in-the-middle places. There's caves with a lot of rain, or dry ones, or ones with ocean. There's uhh." He racked his brain for a moment, sifting through a thousand memories. "Ones that are mostly empty. Other ones have bones, or lots of plants. There's one with forests around the edge and a big field with a river. And one with a palace. It has a movie theater," he added cheerfully.

...He had more to list, but he realized he was sort of overwhelming again, so he held off. Maybe the kid would have some preference, like 'warm' or 'plants,' and he could narrow it down from there.

Concepts like plants, water, heat. They floated around Worm's head, some deep instinct offered a half-glance of insight on what the descriptors may be. All of them set off warning lights, making the gembound shuffle uncomfortably on his paws; until they ached too much to do so.

Worm lowered himself to take the last few bites of banana, using that pause to think, to take an internal stock of how he felt.

Now he wasn't constantly moving or filled with an immediate panic, Worm realised, he was cold. There was a chill in the moist air that felt icy against his bare skin. "Warm, please."

Then, there were the other options. Plants, bones, and amount of water. His relationship with the water was strained. It was awful, wet, cold; but the idea of being away from it all didn't sound... right. "Is water good? Do you like water?" Worm asks, with a tilt of the head.

This Imp was strange. He sparked the deep seated instincts that sent electric to Worm's legs that screamed 'run, run, run!' Yet, Imp sat and spoke, he didn't eat Worm whole. He had a strange look and made funny faces and said funny things but, that was nice. Worm certainly wasn't going to curl up next to Imp and show his belly, but this Imp-person was.. good, Worm decided. Good enough to ask for his insight, at least.

"Where's your favourite? What do you do there too?" The admittion comes a beat later, with Worm's face screwed up in some sort of mental conflict. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Do I need to know before I go?"

Was water good..? Imp considered, nonplussed. "Uhhh. You have to have some around to drink, now and then. There's a desert cave with almost none in it and it sucks if you get caught out on the sands. You can die like that," Imp warned, seriously. Even if someone chrysalized out there, they'd wake up and probably just die again, rinse repeat... forever? Eugh. No thank you.

"I grew up around water. In a swamp. But my dad's a swamp dragon," he explained. Alligator, actually, but his name was Dragon so it counted, sort of. "Might not be for everyone, but you still gotta drink. I think." (Imp knew he was no anatomical expert on all species. DID cats need to drink? He just... assumed so.)

He was, of course, happy to be asked his favorite, and he leaned this way and that, head tilted, thinking. His eyes gleamed with excitement. "There's a lotta good ones. I travel a lot. But Cepheus is where I live now. It has a big palace--that's the place with the theatre. There's food, a library, music. None of the other caves are like that." Was it his favorite? That was a hard question, and he shrugged a little as if to indicate that he knew this wasn't a total answer. He liked to travel, really.

The last question, though. That one floored him, and if he'd been tilting around in random directions in a weird display of 'I'm thinking'-ness, he absolutely reeled with that one. He almost swore again, catching himself, the word a puffed exhale of air. "F-... uhhh. Man, that's... a big question! I think a lotta adults are still trying to answer that one," he replied, grinning broadly now. (He also didn't seem to really count himself in said 'adult' category, despite his age.) "I think you just gotta have fun. Enjoy yourself, you know? There's a lot to see and do and you've got plenty of time; you just have to stay safe."

He studied Worm closely, thinking. "You know what, I bet I have a good idea. You've got no fur, right-? I mean, not everyone does, but you look cold." He nodded wisely, confident in his observation. "You could just go to a warm cave. Monoceros is pretty warm, I think. Pegasus is nice. Fornax is nice but it's a lotta water, but... Listen, Cepheus is near Pegasus. I could take you there, and you could get some real food, learn what music is, but there's a tailor." He paused, squinting. Too complicated?

"...I know someone who could make you clothes. Uhh. Sweaters, and stuff, like this," and he patted his fancy scarf. "I could wrap you up in it for warmth, take you there, maybe they can make you some clothes to keep you warm? And then you could just go to Pegasus if you want?"

Imp's ideas weren't always grand, and he wasn't sure the kitten would just... trust him. But he did think this particular suggestion was a solid one.

Plus, the idea of the hairless kitten in a colorful knitted sweater was something he could totally imagine.