The serpent was drawn further and further from the place he called his waterfall-y home. There had to be more beyond rocks, water, warrens, and more rocks. After some slithering about in a tunnel or two, some rooms, and lots of wierd green stuff, Midas had found himself a nice little place. It was super foggy and such, but it was cool. The fog stayed away from the green stuff on the floor, and since the young anaconda had such a low sight line, he could see quite clearly. He hadn't noticed, but he was shedding a lot, as well. Every day, he grew bigger, stronger, and better. Sometimes he grew a bit smarter as well! Nowadays, Midas was about five feet long, and still growing. He didn't think it, but he had a long ways to go before he was full-size. Others feared the long and already mighty snake king, but he didn't mind it. As long as his friends in Maji Walezi were okay with him, he'd still stick around. He liked to catch fish and food for them, since he could swim through the liquid of Pisces easily, and it felt natural.

Anyways, here was Midas Gildenleaf, wandering a bit aimlessly about this strange room with tall green things stuck in the ground with brown snakes at the bottoms. Once or twice, he'd stopped to talk to the snakes, but they never said anything back. Much to the child's dismay. He would then see something new. It was a big rock. And it was moving! It had a pink rock on it as well! Maybe it was a rock like him! With a rock on his head! Excited, the golden prince would slither between blades of gras toward this strange new critter. But then it went up one of the green things, clawing at his brown snake friends. Saddened by this, the snake lifted his head from the earth and began to try and scale the tree. He kept slipping and sliding on the loamy bark, giving many a grunt and squeak as he attempted. Finally, the serpent coiled tightly about the base, carefully slithering forward and up the tree over coils of his body. A dark tongue slithered out from his lips, and the anaconda gave a friendly little hiss, staring up the trunk and right at this strange rock. "Hi!"

The constrictor made his way up the tree carefully and slowly, unsure about slithering up on his brown snake friend. But then again, it didn't feel like this was a snake. It was really rough and spiny, and as far as Midas was concerned, he knew that snakes only had smooth and malleable scales on their bodies. Shaking his head to himself, the prince knew he had been thinking wrongly. With more assurance, now, the reptile would slither up the trunk faster, tongue slithering from scaley lips every once in a while to taste the air for any danger.

When he'd offer a friendly greeting, he seemed to get a nervous reaction. Why? Who didn't love having friends? Especially ones that were like you! Well. Okay, this strange rock-looking thing did seem like a snake but it had four legs. Midas didn't have four legs, so he couldn't be a snake. But what was he? When the Gembound spoke, Midas discovered that it was a he! But what was he? That was the real question! But first, he had to answer this guy's question. He'd seem pretty upset that the serpent was around, even if they were about the same size as one another, Midas maybe a little smaller. "I want a friend. You look like me, but you have legs!" The Gildenleaf squeaked, slithering up higher on the tree than the snake-with-legs, curling around a different branch so he could look down at his new possible friend. Once all five feet of him was curled about the branch, he nestled his head and crown atop a lump of his body, gazing at the komodo dragon below.

It felt so natural and perfect to be coiled tightly about his little branch, rooted to the spot and unmoving. Midas felt as if he were king of the world on the branch... or at least prince of the world! His little pyrite gem shimmered in the dim artificial light, lime green eyes flickering down at the monitor beneath him. What he focused on was the gem atop his head. It was two towers of pink, like his own crown atop his head. How was that not a similarity? "Well, kind of. You have a stone on your head. It looks like a crown. Like me. Or. I'm like you." Was that right? It was definite that the lizard had been around for longer than the Gildenleaf had, but either way... they had similarities.

The rocky-colored lizard blinked and asked another question of where his legs were, and that caused Midas to uncoil from the tree branch a little bit to move his head about his body, inspecting it. Where were his legs? Everything else in this place had legs, or at least two. Most had four of them and a tail. He knew he had a tail, but no legs. What if they were super tiny? No... he would feel them moving, right? Or he would have ripped them off, since he'd gone over super rough terrain. "Um... I don't think I have legs. I just wiggle. Can you wiggle?" Why wouldn't this lizard be able to? He had a long body and a big tail. Wiggling wasn't that hard, right?

Midas would gaze upon the creature’s head, taking in his almost draconic features, most prominently, the gemstone atop his skull. It was magnificent. It glimmered like a million little stars, even if it was a dull and somewhat raw stone. Both he and this lizard had glorious crowns atop their heads. Feeling the monitor’s gaze on his body, the snake cocked an eyebrow, tongue flicking out of his mouth out of instinct. Yes, he definitely had no legs. But this critter did.

At his question of wiggling, the lizard seemed to set to work. First, the scaly beast wriggled back on the arm of the tree, gazing down at his legs. The Gembound tucked each one beneath him, and moved his body in a pattern similar to Midas, perhaps. But maybe wiggling wasn’t meant for this dragon. The critter wobbled on the branch precariously, and the Gildenleaf almost dropped from the branch to help, the constrictor hanging his head down and hovering above the lizard. He seemed to ignore him, still focused on his task of wiggling. Once again tucking in his legs, the monitor would try to wiggle, once more wobbling and falling off a little. ”Awww, it’s okay. I guess wiggling isn’t for everyone.” He’d meant that in a reassuring and kind way, but it could possibly come off as an insult.

The legs problem was no big deal, and Midas didn’t mind not having legs. If he grew at least one pair one day, he probably wouldn’t know how to use them! He’d just fall over everywhere. Having lost himself in leggy thought, the snake almost hadn’t noticed that the monitor had asked a question. ”Of course! I want to be friend! My name is Midas Gildenleaf. But just call me Midas…” Proudly, the small snake brought his tail to where his ‘chest’ would be and nodded happily. Hopefully this lizard would return the favor of name-sharing and tell Midas what his name was!

The dragon was relieved at the prospect of being the gold prince's friend, even if he couldn't wiggle! Why wouldn't he wanna be friends with him? Midas never held a prejudice against anyone, regardless of what they'd do. For now, anyways, the serpent was an innocent and naive creature. Maybe something would push him over the edge. He'd remain a cute little 'snek,' like he called himself sometimes, due to lack of proper pronunciation.

But then a little mushroom poked out of the monitor beneath him. Now, wait a minute. A mushroom?! He was instantly intruiged and leaned down to take a closer look, crooning, "Oooo, cool!" As soon as that sentence finished, though, the lizard began to scoot down the tree. The little serpent's eyes dulled and he watched his friend leave. He didn't bother to follow, because he knew there was worry in his new friend's eyes. But he still was sad.

He gave him his name! Maybe Friend didn't have a name. For now, he'd call him 'Friend.' Yes. Back to his sadness. His little crown of pyrite glowed softly as the snake unintentionally shrouded himself in darkness, pulling himself back around the branch of the tree he'd coiled about. He somewhat blended in, but not quite. Looking off mournfully, the small snake closed his eyes. Someday he'd find his friend...