Dread tilted his head, staring intently at the green weasel. The moment the gem appeared, shimmering and golden, he took an over-eager step forward, and then another. Claws scudded in the dust, and his many-fanged face dropped lower to peer intently.

He did not lunge for it, snatch it up and take it. Instead he waited, his patience a thin thread--but lasting, for now. Ember eyes flicked to Envy, and gradually, all the spines along the back of his neck slowly rose in anticipation. The warm-toned flesh between tented along between them, until it seemed as though fins were fanning up all the way down his spine.

Behind him, his tail grew still. A faint thread of smoke twisted up from both nostrils.

The dragon didn't speak; he simply stood there, awaiting Envy's terms, greed glimmering in his gold-reflecting gaze.

@Envy

Envy flinched as the dragon came closer and peered at the gem they'd made for it. They stared back for a while just as easily, heart pounding at a low hum and quills softly trembling. The tension was almost too much to bear- it took a moment for them to realize that the dragon was waiting for their request. They thought, panicking for a split moment. How to present their end of the trade and make it seem reasonable? the weasel had a near-unlimited supply of these gems if they tried.

Envy rested a paw upon the comparatively large orb, glistening gold, shimmering as it moved slightly.

They found themselves wavering, drifting once again into wild fantasies. The possiblities were endless. Imagine having this dragon in their kingdom? They imagined, again, the looks of bewilderment across their subjects' faces, and the stupidly stunned look that they always wanted to see on Pride. They imagined the fear of their enemies as it was unveiled that they, King Envy, had tamed such a wonderfully massive and monstrous beast!

They'd have to choose their words carefully. Luckily, they weren't unpractised when it came to using their silver tongue.

Heart still pounding, Envy finally cleared their throat and grinned, tail twitching with excitement. "Well, for just this one... it would just be something simple. My kingdom is having a gathering soon, and there will be Gembounds coming from far and wide. I'd ask you to guard the entrance to my throne room. So that we can't be sneaked up on or attacked. Then, you'll be free to go." Envy nudged the gem forwards, towards the dragon. "...Although...." They sat back, gaze lingering on the shimmering stone. "If you wanted to join my kingdom, the Seven... there'd be a lot more where that came from. Just think; I could make you all the gold or shiny things you wanted whenever you wanted. And, you'd be serving a great king! The greatest the caves have ever seen!"

Envy beamed up at him, excitedly.

Speech. Thought.

@Dread

Dread listened, and up until the "serve" part he seemed to be attentive. At that, however, his lips managed to peel a fraction further back, his head rearing up and his spines erecting with a clatter all along his neck. A hiss erupted into a roar, and he bellowed at Envy.

"I DO NOT SERVE! I AM THE--" think fast, what am I? I'm not a king, that's stupid-- "...MOST POWERFUL!" The screeching roar that followed was even louder than the first, echoing and ricocheting over the stones. Massive wings flipped out and up to fan outward, beating the air savagely, and his tail lashed behind him as he snarled down at the tiny weasel.

Then he was rocking forward again, landing heavily on the wings to stare down at Envy with a reproachful sneer.

But... he was thinking.

"...Do you have many enemies?" he demanded, and it sounded hopeful. "If you make me one more piece of gold, I will guard your--gathering for you. I will kill any who attack! BUT!" and here he leaned down, eyeing Envy with his left eye as closely as they'd allow, its ember depths seemingly lit with predatory malice. "Only if I get to eat them."

...This seemed fair.

@Envy

Well, that went well.

Envy flinched, keeling over again with paws clasped to their ears as the dragon roared once again, but didn't make any move to attack. The little creature felt their entire body ringing and vibrating with the echoes of the awful din. As the sound subsided, they finally lowered their paw and allowed themselves to drop to all fours, chest resting on the ground and tail lashing softly. "Of course, of course! very powerful! Very, very powerful-- wow! so powerful..." the weasel soothed, looking warily at the dragon's toothy snout. " Did I say serve? I- d-didn't mean that. What I meant, the Seven has something for everyone. We just... live. You can do anything you want in the Kingdom! Even not serve." -Especially if you're a million times bigger than the King and could swallow them in a single gulp.

