Five Seven and Two had never been happier. It was safe. There was a slight contented whistle through its chimney. It did not think. It was occupied. It was loved. It loved. And then it was awake. 572 rose with a start.The world was fuzzy, and it swayed on uncertain legs. Where was it? It was numb as the visitor patted it down. The memories came back in a rush, and 572 collapsed back onto its legs. Paradise was gone.

It's dismay did not last though. The feather-- it's wish was here. And so was Lumut. It found some joy in that. And more than that, it had found a purpose. Five Seven and Two had a simple wish. It wanted to comfort those who'd entered it, as Paradise had. It wanted to provide comfort and safety. Be everything a gembound could want. Accommodate any gembound that stepped inside of it. Be large enough for any number of gembound. As it's feather blew away, 572 turned it's eye inward and was overjoyed.

"Speech."

It was all so surreal. The pale but bright light had consumed him, even as the deer approached. And it all melted away again as the owl, the star, knocked it loose, back sprawling on the mossy earth.

Blearily blinking the flashing colors out of his eyes, Reverend came to, trying to ignore the headache thenwhole experience had given him. The Vistor's help gets him back to his feet.

That's when he sees it, the softly pulsing feather, beckoning him closer. It bends down, taking it, knowing it is his. It has power, it has use, but what he would use it for, he does not know.

It is quietly tucked underneath his hat. It turns to the Visitor, whispering a quick "Thank you," before soaring off into the dark, past the pale fungus, and to elsewhere.

Exit Reverend

Two more feathers blew to stardust, fading away in a sweep of purple and gold. There was no immediate sign that Giggle's wish had come true... but her feather was gone. That might mean something..? Perhaps it was time to return home: home to Canis, to the cave of bones, to see.

Lumut's, too, drifted away on the breeze, matter become energy or nothing at all, a wish made and granted. Paths were opened to her--would they be dreams, or reality?--paths to walk, to see, to learn... but in mind only, her body ever left behind. Vulnerable, yes, but the potential for expansion, for travel... was vast.

short gm post for my two wishes... so far

The feather faded from her hands, drifting away on a thread of vanishing stardust.

The orangutan sat for a moment, fumbling the grass stalk idly in her lips. Gentle eyes watched the dust depart with amiable peace; then regarded the others who came and went, and she wondered what they had seen in that faraway place, and what they wished for. At length she pushed up from the dirt and shambled to Five Seven and Two, offering a thudding pat on its decrepit roof-shingles.

"We can go?" she suggested softly, making to clamber over it for a brief moment, as if affectionately. "I wished... did you wish?" she realized, interrupting herself, as she saw that the house held no feather, either.

What does a home wish for..? she wondered.

exit Lumut; @Five Seven and Two (for visibility)

The soft taste of stardust on her tongue startled her eyes back open. She tried to spit the feather out--only to find that it was gone, a drifting sparkle of color blowing away into the forest. "No-" she blurted, starting forward after it at a lurching stumble. Alarm and dread, sinking despair, at first roiled through her. That feather--it was her wish. It couldn't just vanish, it-

Unless-
Realization struck, and the hyena first froze, then twisted her head around with widening eyes to stare back toward the distant tunnel. Oh. ...Could it be? Could such a wish come true--could it ever be granted?

She didn't stop to say her farewells, to look at the rest of the Gembounds here, or to thank the Visitor, even--though they were now gone. Instead she was nearly falling over as she pushed herself straight into a sprint, dark eyes wide, limbs propelled by desperate hope.

exit Giggle

The summit of destined accomplishments he rested atop was gone. Every rock comprising its foundation had crumbled away, the whole pile of certainties revealed to be insubstantial possibilities easily dispelled by a flap of wings and a brilliant burst of light. Despite the firm ground his body woke slumped against, Fahl could've sworn he remained falling to sudden death; the plummet of his stomach and heart along with it convinced him so. But reality's final hook at last caught once the Visitor's soft touch landed on his shoulder. None too welcome after what should've been eternal contentment at last, the feeling propelled him away, wide-eyed and a silent scream of protest lurking in an open maw.

A scream that twisted into a rumble of thunder when teeth slammed shut. Even though the fire of a true master no longer swirled about scales flushed full of vibrant pride, blistering heat lingered. Confined to the mind instead of open air, it proved enough to start a storm brewing, violent as they came.

The fresh spark of unknown magic added to his own served little to prevent its formation. Tugging upon the telltale presence of newly bestowed knowledge—feathery shafts of white light bursting forth to answer rage-filled insistence—just contributed to the conditions required for it to grow.

How far he had come moments ago. And here he was, flung backwards into the dirt and forced to forge that warm recognition he'd received bit by bitter, agonizing bit. So long he had taken to gain control over even the simplest of spells. What hope had he now of crafting the grand future envisioned before growing weary of slow progress over the immediate reward he'd partaken of? Before falling to the strength of Masters and Hands without ever ascending to heights worthy of challenging them?

Jaws grinding until they wished to collapse into dust, logic did not spur Fahl to seize the feather beside him. The colors shining upon it did. While unaware of the resemblance to that encouraging sight known to surface-dwellers as dawn, the dazzling appearance grabbed his attention well. The promise contained within promptly secured it, and the iguana clenched hooked claws around the gift, willing it into his first leap down the path of glory.

Let him be known as a protector, a warrior, a teacher. Allow his image to be the first to spring forth when others require shelter from harm.

Upon waking, Maw remembered... everything. The entire story, how the Visitor lost it, the Meteor—the Meteor, the intense, euphoric cacophony of bees and then the Meteor. The thought of her waking dream, where she had almost been trapped, where every negative emotion once unfurled felt quickly suppressed... and it sickened her. That voice, clarifying, purifying, warm: Wake up. The lamb, the message, the word "Palewood", the shape of the talismans and sigils; seared into her mind.

