Fly-By Gifting

The jingling of bells, for those listening to it, came and went quickly this year. It was almost as if Naskital were rushed, in a hurry; and indeed his voice could be heard briefly for anyone in Polaris.

"No, no--not too many in one place! Trust me, they'll take care of these. I hope. -Did you say 'engineered to be cute?' -Then they'll be fine!"

The clatter of gifts falling into the cave from some unknown dimension followed, and then... silence. And left behind? A slab of stone had been covered in the usual treats. There were mugs of steaming hot chocolate, which somehow were still warm (and Gembounds might find the mugs themselves useful, later; a lot of them had little candy cane or spruce tree motifs). There was drifting tinsel and gleaming gold, red, and green baubles. There were cups of milk, and plates of cookies. And there were candy canes scattered about, though "scattered" was the word, and it was these that made clear how much of a rush poor Naskital was in.

They. Were. Everywhere.

The whole cave smelled of mint. There were candy canes fusing to the Spire. Candy canes melting in the Crystal River. Candy canes in piles against the walls.

Suffice it to say, no one would go hungry, though diabetes was a risk.

But more important was the strange large wooden crate that appeared not far from the Spire. This was packed with soft hay, and within nestled what looked like nine... eggs? But perfectly spherical, and made of gemstone. Their auras, for those who could sense them, were Elemental. Where had they come from, and why..? It seemed Naskital hoped for them to find new homes, here.



* * *

Characters may join this thread and claim hundreds of candy canes whatever treats and decorations they wish, and may exchange holiday gifts themselves. Players may also adopt one gemstone apiece by posting in character to claim it. The gemstone may be planted on any stone surface, and will fuse and grow, hatching in one week's time; they have already been granted life. After adoption, the player will be given simple art of the character. The gemstones are as follows:

1. Pink Ruby - Animal element (claimed by Amun - Chishio)
2. Mookaite - Prokaryote (claimed by Wulfsige - Snail)
3. Chalcedony - Arcane (claimed by Rhapsody - Jaythebird)
4. Sapphire - Light (claimed by Tyrin - Bluebird)
5. Spinel - Earth (claimed by The Silence - Shadowlugia711)
6. Seraphinite - Electricity (claimed by Thalassa - Silkwyrm)
7. Hiddenite - Energy (claimed by Triage - Jaymie)
8. Jacinth - Fungus (claimed by Minali - Stone)
9. Lapis Lazuli - Water (claimed by Miriam - Nemesis)

Amun does not leave the enclaves of home very often. This time, though - it seems something is happening. As Amun stares as the last of the announcement pulls through, a surprised gasp comes from Amun's mouth. Things are falling from the sky - Amun hasn't seen something like this before! Amun moves quickly to scoop anything up that can be reached - a mug of hot chocolate, tinsel that gets wrapped around the neck along with the other fabrics, baubles to add to the hoard later, and a few candy canes to snack on.

Amun will have to find a way to bring these home later - it's too much to carry all at once. Something to worry about later, for now Amun will enjoy the festivities. The scent of the place itself was so strong it nearly burned, but it was a satisfying smell. Something nice that Amun would like to take back home, too. Alas, it is not possible.

As Amun approaches the Spire, the wooden box piques curiosity. Circular shapes lie in the crate of different colors. No one is here to guard them, so Amun supposes taking one wouldn't hurt, right? Amun grabs a lovely pink colored stone gently before backing off - a nice stone, brimming with life though Amun does not know just yet.

Amun is claiming the Pink Ruby!

The three picked their way through Polaris, marveling at the sweets, at the cookies and milk, at the tinsel and bauble and looking all too confused. "It's pretty!" Buckley would exclaim followed swiftly by a reply from Gore - "UGLY!!" It spat. "Bright and colorful and NASTY. What is that SMELL?!" Ishani gave a soft hiss, amused. "Mint, my dear." She quite enjoyed the scent.

Eventually coming upon the crate was another matter and they quickly began to argue as they wondered which to take. "The RED ONE." Gore bleated loudly. "The color of BLOOD." "I like the deep blue one. It's pretty." "Why don't we just take them all?" Exclamations from the other two quickly shot that down - Gore could not fathom having to raise TWO kids and Buckley was horrified at the thought of hogging all the gifts for themselves.

In the end, they chose the Hiddenite, if only because Buckley reached for the blue one and Gore jerked his paw towards the red one and they ended up somewhere in between. They had it in their paw and none of them were willing to just....put it back.

