Adenium had given herself plenty of time to reflect on the next course of action. It'd been a while since she'd rooted, ever since the infection - it felt like a confrontation she could never really prepare for. But over the past cycles, the number of things to do shrank further and further, and she relented.

She was awake again, lingering in Tunnel I. Eridanus stunk of smoke, the smell wafting through the walls. It wasn't safe to return to yet - but it would be. She did not know who was behind the fires, but she was grateful.

And she would've helped herself, if she wasn't - y'know. part tree.

But in that time alone, they reckoned with that fact - that they were alone. And they had been, for a while. The Elenya Clan, they all just sort of... disappeared. Not in any dramatic way, but in the quiet, sad way most things end.

That was MISERABLE. Adenium was sick of being miserable. Let's invent new feelings, together!

She'd spent some time in Pegasus, met this weird bug lady. She seemed kind of depressed, which was relatable, and she'd just... handed her more stones. Something about being too boring? (She was odd.) Adenium held them its softly glowing palm, one blue and one yellow. The others she collected were placed on the floor in front of her. She'd taken about, ten minutes to make sure they were evenly spaced - she hadn't even realised that was what she doing in the moment.

She was just... Nervous. let's make that a little better now by getting this over with.

Adenium set the stronger ones done, and reached for the gems they found in Orion first. These ones would need the most energy, they guessed.

Adenium took a deep breath, steadying themselves as if they were meditating. They felt the spell struggle to take, but they kept their focus as strong as they could - and just barely, the life inside it stabilised and begin to take shape.

They sighed, letting the tension out of their shoulders, and setting the Kyanite where it'd take root. They hoped the Gembound it'd produce would be okay, but it was out of their hands now. All they could do is wait.

The others would be easier, right?

The gem did most of the work this time, thank the gods. She set it down next to the Kyanite taking root, musing briefly at the pleasing aesthetic arrangement of stones. Blue, yellow, and now a mix of both.

She picked up the smooth, clear, teal gemstone and held it in her palm for a bit, admiring the shifting colours. Last one. And then she'd have to give herself another ten-ish cycles to fully understand the decision she just made.

Adenium was one person. How would they manage all three of these new Gembound, without the support of their clan?

We'll see, I guess.

thread end

The Kyanite, it would turn out, had belonged to a very average (but very pretty) member of the Ocelot species.

@Adenium