It was over, and they were running. They barely felt the pain through the blinding fear, but as soon as exhaustion set in, everything hurt. They came to a stumbling halt, pain lancing through their heaving chest. The weasel's green-brown body was stained almost black amidst all of the pretty lights, their breaths wheezing, and any noise guttural in their chest. They thought they could feel their tail aching, but when they turned around to lick it, they realized all that remained was the slightest stub. Their hind limbs were hard to control, they could hardly see out of bloodied eyes.

Envy didn't know if this counted as being in one piece. But despite everything, they felt oddly calm. Somehow it was easy to convince themselves that all of this was happening to someone else. That they were an outsider, looking in.

They didn't know what had happened to Pride. The whole affair was a bloodied blur of thrashing bodies and glaring faces. There must have been ten thousand of them! At least, that's what Envy would tell later, in their horrific tale of a defeat at the hands of dirty cheaters and sadistic monsters. That was the only way they could lose.

But... Did this mean their kingship was gone?

The thought came to them unbidden through the pain. Envy's mind wandered beyond their broken state, their eyelids heavy, but forcing themselves open nonetheless. The lights of Polaris were dull.

Pride's loyalty came with terms and conditions, and they'd run. Envy had saved their own skin over his. What was left of it, at least. Obviously, that was the most important thing, but what would they be without a crown?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. They were nothing more than a sad, sick little weasel, the same as they always had been. As others grew up and chased wondrous hopes and dreams, Envy watched them and pursued their own hopeless ideals, running in pointless circles and accomplishing nothing.

They hated everything about themselves. They hated everything about this sad, sorry little life.

Even as the thought crossed their mind, Envy felt the cold marble in their jaws moving, expanding. They found their head encased by stone, and they didn't try to resist. They were too tired, anyway. Their entire body felt as though it were made of lead. They just wanted to sleep.

And so they did.

Soon, all that remained was a small orb of cinnabar, glistening with a crimson lustre.

-Exit Envy-

"Speech."