With it nestled in the soft safety of Buckley's mouth, they turned and trotted away, Gore loudly snarling about how "we should have picked the RED ONE. Red is the color of VIOLENCE. And POWER. We want them to be STRONG AND DEADLY and for their enemies to FEAR THEM!!! Why didn't we pick the RED ONE!!! It's the BEST COLOR and you are a FOOL, Buckley, a FOOL and"

*exit

"Buckley is speaking!" "GORE IS SPEAKING!!!" "Ishani is speaking..."

"My..." a ponderous remark echoed off the cavern walls, a velvety purr underlying it and every syllable to follow. "What a, uh, marvelous little makeover we've had over here."

If not for Miriam's oversized eyes imbuing her with an almost perpetual expression of wonderment, no amount of feigned cheer could've sold that previous statement. Numerous more suitable descriptions had sprung to mind the instant she'd slithered into Polaris and been confronted by the slapdash plastering of decor and goodies, all far from flattering: a gaudy disaster, a horrific mess, an insult to the very concept of interior design. That wide gaze she held was all that distracted from the disgusted pucker which had leapt immediately to her lips at the sight, and pressing them into a more neutral curve across her face proved only possible once a tantalizing aroma arose as an ideal distraction.

The scent, carrying the promise of comfort and warmth, propelled the tatzelwurm over to one of the many mugs left behind. She bent forward, took a deep inhale of the steam drifting upward from its edges, and tentatively lapped up the contents therein. They were judged delicious, the opinion sealed by a slow, satisfied blink. Naturally, as always happened with anything deemed worthy of her praise, possessive claws wrapped around the newfound drink's handle in a death grip. This was hers now, forever as it ought to be.

The crate, so large but also quite mundane compared to the rest of the colorful surroundings, should've been below her attention. Indeed, consumed in enjoyment of the hot chocolate upon her tongue, she saw no reason to rummage around in someone's abandoned luggage for the chance to unearth something interesting. Too much effort for what would likely be little reward. However, catching the stray glint of stone within the mouth of a leaving Gembound who'd paused and feuded with themselves beside it, her initial dismissal dissolved. The feline side of her nature reared its head then, awakening mild curiosity.

Soon as she bore witness to the gemstone spheres nestled inside, greed joined the previous emotion. Were she a far less civilized and vastly more uncouth creature, Miriam could've salivated at beholding such treasures. A single claw stroked against the surfaces of those that remained resting in the hay. Quite a selection to choose from; if she hadn't any potential onlookers, the whole lot would've been gathered in her arms. After all, who else other than her deserved being entrusted with these flawless specimens?

Alas, her innocent image needed maintaining. Therefore, she'd have to content herself with one. Of course, this would have to be the best of the group, the most beautiful, as it was her absolute right to claim such. But first, a little performance for the audience.

"Oh, how lovely." Miriam gasped over the stones. Although genuinely gleeful, she exaggerated to comical proportions, draping a hand dramatically upon the golden and bronze scales shielding her heart. "Who could ever leave such pretty things here? A gift maybe? That'd be ever so kind if true."

She hovered claws over one stone after the other, agonizing over a decision she'd made before even bothering to speak. "Oh, but what if they didn't mean to? It'd be a shame if they actually forgot this."

"Well," she concluded, easily lifting out a stunning gem egg of brilliant blues and gold streaks, "maybe I'll just hold onto one. If they come looking around, at least I can offer them mine back. That's better than none staying in safe hands, isn't it?"

Sometimes she regretted her persona of choice. It often lead to her spouting statements saccharine enough to cause a severe stomachache. All she could do about that was endure however; more convenient to be seen as clueless, approachable, and incapable of deception than as an awful hag to be avoided at all costs.

((Miriam is claiming the Lapis Lazuli.))

Wulfsige found sleep to be an annoying but necessary reality of having a flesh and blood. His sleep was sparse and light, ever-ready to jump into action should the call arise. He was suddenly awoke from one of these tenuous by a cave-wide clatter of something and the absolutely overpowering, headache-inducing smell of peppermint.

"WHAT. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" He demanded, although the culprit was nowhere to be found. It was quickly apparent that no foul play from the forces of Chaos or Order was involved- Order couldn't survive The Spire's powerful radiation, and Chaos' influence was rarely subtle. For once, he found himself relatively at ease. However, with nobody to question about this strange, potentially dangerous phenomenon, he was forced to investigate it himself.

His findings?

