One thing finished, another left to do.

Arsu was carrying the gemstone of his dead twin, at the suggestion of she who had found it for him, to the garden in Canis. He had vague directions, but even if he hadn't, it was hard to miss the swathe of green and the actual trees towering over the little grove.

He picked his way there, watching with interest as bare rock and bone gave way to soft earth, grass and flowers. Vines curled over a worn wall, and gourds and fruits grew here and there. Oliver really had worked hard, here. There was even a pool of clean water, which compared to the usual stagnant, metallic puddles in Canis, was impressive indeed.

He came to the middle of the place, and then set down the gemstone between his front hooves. He was reluctant to part with the moonstone horn for even a moment, truth be told. His head came back up and he looked around. "Oliver?" he called out softly, uncertain.

From what he'd heard, the bird-dog travelled frequently between caves; there was no guarantee he'd be anywhere near, right now.

@Oliver

Oliver was, in fact, present: asleep beneath a drift of leaves and twined ivy vines at the root of a tree not far off. He roused from sleep, blinking for a moment as he realized someone had called his name.

Groggy, he pushed out into the open, looking around and spotting Arsu. "Hello," he called softly, a moment before memory clicked into place. "Oh. I think-... I've seen you before," he said, and pushed up to brush the leaves from feathers and fur. "With your family? In Pisces. When Naskital came. Sorry--you're looking for me?" he added, and now drew closer, noting as he did Arsu's strangely melancholy demeanor. "I don't actually know your name, I think."

But he did remember the Gembound himself. Pride, Mercurius and their two children, visiting Naskital for gifts... caves, how long ago now-? It had to have been years.

@Arsu

(tagging myself b/c i can and will forget this thread exists-)

He froze up a little, the accidental deer in headlights, at the mention of his family. He couldn't remember Oliver, but... that hardly mattered, at the moment.

"Arsu. I'm sorry, I was--very young. I don't mean to bother you. Someone named Venari sent me," he began, and when Oliver didn't interrupt, he hesitated and continued. "I was there with... Azizos. In Pisces, that time. My twin brother. He died-... We don't know how. Venari found his stone for me. She said... I should speak to you. That if I wanted it to have a second chance, I should talk to you."

There was soft sadness in his tone. He didn't know what else to say; the heartbreak was all coming back, rushing through him in a devastating roar.

It was like every time he told someone what had happened, it reminded him. It made it more real. More true.

And he didn't want it to be. He didn't want a child; he wanted his brother back.

Oliver blinked and shuffled forward. He was still half-asleep, but his attention went to the moonstone horn, and when he went to cradle it--to lift it and inspect it--Arsu didn't stop him.

But the heartbreak in the other's tone was clear, and he looked up with wrenching heart and an expression of deep sympathy. "I'm sorry," he said, quiet. He hesitated, and then decided against asking what had happened. "I know Venari, yes. She's good," he explained, though he didn't clarify or qualify that in any way. "She said I should--bring the stone to life?" He sounded thoughtful. "I've done it before. She's seen me do it--maybe that's why. I have... some kind of weird magic that I think... it's stronger than the usual one. But it means--it's draining," he explained. "I'll be in my chrysalis for a few days, after. You could stay here? Look after it. While it grows, but... Who did you want to raise it?" he asked.

He didn't even consider saying 'no.' His compulsion to help others was too great, but even without that madness trickling through him, his pity and sympathy were strong. Life was important; he couldn't bring back the dead, but having this stone lying here when it could be alive was... sad.

Arsu stared down at the stone.

He was close to breaking, and he knew it. He didn't want to be. He struggled to keep his head on straight, to stay calm, to breathe.

"Maybe we can let the child decide. I need to travel a little, today and tomorrow. But I can come back," he assured Oliver. "Just-..." Pale eyes drifted up to meet earnest blue ones.

"What would you want in return?"

Oliver looked up, surprised. He sounded surprised, too. "Nothing." He hesitated. "Can I ask... why you didn't want to bring it back to life? Are you afraid it'll break?"

His tone was earnest, again, but curious and a little worried. He wanted to be sure he was the right choice, here, and this was a bit of a missing puzzle piece to him.

He settled back, lifting the moonstone horn and running paw-pads gently over it. He examined it, considering. He couldn't tell if it were still alive. He hoped it was, but he would hold off on that, for now.

Arsu looked away, nearly choking on his answer.

"Because... if I do it. We were twins-... He will look like he used to. The same. But he will be different. I'm not-..."

Strong enough for that.

"I do not think I could handle that, Oliver. To be honest with you. I could not look at a mirror image of my brother every day, knowing it isn't him, that it's another voice and another person-... No." He shook his head.

As horrible as it was, he just wanted this to be over with. "Can you do it?" he asked.

Oliver nodded. "I think so," he answered quietly.

He said nothing to the explanation, though it tore at his heart. He understood fully and completely. He couldn't imagine his father coming back, only to be not-his-father at all. The Sentinel had been enough of a devastation in that regard: Black's stone, returned to life but different, similar but so far apart. "I sort of know what you mean," was all he said, gathering the stone up to his chest.

His magic curled outward, as he scooted back into the cover of the bushes. He felt it take, felt his life flow into it--more powerful than it should have been, draining him to the point of unconsciousness. The last thing he managed to do, and say, was to look up at Arsu, smiling weakly. "See you in a few days."

His magnolet-streaked onyx rose up to claim him; at the same time the moonstone tumbled gently from his grasp and rolled, before taking root on the rock below.

The two chrysalises--one gleaming white, and one star-streaked black--lay silent, leaving Arsu completely alone.

exit Oliver

He had wanted it to be over, but he hadn't expected it to be so sudden.

For Oliver to simply... vanish into his stone. For Arsu to be standing here alone.

He stepped forward in the abrupt silence, bending down to nudge the moonstone and yes, it was alive.

Arsu dropped down heavily, legs nearly giving way beneath him, and laid his head atop it.

He wanted to speak to it. To make promises and apologies, though he didn't now if those would be toward his brother or the unborn child. In the end, he simply wept, alone and filled with grief.

exit Arsu