Seared into the object held in the palm of her flexible hand. She knew instinctively what this could do, and it felt familiar to her. The stone she could not forget. She had planted a garden for it, which had disappeared to somewhere, somehow. Desperate to return its kindness. And now here it was again, saving her when she needed it most. 'That's you, isn't it? You gave me this.' Her stiff hand idled at the amulet around her neck still. 'Among other things.'

Maw had few wishes left in her heart; so many of them had either been realized or within her reach, or they had grown old and decrepit with neglect. She could not think to wish of something that brought her happiness when all that had done that so far had caused an equivalent amount of grief. Everything but gardening had brought her that twisted sense of joy, and she had already wished for the ability to garden. She still had to figure out how to read that book. She was learning.

Instead, the wish that she felt was right bubbled up to her mind, leaving a scorching impression in her throat. I wish I knew you. The thought was loud, at the forefront of her mind. Maw was struck by how lonely her own self sounded. If only she could make that wish knowing that she had not intended to benefit from it. Ah, but she could not wish away her own selfishness. She had long since accepted that as a part of herself. Were every sore and aching part of herself to be removed, she would unravel and unbecome. Looking at the "Paradise" she had found... Maw didn't really want that. It did not soothe her the way it might have had she stayed in that egg any longer. So she would follow her self-serving, imperfect desires, and maybe someday they would lead her to a paradise that was lopsided and blemished and real.

Or maybe they would at least show her what kind of gift to give a stranger who had given her nothing but kindnesses that she did not truly deserve.

Fahl's feathershard would turn to cosmic dust in his claws, and he indeed would be an embodiment of protection: and even more, a place for safety and safe-keeping.

He willed it into existence and somewhere within the caves an area formed: it was spacious and had its own glowing light-sources, tiered shelves carved into the stone walls, a wellspring of fresh water, and a native supply of nutritious worms and mosses.

This area was only accessible to Fahl and those he wished to have access to it, and the knowledge that it was in the caves itself was not immediately obvious. Still, it was a space just for him and those he willed its access to.

@Fahl (all info the same! just reposting for posterity)

The pocket dimension is actually a real, secret location in the cave, but cannot be accessed by normal means; the characters are not aware of this fact. Fahl can conjure a rift to access this location. Objects of any size and weight can travel through, even creatures, as long as Fahl wishes them to.

It is possible for him to share this ability with others by using an Other roll to cleave his stone to create a Rift Charm (a magically imbued chunk of his gemstone, to which the location and rift are bound). Fahl's intent here is important, in that he must intend for a certain character to use his stone piece for this purpose - Wish magic reads intent, so it will bind a Rift Charm to a specific character. The stone piece may be fashioned into any means of jewelry or accessory, as long as the stone itself stays intact.

For example, he can give Dragon a ring or earring made of the stone piece and only Dragon will be able to use it to access the storage via rifts; those with access to rifts may use others' rifts should the intent be there. It all depends on what Fahl wants/intends. Fahl is the only one who doesn't need a Rift Charm to access the space since it is attuned to him by default.

Strong convictions and dreams of a distant future—glaring down at the feather in his paw, these were what Fahl had channeled into its every shimmering detail. As it disintegrated, so too did that investment, and the whispers of potential clinging to the object were carried away on a breeze. Were they precious lies, just as his slumber had been? Fooled once, the bitter possibility seemed far too likely; best to not stake too many hopes on a mysterious, magical answer.

The tumult of the day and venture into fantasy had left skepticism in his eye and a foul taste in his mouth. If a tingle infused the burdensome white stone embedded in his tongue, bestowed new abilities and the instinct to use them, it went unnoticed. For now his mind, whisked away from a distant timeline, found itself forced to dwell upon the present he had been abruptly thrust back into. To turn away from foolish figment and focus on reality.

A great figure's reputation needed to be constructed, and much work would be required to build it from the ground up. Time to return to practice and stoke the small flickering flame he possessed into a roaring blaze.

-Exit Fahl

Its mind swam in fever, without Mother's true voice to guide it - oh how it loves its Mother, how it misses Her - a contradictory flood. It wandered from left to right, circles and circles. A dog chasing its own tail. Won't you take me home? I've stayed here too long. I don't know these faces anymore. I don't know these thoughts.

The doe appeared, and then she left. "Please don't go." Please don't leave it to its newly discovered hell.

The comet is salvation - yes, yes, yes! Home! Purpose! A fight to be fought. Oil to be spilt. Oil to be lost. Balance. Order! I am awake! It cheered back, before it was ripped from the saccharine illusion. He found himself in Eridanus again, smothered in the smell of home, among the others; How strange it was to be so happy to see them.

A tendril curled around the feather, a great exhale leaving his serrated mouth. He could feel Her returning to him, the roar of a wave reaching his feet. Warm eyes regarded the feather, a sudden and alien urgency overtaking his ambitions as he lifted the soft, tiny thing. Now, before it is too late. Before the choice is not your own. He did not understand it, and if he did he'd reject it immediately. It would have to remain instinctual to survive.

And so, in the time it had, it dreamed another dream. Not the paradise that entrapped it, not one planned with the wisdom of any other minds - something of its own. Something of a battle hard won, carving symmetry into itself with will alone. A hardening carapace. Stronger limbs. Stronger mind. So it could turn to Mother, and with new wisdom in its voice and a warm, ready weariness, and say 'Look what I've done. Look how much love I had to share. Look how far I've gone. And, when it had gone far enough, slip into that beautiful vision. Let the Juggernaut become a memory of harsher times, a story the network could tell themselves when they doubted their power. Their ability to create wonderful things.

It wanted to be a wonderful thing.