Hot Chocolate: Warm. Sweet. Tasty.
Tinsel and Baubles: Shiny and colorful, although with no apparent purpose.
Candy Canes: The source of the smell that was causing his nose to ache. Surprisingly edible.

And then, at last, he found the large wooden crate of gemstone eggs. He intended only to make sure the gems were unscathed, and that nobody with sinister intentions tried to steal one. He was a Guardian more than anything else, but he knew absolutely nothing about kids and what to do with them.

His attempt to 'scan' the gemstones with his magic lead to a sharp pain in his temples that he took a couple moments to recover from. He was forced to do a closer physical inspection to check for signs of corruption or other damage. However, as he was gently sniffing the 'eggs,' his nose nudged the red-and-yellow mottled gemstone a little too hard, sending it rolling out of the hay and across the cold stone ground. It only stopped when it finally rooted itself firmly into the floor. For a long moment, Wulfsige just stared at it.

Whoops.

He would have to find someone willing to take care of the fledgling after it hatched. But for now he would guard it- a familiar task. Wulfsige settled down next to the growing chrysalis and pondered what to do next.

[I would like to claim the Mookaite, Please!]

The chiming of bells startled Minali from where the otter had been piling anything vaguely luminescent into her paws. A sharp, minty aroma hitting her nose as she turned to see that Polaris had been covered in red and white striped, sweet smelling sticks, all those little bits and bobbles she spent so long collecting fell to the ground as her body went slack with awe. Eyes almost sparkling with sheer excitement, everything was so shiny! Strings of reflective red and green..stuff hung near a smooth stone slab, shining ornaments adorning it's surface, she ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, weaving around the other curious gembounds to greedily snatch up as much festive decor as she could.

Only to get distracted by tantalizing smell of hot chocolate, taking a quick detour to grab a mug for herself.

Minali hadn't the time to decorate every square inch of her den in shiny things, with how much she'd spent digging it out, but all these lovely shiny things were sure to brighten up the place.

Tossing her finished mug to the side and stuffing a few candycanes into her mouth, the otter's eyes finally caught onto the large wooden crate a few gembounds had already passed by, scampering over and setting aside her treasures, the otter scrambled up onto the crate's ledge to spot a bunch of gorgeous, round gemstones, thrumming with energy. A few had already been taken it seemed and she wouldn't have been able to carry all of them home anyway, especially with all the items she'd already collected, so Minali settled for just taking a pretty red one and balancing it precariously atop the rest of her pile.

[ Minali has claimed the Jacinth! ]

Thalassa slinked through the infestation of candy canes, wings tucked close. She couldn't smell anything other than sugar, and the red and white stripes had a habit of catching her eye. The threat of an ambush was in her mind's forefront, though a strange trap it would be.

Taking a moment to recollect some of herself, she bent down to lap at the river, only to be stricken with an unpleasantly saccharine flavour. Thalassa glared down at the tainted water.

She decided, then, to not eat or drink anything in Polaris. Not until this disease left its walls.

Thalassa approached the basket, slowing quickly from her brisk trot. It was the seraphinite that drew her attention, and after a wary pause, she plucked it from its nest and made her exit.

[claiming the seraphinite!]

Beyond the cave known as Cassiopeia, which now was the location of the base out of which his family operated from, Rhapsody tended to consider the other caves to visit as overall equal potential places to travel to, provided they were the type of caves a gembound could exist in with the same relative level of ease in the first place.

Certain caves had different factors of potential risk than the rest of the caves, making Rhapsody disinclined to be exposed to those factors when without any particular purpose in mind that made such visits worthwhile.

Regardless, the point was while Rhapsody traveled beyond the base their family had made frequently, almost every other cave they tended to travel to held the same level of overall interest to them.

Each was very different yes, but their component differences still added up to make them equal in potential even if it was different types of potential, as Rhapsody's two pairs of eyes saw it.

Only one of the potential common caves to visit was an exception to this rule of visits appealing equally to Rhapsody, and that was the cave of Polaris, in which they had hatched. There was no doubt that Rhapsody frequented Polaris the most of all the caves they could travel to when they decided to travel.

While the other caves held appeal in how they existed as their own cave, that was not the appeal factor of Polaris, not truly. Polaris's own unique factor of in the caves was the feeling of magic held in the air in a way that was not felt elsewhere in such a way.

Their was generally nothing of material profit in Polaris that would be worth seeking out. Rather, the profit Rhapsody found in the frequent visits was entirely based on some instinctive fond sentiment. While they understood and respected and assisted with matters regarding material profit that their father worked primarily with, what Rhapsody considered personally of value was rarely material.