The weasel eyed the dragon up and down with only a little bit of bitterness. They thought hard before presenting their next idea, and the words still felt a little strained. Oh well. It'd all be worth it to have a powerhouse like this be part of the Sinful Seven. "Maybe some of my other subjects could even serve you!"

But, the dragon at least accepted one of their terms... sort-of. Honestly, Envy would love to see the goose devoured whole, so they didn't argue. "More than a few," the weasel offered carefully. "...And, go ahead! In fact, that's even better. I'd love to be rid of them. Eat all you like! The gathering will have food, too! My subjects brought me a cave deer just before I left. I bet there'll be more by the time we get back. Especially if you're thinking about joining us! It could be a perfect opportunity for you to see how great the Kingdom is."


Speech. Thought.

@Dread

Dread shook himself, doglike. He cared little for the idea of a kingdom, except perhaps to eat its enemies, and steal their shinies. Past that he held no interest. He had no need for servants or the like--though the idea of others gathering and delivering gold did, he had to admit, appeal.

He thrust one great clawed foot forward--the one not currently clutching the pale sapphire--and awkwardly, if greedily, snatched up the glinting topaz gem that Envy had created. He curled his one into those talons, and then stood, again somewhat awkwardly, a gem held in each foot.

He wanted more gold, but he wasn't sure how he could carry them as well as fight.

"I want a deer," he decided, and then looked expectantly to Envy. "I am hungry! Take me there, and tell me when you are done, and then I will leave." Ember eyes glinted as he watched the weasel, his spade-tipped tail lashing slowly, catlike, behind him.

@Envy

Envy looked at the dragon as he stood, peering for a little longer than perhaps was polite as they marvelled at how uncomfortable it looked. At the dragon's demand, they sighed minutely. Perhaps it was, after all, a good thing that this dragon wasn't going to be joining the Seven, they thought wistfully. It could have been so useful, and made them look so good; but he could equally end up eating them out of existence! and they imagined that he'd want them to suck up to him all the time, which, as king, would simply not do.

Oh well.

At least they'd have the satisfaction of introducing Pride to their temporary guard dog. Envy stretched for a moment, and prepared once again to tap into their magic. It would be quicker to fly home, and with a gem in each paw, they didn't think that he'd want to walk. "Okay! Give me a second," they muttered, closing their catlike eyes. It took only a second for the chaotic magic to manifest, giving Envy a small set of devil horns and wings that were a couple of times their size.

They took a moment to allow Dread to bask in their glory and maybe realize what an opportunity he'd missed before taking to the air with a few softly fluttering wingbeats. They flitted for a moment around Dread's head with a call of "-this way!" -before flying off in the direction of the throne room.

As the ground and the ampitheatre dropped away beneath them they wondered why they'd never done this before. They were perhaps the only weasel ever to fly! They'd accomplished so much! They were such a great king! The weasel couldn't help glancing back, smugness in their lilac eyes, as they watched for the dragon's reaction.


Speech. Thought.

@Dread

Dread barely had time to clutch the gems in his talons before Envy was suddenly BECOMING A DRAGON?! There were horns and wings, and--"WHAT!?" he bellowed, demanding.

Clawed feet scrabbled in the dirt, massive leathery wings arching back and beating madly at the air as he struggled to take wing before he lost sight of the flying weasel. Ember eyes sprang wide as he hastily took to the sky, letting out a short, sharp bellow of surprise and of defiance. This wasn't allowed! Weasels couldn't fly! Animals couldn't suddenly sprout wings out of nowhere, and take to the sky! There had to be some RULE against this!

The sapphire and topaz tightly clutched in his claws, he managed to leap into the air and--with heavy wingbeats--lift off. His bladed tail lashed behind him for balance as he gained altitude, roaring again after Envy.

"HOW CAN YOU FLY? HOW DID YOU DO THIS!? HOW DID YOU GET WINGS?!"

He did follow, however, so... there was that, at least.

