There were a lot of things appearing. Luna, being equipped with antennae, was generally sensitive to nearby movement, and so it hadn't escaped her notice that things tended to simply... manifest, in the presence of the Collector, including the beast himself. It would be unnerving to her, the skittish creature she was at heart.

But how could she be unnerved in the presence of such a kindly soul? Why, she'd offer him a berry, if she hadn't eaten the rest on the journey. Which she did.

The sickly Knight had left such a sour taste in her mouth - she thought they could commune in sorrow, soak in the misery of their lives. But he'd been so focused on finding a solution! And he'd found the way she expressed her suffering DISTASTEFUL! Who could do such a thing to her?

Sure, she wasn't entirely convinced that the Collector was truly this empathetic. But he was meeting her where she was at, which was all she really wanted out of this conversation. And she wasn't only here to complain - though she'd exploit the opportunity to.

She sobbed now, then sniffled again, wiping her Big Wet Eyes dry of tears as she regained her composure momentarily. "Thank you... you are so kind..."

Her voice was still draped in theatrical sorrow. "Ever since I was a grub, I wanted my life to echo through these empty tunnels. To make things - monsters, beasts, towering and toothy and beautiful... I began hoarding the stones of the fallen. Not to revive myself - My anatomy, as useful as it can be, is mediocre - but to give to others more genetically blessed than I am. And that would be my work! And all would know it, that it was MY paws that pulled the strings."

"But in my first chance to prove myself, I accepted a bad deal. I wasted one of my best stones, and while I had the chance to see the fruits of my labour, I'd returned to chrysalis like a SLOTHFUL WRETCH." She doubled over, four paws at her face now as she wailed.

Again, she recovered to continue her monologue. "It's left me unmoored, adrift. My foundations are crumbling, Collector - and all I can do is watch the hounds hunt in Pegasus. A reminder of what I could never achieve. I can only yearn for a future out of my reach..."

She turned to look at the Collector now, eyes sparkling with grief. "I need a second wind. A new angle. I cannot, I WILL not, be purposeless." She'd rather ROT.

Stop making things appear man. You're gonna SCARE her.

Who am I kidding. Survival instinct was the last thing in her brain right now. This was barely a transaction even - no, a collaborative performance. And oh, how she'd longed for a kindred spirit! It'd been cycles since she was audience to Doctor's surgery, (and the verbal spar with Bacchus had been permanently tainted by what followed).

THIS, for the moment, was incredibly strange, incredibly dramatic, and exactly what Luna needed right now.

(The pats were also nice, it should be noted. It should also be noted that her fluff was irresistibly soft - something that few got the chance to discover. Few even dared to try.)

And now, the vision - of merrymakers, neglecting their task. She did not recognise the faces before her, but understood the hedonism they'd chosen above their DIVINE DUTIES - should she feel disgusted, or relieved? She couldn't say, wrapped up in the vision itself. She allowed herself a brief break in character go "Oooo..." At the pretty lights.

"My name is Luna," Ok, let's get back to it. "And my only titles are those that I've earned, and to earn them is no easy task. You must understand this, as these caves call you the Collector..."

From her sling she produced the stone (who's exact name I've forgotten, sorry), holding the pretty metallic chunk in both hands. "And the caves say it is the gems of the fallen you collect. A similar purpose, we have then - though I lay my intentions bare. Wherever this one goes, I know it will have use to you, and that is honour enough."

She traced its jagged edges with a nostalgic sort of reluctance, still, as if saying her goodbyes. "This one was the first I'd found, and belonged to a greater who died to save another. It is a treasured possession of mine, but in truth, I've found no inspiration for its second life, and all great things take sacrifice. It is the nature of life - and business. I hope to know these things well."

"It is clear you are a..." Was the Collector a Gembound? "Merchant of many tricks, so I ask you know... What do you have to offer this little old wyrm?" Her despair dulled some, in the wake of the tantilising scent of a deal.

Ah, the theatre kid synergy was fading, transitioning into the dramatics of business. Now it was time for Luna to determine the shape of what she wanted... A new dream, or merely a dream re-imagined...

It felt odd, to accept a deal unaltered - like an opportunity had been missed. Perhaps she just enjoyed the conversation, but it wasn't what she came here for, and it wouldn't be the only thing she'd leave with.

"I came here seeking wisdom. There is power in it, and it is my favourite kind. So to know of this place... This would help me greatly." She could imagine it, the hero's journey - and adventure into the unknown to reap its many rewards. She would earn a title of her own this way, through blood, sweat and tears. Hopefully less of the first, and more of the others.

She offered the gem with outstretched paws to the Collector. "Do tell me more."