Tangible things that could be looked upon visibly in the physical world were of value in the general sense that others found such things to be personally valuable in ways that Rhapsody understood even if it wasn't what they personally found value in, usually.

Rather, Rhapsody tended to value most the types of things that were real in the world but not necessarily tangible or physically by definition. Concepts that were felt and existed and seen in their own ways that were proof of their reality even if they were not objects to be interacted with.

Family, especially their father, was obvious, but there was much more than that, seemingly endless concepts that existed in life that Rhapsody found great value in.

So much of these concepts were those that were unable to clearly defined into a solid and consistent definition. There was a fluidity to how the concepts existed where there was no strict lines that dictated how such concepts could present outwardly, since they could be seen and noticed, but not in the way of consistently physical matters.

For example, their familiar that accompanied their flights, their avian ward that they had cared for since the bird had hatched, had so many of these type of concepts tied together that made it potentially impossible to describe how Rhapsody adored that musical creature because the bird had a value beyond any words Rhapsody could find.

And truthfully, they felt no need to find those words, because the affection and delight found with regards to their familiar didn't need to be explained to be felt. So why bother, when they could simply bask in their fondness towards the creature that had hatched under their protective watch?

Their familiar needed naught but to exist for Rhapsody to wish to care for it. Even before the click of familiar bond with Rhapsody, they had felt a wish to care unconditionally for the bird whose egg they had gently yet unyielding curled around upon realizing the egg had the potential of life.

It had been an instinct of sorts, though where such instincts originated from was unknown and mattered not. And though it was instinctive, it did not feel at all out of place with Rhapsody's existence. Quite the opposite, actually, as it felt they had gained awareness of values they had but had not previously thought actively of.

They were an Enforcer of the Organization, that was how they felt they fit best. It was the role that suited their personal values the most. Perhaps some of the enforcers chose that role because they were the types of individuals that aligned with cultivating those strengths that aligned with shows of might. That reasoning was entirely valid.

In the end, the outcome of being an enforcer was equally the same for all enforcers, really, regardless of why that role was the one that fit. But for Rhapsody, who valued family and considered the Organization as a whole their family in the truest sense of the word, they chose to enforce because it felt right to be a role that did that.

To enforce appealed to their mind in ways both conscious and subconscious. Obviously, it was a way they could uphold the will of their family. That part was clearly part of the conscious aspect. But the subconscious appeal was inherent even if describing how it subconsciously appealed was seen with clarity when they had felt their instincts more actively.

Because while they valued concepts of positive sentiments and bonds to others in a way that was visible inherently in their thought processes, these conscious sentiments coexisted perfectly with their protective instincts. There wasn't any conflict between these aspects, and even when the instincts became more noticeably present in their mind, it felt as natural as any other moment in their life.

As an enforcer, they protected their family. Their instincts in how they wished to protect, though, were part of the alignment of all those instincts. Because being protective didn't inherently mean there was appeal in acting out that protective regard through the methods an enforcer would.

Being protective was related to a desire to keep those protected safe. That could be done in many ways. Yet, for Rhapsody, the way that felt right was inherently sharp-edged. The mere presence of an enforcer could be used as forceful intimidation against those that might consider going against not simply those who Rhapsody considered family, but rather those who might go against that family's way of life.

That provoked an instinctive reaction from Rhapsody that was not definable in language but was no less felt. It was protective, but the intensity of it was enough to sharpen a word some might view as a soft sentiment into a sharp weapon that they would wield in whatever way the Organization required it.

While they were aware it was shaped by instinct, it didn't make them act thoughtlessly when feeling that instinctual response. Every thought was precise and accurate, meant to consider the exact amount of action took to get the exact response that was best for their family for those that needed forceful encouragement of that kind.

A being that valued the experience of positive sentiments and bonds beyond anything material, who felt the need for information that was genuinely significant akin to the physical need of hunger, who cared for those truly dependent on them with unconditional affection and instinct to tend to their dependent above anything else including potentially their own needs (for all that their familiar was the only such being that was a dependent, so far).

Rhapsody was a gembound whose default calm and easygoing demeanor was genuine, for all that they had the potential for intensity of emotion that went beyond being able to be described by words.

As they flew through the air of the cave of their hatching this particular visit, their dear familiar flying alongside them, they noted with harmless, ultimately temporary, changes that had occurred in this cave.

