but satisfaction brought her back

Wilder flinched and scrambled back from the edge of the hole when the sudden exploding crash billowed from the depth. She dived away and managed to escape the path of the large chunks of howlite that were falling around her, although dust and pebbles scattered over her as the air began to clear. As soon as it was safe, she stood and scampered back, sticking her head over the edge.

It was like she was stepping into a dream - someone she'd only seen in fleeting memory, in half-forgotten whispers of thoughts, was now standing there, his strange branching antlers looking exactly how she remembered it. She opened her mouth to greet him, but found herself as a loss for words and barely a squeak came from her throat. Immediately she turned her head away and cleared her throat before leaning back over. "I'm Wilder!" she called down cheerfully, but there was still a shiver in her voice. This was better then she could have hoped for! But now what was she supposed to say? Should she say she knew him? Or keep that away for now? It'd be kind of weird to call down that she knew his name - they'd never met, after all, but it would also be kinda strange to pretend like they didn't, considering she'd dug up his chrysalis.

In the end, she decided with the latter - hopefully it'd be less awkward. "What about you? Who are you...and why are you down there?"

Silence, and he slammed his paws into the marble again.

And then it exploded. The dog screamed as he found himself flying out of the crater, stomach dropping as his paws dropped out from under him, twisting as he tried to land on his feet, landing with only a staggering stumble.

He shook himself, slinking forward to stare over the ledge, eyes wide as he peered down at the blue stag-thing, gawking down at it.

Wilder offered her name, and it took Yoosung a moment to realize that he should as well, gulping down "Yoo-Yoosung," his quills standing on end as Wilder addressed him.

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

"I am Rezik," the creature responded, after a long moment. Delicate, graceful movements, though holding strength despite his long rest, shook the shards of Howlite free with flicks of his hind legs. "And I am here because I slept, as was required of me." He lifted his gaze up, looking over the two.

That one--the dog--it was covered in quills, something that he recognized. A Champion, then? And if not in Hydra or its tunnel, then perhaps someone who had gained a higher rank. It had a name, as well--they both did?--so either they assumed his own status, or they had earned those names, and awoken him for a purpose. "Why am I being awoken, master Yoosung?" he trilled politely.

The named confirmed it, even though Wilder had already been certain of who she was talking to. She smiled wide, her tail flicking happily behind her. This was the best day of her life! She couldn't believe that she'd actually found Rezik alive! She'd thought it would have been like N'chard, buried far beneath the earth, but no! Here he was!

She hopped, very excited all of a sudden. "I see! How long were you sleeping, though, you're far, far down there! I didn't know sleeping forever was required of anyone! How weird!" She turned to Yoosung, purring with amusement. "Oh wow, Master Yoosung? I didn't know you were so mighty and important! You should have told me!" She giggled, bumping herself into Yoosung's shoulder, but quickly regretting it, as a number of quills stuck into the skin. She yelped softly and hopped back, raising a back leg to try and scratch them off, weirdly dog-like in her haste.

The stag-beast offered its name--Rezik, which he recognized from Wilder's stories--and Yoosung shook himself. The way it spoke reminded him of the Champions from the Trials, saying that he had slept because it was required of him. Yoosung had never been the bravest Gembound, not a leader, but he would never have gone into his Chrysalis just because he was told to.

And then it called him 'Master Yoosung' and he gawked. 'What.' he was, in no way, a Master. Was that some sort of title given to the Champions? But none of the others demanded to be known by such a title. Why had he joined the Trial again? Why hadn't he left when Wilder had? His life would have been so much simpler if he had.

Wilder teased him, and he threw her a dirty look, only to wince as she filled herself with quills. "You alright?" he muttered, leaning forward to pull some free, addressing Rezik as he did so, "We woke you because Mistress Wilder," he glared at the cat as he said that, "Saw you in a vision."

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

They seem clumsy. He watched, and listened, silent.

When they had finished, he spoke, with an air of choosing his words carefully, and a noble, aristocratic yet deeply respectful mannerism. "A vision?"

He shifted his gaze up to Wilder, stiffening, some. "Mistress Wilder? What do you require of me?"

With Yoosung's help, Wilder managed to pull free the rest of the quills, blanching at the way he addressed her. She had absolutely no idea why he was doing that! She wasn't a mistress, she was just Wilder! Maybe it was some kind of game. Not that this was a great place to be playing a game but she pushed it aside. She wasn't going to correct him, since she knew that he knew she didn't call herself that. There was probably a reason.

She leaned back over and nodded again. "Yeah! I was hanging out at the Eyes and thought I'd dip my paw in! I saw a vision of you so I thought I'd follow it and it led me here! I'll tell you, I had no idea that I'd actually find you alive so I thought I'd wake you up!" She purred happily, convinced that she'd done quite a good thing by waking up this ancient gembound. There would be absolutely no repercussions to this, none whatsoever.

Rezik's question confused her. Wasn't he happy to just be alive again? "Uh, I don't know. I just thought I'd wake you up since you've been sleeping for a while. If I was sleeping in the ground, I'd want someone to wake me up!" Because, of course, everyone wanted the same exact things.

Yoosung stood by, happy to let the kitten do most of the talking: he still wasn't entirely sure what was going on, had done most of what he'd been brought here to do. But he threw in his voice, "I'm glad we found you alive," although he knew how dangerous the Eyes were, and so gave Wilder A Look, knowing they needed to have words about endangering herself so easily.

But otherwise he contented himself with scratching behind his ear, shaking loose some of his quills.

I've been on a lonely tripdragging along a lonely shadow

Rezik hesitated, though even then, there was a refined politeness about it. He was hesitating for the first time since his (admittedly only moments ago) reawakening--something about this did not feel right.

This kitten--Mistress Wilder--had none of the authority about her that he remembered. But then he remembered Nemean, and corrected himself. Perhaps her frivolity hid a deeper malice, or at least, a hidden power.

Still, he hesitated. I'd like to be awake..? Alive, again? What did that mean?

No matter.

He lifted his head, and climbed carefully from his hole, a slight and trembling leap taking him to the top. There he turned, stately, and bowed his head for a moment to the pair. "Master Yoosung; Mistress Wilder. I am grateful for being-... awake, again. What would you have me do?"

Wilder nodded happily, taking a step back as Rezik slowly climbed out of the hole in the ground. She looked up at him, purring loudly and contently. "You're welcome!! I'm happy that you're happy to be awake!"

She tilted her head, a little confused by his question, though. She was a little confused about this whole thing, about Rezik calling her mistress and such. Was he mistaking them for a Master or an Overseer? She had to remind herself that Rezik was old - older then living memory. "Uh, you can do whatever you want! Go see the caves or get some food, make some friends, whatever makes you happy, I guess!"