the sheer volume of insults trickling in was starting to get to Envy, but they held back their tears and turned it into anger instead. "You will! I swear you will! And when that day comes, you'll be sorry!" they snapped, relieved that their voice didn't betray them by breaking, although it was a little high pitched with their anger.

I seriously doubt that, came Dezba's snide response, causing them to bristle anew.

Watch your tongue! That sentiment applies to you, too.

The weasel tried once again to push the wolf's consciousness to the back of their mind, pouring all of their acting ability into changing indignance and hurt into anger. they couldn't appear weak anymore, if not in front of Kin-Kin, certainly not in front of Dezba.

this magic Kin-Kin's teaching me will come in useful for that. if I can make anything... things that aren't really there... what's stopping me from being the biggest and strongest in the caves?

That thought helped ease their inner turmoil a little, sending a thrill of excitement through their fur. Their gaze was drawn back to Kin-Kin as her fur began to flicker with ghostly fire which quickly spread to the world around her. It was certainly a show, but it wasn't quite what they were hoping for. Still, it was something, and... they couldn't help feeling that it might come in useful. Even if they didn't want to learn a particular magic, light meant that they could pretend to. But what was pretending compared to actually learning it? As the magic faded into darkness, Envy rubbed their paws together excitedly. "...So, light... it can make magic shows of other elements, but can it... y'know... create other things? Physical things? make it look like gems are bigger than they are, maybe? Uh... just out of curiosity."

Ooh? So you're learning to feed my plants now, are you? Dezba again... this time, though, with something useful. Plants fed on light, then? Their considerations drifted over the link. Finally, a rush of triumph.

More like starve them.

They thought for a while, turning their whole focus back onto Kin-Kin.

"Soo... could you make another me?"

"Speech."

Envy relaxed, but only slightly, the wolf's careless grin continuing to irk them to no end. they remained silent, only letting out a quiet huff in response. "You'd better," they responded shortly, trying to turn their thoughts away from their small size. When I learn all the most powerful magics in the cave, my size won't matter. And then you'll see, whether you believe me or not! they thought to themselves, for Dezba's benefit as much as their own.

The weasel nodded eagerly as Kin-Kin spoke of testing her magicks, although there was a part of them which clamoured annoyance and impatience. Doesn't even know her own limits? Pah. Weak, they thought to themselves smugly. Envy, on the other hand, knew exactly what their magic could do, it was only when confronted with alien elements or spells that they struggled. At least, that's what they thought; it didn't occur to them that there were spells they hadn't learned, as they simply had no use for them yet. They watched closely what Kin-Kin did, watching as her glow took physical shape, and reformed into a perfect replica of themselves. At first they puffed out, coiling and twitching in excitement, but the more they looked, the more offended they felt.

"Ugh, it's so bony! that's not-!" Envy took this moment to look down, having never truly acknowledged the effect their magic was having on them. They ran their paws over their jagged ribcage and sunken belly. "...I'm a lot more handsome than that." Envy finally said, turning away from the impostor as their shoulders slightly slumped in defeat. Vaguely, they were aware of Dezba chortling with laughter in the back of their mind, carrying over the link from wherever she was elsewhere in the caves. Although they didn't show it externally, the laughter bit as deep as everything else she did, and did nothing to soothe the wound that Kin-Kin had cut in their pride.

Wh-what!? It's true!

Perhaps they'd need to find another source of sustenance.

But still... Kin-Kin's light magic did exactly what they had been looking for, and that was enough of a balm to keep their act together.

"A-anyway, that's what I meant." they said finally, looking back, and peering at the finer details of the illusion. it was hard to tell that it was only a light construct, even when they scurried closer and squinted hard. When Envy reached out a paw to touch it, though, their paw phased right through. Envy frowned. That might be a problem, but so long as they were aware of it, they could deal with it. right? "Is there anything else with light? is there a way to...you know... harvest it, or turn it into an attack?" Although it wasn't really physical, Envy wondered if there would be some way to convert it into energy to supplement their other magics, and maybe get a little less bony.

"Speech."

Envy bit their tongue, for once in their life stumped on how to reply. Bitter rage began to bubble in their belly, but there was no way they could say anything without sabotaging their own pride, since they suspected now that the illusion might actually be accurate. They gave the big weasel a scathing look as it dissolved into nothingness, as though it was all its fault. Finally, they turned back to Kin-Kin, pretending that they'd never made themselves look stupid.

She answered their questions, though it didn't help very much. Turned out she didn't know if light was useful as an energy source, either, and Envy was almost reluctant to start relying on plants. That was her thing. But, Envy couldn't help but think about the look on Dezba's face if they learned such a magic, and prove once and for all that they could, and that they could do anything that they wanted to do. They grinned. Did you hear that? She said it might be a plant spell. You know what that means?

They were so focused on Kin-Kin's first answer that they very nearly missed her next. No attacking with light, then? They frowned slightly. That would look cool... and plain old blinding wasn't nearly so exciting as cutting your enemies in half with a beam of sheer light solid enough to cut! "I see," they said, voice low with disappointment. They gazed jealously at the sword that she carried on her leg for a moment, but knew it was too big for them. They'd need to get her to make something for them that fit their small size, at some point. Their gaze drifted then to the round pebble of moonstone they'd dropped at their feet. As much as it disappointed them, they had to admit that it was pretty.

And it was also theirs, which meant they wouldn't give it up easy.

Envy stooped down and picked up the moonstone pebble. They had everything they needed, for now, so there was no reason to stay. They'd be able to seek out Kin-Kin again when they had a solution for getting their own weapon, or teach themselves that spell, now that they knew what it looked like. But for now, they had leeched everything they wanted from the Magickal champion, until next time.

"I'll be back," they said to her, by means of farewell, and then turned to scuttle off.

"Speech."

Envy took a moment of surprise to admire the new glowing trinket that they now had in their possession. this one was so much prettier than the others that Amras and Oliver had given them, and even though it wasn't what they'd hoped for, Envy knew that this one was their favourite. They said nothing of this to Kin-Kin, though; simply transferring the object to their jaws to carry, and bounded off into the darkness.

Some time later, when they were sure they were out of sight, they turned back, and in the distance saw a pool of golden light, the wolf's glow visible from far around. A fleeting thought crossed Envy's mind then; it would take a lot to be as great as Gembounds like her, but they knew that they would one day. Greater even. Yes, one day, the caves would see. But until then, Envy would need to meet a lot more Gembounds, in order to leech their power.

Envy finally turned away, beginning the long walk back towards Orion to expand their hoard.

-exit Envy-

"Speech."