Idly curious, they swept to see if there was anything else that had ended up here beyond the already noticeable. Perhaps something might have been left that might be a particularly profitable acquisition for their family.

While they had noted those objects that currently contained liquid, they were hardly going to be valued in the longterm when a great deal of gembounds wouldn't be able to transport such a container.

A container of that size that most couldn't even transport was not necessarily entirely worthless, considering some could use it to transport. But it was more limited in its value than Rhapsody would prefer to acquire, and there were enough strewn about that they were hardly going to be hard to acquire by oneself if one could until enough time had passed to make them scarce.

There truly was little profit in grabbing such an item. It was worth more than nothing, but that was the best that could be said about it.

And then... The shine was how Rhapsody noticed them first. But once they caught their eye, Rhapsody found themself hovering in flight, flapping to maintain altitude, mind fascinated by these spherical gems in a way that they could not explain.

It was not the draw of physical aesthetics they were feeling, even if they had initially seen the spheres below due to their shine that enhanced their colors quite vibrantly.

There was only so many of them, and some seemed to have been taken already, from the impressions in the hay that would match the imprint of the others.

Rhapsody knew that these spheres logically fit the criteria of value for certain, unusual and eye-catching as they were.

Yet, there was a personal draw to them that was undeniable for Rhapsody while being simultaneously incomprehensible.

Without a doubt, Rhapsody would end up with one. But they observed from above for a while, trying to see if they could figure out the intensity with which they regarded these spheres. While the end result of acquisition would still occur all the same, if there was information that could shed light on their seemingly atypical fixation that would be preferrable. While it appeared to be a rare and unusual physical object, that was not anything that should have caused this quality of captivation for Rhapsody, even still.

It was when a quadrupedal canine gembound approached the spheres that Rhapsody obtained insight. His snout disturbed the placement of one of the spheres, and Rhapsody didn't understand their body's increased tension as the sphere rolled briefly, quite undamaged. Their unsettlement was odd, until... It very much made sense.

Whether or not Rhapsody had instinctively known the truth of the spheres was unclear. Perhaps their subconscious had simply noticed the spheres in ways Rhapsody hadn't consciously thought to. The nest of natural material the spheres rested in alongside the distinctly atypically clean shape that the spheres shared with each other. So many details they had observed hit Rhapsody now hit differently.

This was a nest, like those they had seen from lesser birds. Except this nest's eggs were of greater gembounds.

Truthfully, there wasn't much conscious thinking on Rhapsody's part when the revelation of what the spheres were dawned upon them.

Rather, they found themself swooping down towards the crate with such urgency that it was more accurate to fall the maneuver a dive.

Instinctive made them swift, but their grasp was both simultaneously unyielding and careful. Rhapsody, no matter their mindset, would never have been anything else. This was a precious treasure, and they would not treat such a treasure with anything other than the most intense regard for that.

To call that knowledge a conscious thought would not be accurate until Rhapsody was nearly at the edges of Polaris, this priceless treasure cradled close to them as they soared with purpose that hadn't needed them to think.

Yet, for all that they had not given this conscious thought immediately, they knew there could never have been any other result here. This felt right.

A soft musical laugh left them as they remembered an earlier thought of theirs, for this certainly hadn't been what they had meant when they had intentionally wondered of acquiring some valuable find for their family.

Yet, still it was the case. The perfect gemstone-egg in their hold was primarily a soft blue in coloration, though such a simplistic description did not do this treasure justice. While one might identify the overall coloration as that soft blue, that would minimize the subtle shifts in hue that were not to be overlooked.

How odd, they thought, this desire to find words even when they knew no words found would ever be sufficient. Yet, to use any plain words sat wrong with them, like disregarding the sheer intense complexity of every nuance that was essential to note as much as possible, even if Rhapsody knew they would never find words that were the complete picture of this.

This treasure deserved to be acknowledged as consciously as Rhapsody could, even knowing that the value here was not able to be fully captured by that conscious component of themself.

Rhapsody would be imperfect, as perfection was not a quality anything real could attest to.

But that awareness did not make it any less important that Rhapsody give as close to perfection as they could reach, for this treasure's sake.

Their instincts would have inevitably led them towards the care of a treasure of this kind. Rhapsody had been aware of this since their familiar had came into this world.

And not long after that, an offer from another gembound could have let them have this opportunity cycles ago. But Rhapsody had considered every factor of that offer, of raising a full litter of gembounds, and it was wanted, yes. But they had never a had much prior interactions with greater gembound young.