@Envy

The little weasel almost laughed as they caught sight of the dragon struggling to take flight and follow them into the air. Even moreso as they heard the creature's throaty bellow, so full of shock and bewilderment. So they did have something over this gigantic creature after all! That was good to know. "What?" they answered, as though they had no idea what the problem was, even though they were quite unable to wipe the grin off their face.

When they knew the dragon was following them, they picked up the pace, flitting over the crumbled buildings and maze of streets like a small, green hornet. Seeing the ground so far beneath them was enough to send their adrenaline pumping, their heart soaring, and just about all their pains and jealousy sweeping to the back of their mind. No other weasel would ever be able to accomplish this. Dread's shock, his questions, his demands, lit a fire through them that nothing else had ever been able to before, and for the first time they felt a spark of pride- real pride- welling inside of them, flooding their tiny being and leaving them euphoric in every sense of the word.

Was this how Pride felt? How everyone felt?

"It's magic!" they called to Dread, flipping over onto their back for a moment so that they could face him. "I'm the most powerful magician in all of the caves! It's what makes me such a great King!"

As they felt themselves growing heavier, Envy focused once again, and their fading wings once again solidified, keeping them firmly aloft, and keeping them in full flight, soaring high above the fallen city. As they turned over again onto their belly in a single serpentine motion, they let out a shrill, whooping sound of exhilaration, taking in the sights of their domain.

Speech. Thought.

Once aloft, the dragon--his ember eyes still slitted in suspicion--beat his wings furiously. A clumsy start turned into a deadly-swift, graceful glide through the air, long tail undulating out behind him. Legs tucked up against it, gems clutched in their base, and his spined head--extended out on his muscled neck--reached toward Envy as he swept up alongside. In the air he was sharklike, his movements predatory, easy and smooth, with no sign of the rough struggle of his takeoff.

Broad wings billowed between spread finger-bones as he turned to peer at the weasel. He almost shot past as Envy turned upside-down, and banked with a slight quiver of one wing to sweep by, flapping to slow some. Greatest magician? King? Suspicion, dislike and resentment bloomed in him, though not very strongly; he didn't like this tiny, loud thing and all its bragging, and the sooner he was done with it the happier he would be. It was not, however, enough of a nuisance for him to attack it or to leave--not yet.

A curl of lips, a further baring of fangs, and he carried on toward the Throne.

"I want a deer," he growled again in irritation, ignoring Envy's claims. He didn't care if Envy was a magician or a king, a knight or a princess; he just wanted his gold, his food, and his peace.

@Envy

The dragon's sudden burst of speed threw Envy off balance slightly, and in the few moments that followed they struggled to regain control and not go hurtling to the stony streets below. Their wings were beginning to waver, but they were almost there- they'd need to keep up their magic only a little longer.

Envy opened their mouth, about to speak some more- maybe brag a little- maybe say something else... but as they again heard Dread demand food as if they hadn't heard him the first time, the weasel closed it again in annoyance. They snorted. Maybe it would be a relief to get rid of this thing after all. Ah well. Pride would appreciate the security, however temporary.

"So I've heard," they grumbled, not under their breath, but not loudly.

The weasel was nearing the throne room, beginning to fly lower the closer they got. Soon, they were within sight- and the weasel suddenly became painfully aware of how fast they were going, the wings at their back fading rapidly as they swept in. Heart hammering, they sucked in their breath, extended their paws, and allowed their wings to dissipate. They dropped to the ground, skidded to a a halt with the sound of their paws scraping against the throne room floor- and looked around. They'd been expecting more, and were sorely disappointed by the lack of decorations, save for Wrath's bloodstains.

There was the beginnings of a food pile brought by the kingdom's predatory denizens- with a fairly impressively-sized cave deer, and a few other scraps. But Envy had been hoping for more glitz, more sparkles, gems buried in every available surface and maybe even a new crown. To top that off, it was empty- none of their kingdom milling around or any newcomers hoping to join their ranks.

The weasel looked around, struggling to hide the disappointment showing in their whiskers and spines.

Speech. Thought.

@Dread