To raise a full litter created by a that offered deal, when they had no experience was not acceptable, for impulsively having a full litter the first time they would raise children, considering all nuances, would be setting themself up for a less than an optimal chance to truly give the regard they wished to in the way that they should and wanted with the kind of quality of care they required of themself in such a matter.

While Rhapsody hadn't completely declined, instead offering their reasoning, Mirrikh had acknowledged that perhaps the deal might occur eventually, when Rhapsody felt it right, and informed them of how to reach Mirrikh's father, who would in turn be able to reach Mirrikh, if they decided to take the offer.

There was no such thing as perfection. Parenting was no exception. But the conditions of being a first time parent were far more optimal this time, with this singular egg they would watch over and care as closely to perfect as they could, because a child, their child, was the type of treasure that nothing else could match in value.

It was inevitable that this was the outcome, and they could be feel anything other than captivation that had transcending into the greatest of awe.

(And if their father who had not expected this abrupt happening was to find them resting curled as best they could around a chrysalis made of Chalcedony within a sufficiently out of the way spot in their family's base in Cassiopeia, well...

They did apologize for instinctively bearing their frightful mouth made up entirely of sharp teeth when they startled out of their resting state, at least. Their father wasn't someone their instincts would knowingly threaten, ever.

As for the rest of their behavior driven by draconic nesting instincts during that time they watchfully kept to the chrysalis, it would be idly noted down in the back of Rhapsody's mind to reflect on later.

It was exactly what they felt they should do then, accidental moment when startled by their father aside. Sure, it might not be typical behavior, but that was hardly an issue. It matched their values and achieved what mattered then.

It was right, regardless of how odd it might seem, and that was all that mattered. Because they would do this right, because any other result was unacceptable.)

[Exit Rhapsody, claiming Chalcedony! ...Only took me an entire accidental essay's worth of words to manage...]

Countless cycles had passed. Cycles passed in silence. Before long they had melted into a haze, the routine of eat, sleep, float along having been all that the creature knew for oh so long.

It wasn't exactly sure what its name was anymore.

But something would eventually rouse her from her waking dream. New colors, new scents, and voices. They pulled the old crocodile closer, rousing a long-forgotten curiosity. Heaving herself from the riverbank, it would clamber past candy canes and tinsel and shining lights.

She doesn't know what to make of it all. But it all leads her closer, to the center of Naskital's decorations. In the shadow of the Spire, where the crate, almost empty, sat waiting. Two 'eggs' remained. How perfect they were - it was strange to her. But yet she had a feeling, that they held something... new.

Perhaps she was being selfish, taking one, merely to sate her curiosity. But that was not something that occurred to her mind. Not yet, at least.

She'd carefully, gingerly, grab the spinel in the tip of her jaws. Its reddish-pink hue was similar to her own gem. And then, she'd carry it away, to stash in her own nest-hoard. If it was a egg, it would be safe and close to her. If it was merely a stone, it would fit in nicely with the others.

Claiming the Spinel!

Having followed the… stench of mint, the humanoid being trails across the cave, cautiously excavating the candy canes and munching on one slowly as he explores.

It takes him quite a while to realize there is a center to the commotion, and even longer to realize that others are leaving with shiny somethings in hand. Still wary from his last large scale encounter, he waits until only one other gembound is around, the one who gently takes the spinel between their teeth, before he approaches cautiously.

Now even more curious, he ruffles his hands through the packing stuff in the crate, wondering faintly if it would be a comfortable bed, before his knuckles clink against something solid.

Cupping the smooth ball between his palms, he lifts it and a small deal of the packing out, passing it back and forth between his hands to clear away the shavings.

“Oh.” He murmurs. “What an interesting color… you can come with me. Nobody left behind, even if you … are not a person. Yet.” He is very aware he might just be talking to a shiny hunk of dirt, but he is so, painfully lonely it doesn’t even phase him anymore.

Besides. This is a nice shape to hold.

One way or another, he decides, he will keep an eye on the last gem from within the crate… the sapphire.

He leaves the cave after a few more hours, one hand occupied by the gem, and the other picking up a mug of the sweet smelling drink, one with a plant of some sort on the cup. He drinks the liquid, fills the mug with more candy canes, and leaves the cave, headed for Leo.

A long few days of walking ahead of him, he knows, but he feels at peace.

For now. He never planned to be a parent, but at least he can live with the knowledge that neither of them will be alone.


Claiming the sapphire!