There was a dull thrumming that had always been.

A life outside the golden shell, beyond the press of murky water.

But though the neonate knew the words,

He'd yet to learn the song.

Curled body had become cramped inside the chrysalis, so cramped. He could briefly recall a time when he'd been at least able to stretch his legs, to shift his wings, but no longer. Now, he could feel the thrum of life in what parts of his skin were pressed against the glass walls. He could feel it, and he wanted to see it.

He pressed his legs out against the walls of his prison and he pressed and he pressed...

...and to his surprise, the walls of his prison became bathed in a bright glow, and suddenly splintered into lightning-thin cracks. Then, there was a shift of glass on glass and to his horror and shock, Ori's world became suddenly flooded. The water rushed in before he could brace and the newborn spun with the sudden shift in current, hauled away from his stone womb and into the open water of the Pisces Lagoon. At first, rag-dolled, in his shock.

So this was life.

He wasn't sure he liked it much.

@Eeya @Leon

The world had been everything except quiet. Ever the sound of moving water gracing along their chrysalis. For the most part, this growing gembound had ignored it all. Whisked away into the dreams of things unknown, curled up snug inside of the only thing they had yet to ever know. It wasn't until the sound of something breaking within the water did they begin to stir.

Their body shifted, trying to uncurl from the position they had been in for a long time now. Little room gave way for the hybrid and a disgruntled noise escaped them as they rolled in an attempt to find a better position...

In their shifted and turning, pushing their limbs against the walls of their prison there was a sudden shift in her chrysalis. Slowly small cracks began to web out along the seraphinite chrysalis. Growing larger and larger by the minute until finally there was a puncture within the gem. A gasp of surprise escaped the hybrid when water suddenly began filling the inside of their confinement and they instantly began to kick and thrash around all the more.

It took only a matter of minutes before the chrysalis finally splintered apart, spilling the hybrid into the water and leaving it no time to make a noise as it was plunged into the current. Normally one may panic, but it seemed the little hybrid took the sudden change easily and instinctively began kicking their legs. Her eyes peered through the water easily, looking and studying eeverything they could see. It didn't take long before their gaze landed on another creature. One that seemed awfully strange, but unique. Something of intrigue. They opened their maw beneath the water before they even realized what they were doing and suddenly a series of dolphin noises escaped them.

It took them off guard for a moment before they suddenly realized that their lungs needed air and they desperately tried to get to the surface of the water.

speech!

@Eeya

For a month Eeya had wandered around listlessly. His sister was gone and he really couldn't get it together. His normal motto was to just not think about the bad things but it was really hard when it was a constant bad thing that he could get away from. The only consolation to him was the crystal pieces he'd brought back to Pisces. He knew they were full of life so it filled him with hope. He knew one had to be Mawra and the other, well, he didn't exactly know what the other was but it didn't matter. It just meant a new friend.

He had briefly gone to hunt for fish and upon return the sight that greeted him sent away his spiraling depression. His head was released from the guillotine and he was a happy sea critter again. "Ki'Areehiee! Kiaakoo! KIAAKOO!" He whistled happily as he swam up first to the gray bird-like one and bumped him happily with his nose. Then, he swam circles around his newborn sister. She looked somewhat different but it was still her! He cheered happily... Until he realized she was probably drowning! Oh no! It was just like last time!

The dolphin quickly shoved his head underneath the flailing fox-dolphin and buoyed her up to the surface so she could breath. One eye was focused downwards to the bird-dolphin, wondering if he could make it just fine. He didn't seem to be struggling like Mawra had. "Ki'Ooriiii koaniii aaaeee?" He asked curiously. It didn't look like it but he could always be wrong and Eeya didn't want that. He wanted to be the best dolphin he could be by helping these little ones.

---

252
@Ori @Maya
Hover over text for translation
5/10

"Talking looks like this."
"Eekii eee!"
Thinking looks like this...

table coded by banshee

It was perhaps a good thing that Leon was already hanging around the lagoons, getting in his daily quota of fish for his groupmates to eat, when he heard the cracking of the chrysali. He knew that Eeya had set his own chrysali here in the lagoon to grow and thrive, so that when they emerged, they would come into the safe and loving arms of the Maji Walezi. Every now and then, Leon stopped to examine them, making sure they weren't damaged. His care for them was marginally thinner than how obsessively he had patrolled his own children's chrysali in the den, but back then, Hasira had still been a major threat - he'd even been cautious of Bartos' children after learning about the terrible fate that Clover had met with. But Eeya's seemed to be fine, and being in the water granted them extra protection.

He was hanging over the edge, his paw poised to strike, when the first one had shattered and hatched. The bear arched his brows, turning his gaze to the fresh body that swept into the lagoon. A second had emerged, but seemed less attuned to the water. Leon frowned and was about to lunge into the water to retrieve the children before Eeya arrived, swimming circles around them and delivering the second child to the surface, tending to them. "Eeya! Are they alright?" He called, leaning back and allowing an open space at the edge of the lagoon for him to bring the children if needed. He could offer warmth that the water lacked.

There came a second floater in the water. This one was different, the passive mind noted. It had fur, and though it shared the same blue and silvery colors, this one had a green stone where his was gold. They matched, though! This kind of excited the little gray child, who lurched in the water aimlessly in surprise.

Then came the need to breath, and it was a painful pinch in the avian hybrid's chest. He lurched again, but this time, it was a full-body curl. How was he supposed to get breath? Was it up? It felt up. He looked up. Too far away, he thought grimly. Could he make it?

There came a voice, thrilling and happy and sing-song and then its host appeared, big and silver and beautiful. This was a familiar shape, a familiar voice. It spoke words that the hybrid understood instinctively. There was no air to speak back, though. The bird twisted again, flipping himself around, belly-up, looking at the light of the cave above.

There was a shape there, and it made a noise, but the sound was muffled and the bird was disoriented...

...but its instincts were in the right place. With a smooth flick of his tail and wings, the little gray made his way to the surface in a gliding motion. He gasped, beak parting widely, as his head broke the surface and he took in air and it tasted great. Lungs full, he allowed himself to drift back under, eyes landing on the bear as he did.

"This one happy! Happy, happy, happy!" He squealed, and his voice was new to him but he loved it immediately and life was great. He spun to face the pair of related sea dwellers and he flung himself towards Eeya with excitement. "Big Gray friend? Little Blue friend?"

@Eeya @Maya @Leon

A squeal of excitement washed over Maya as they were suddenly bumped up against and pushed up towards the surface. Upon breaking the surface they quickly sucked in much needed air and gave a sigh of relief before they began to giggle with mirth. They splashed through the water, playfully prodding at the creature below him. Deep within them she knew him. Knew his face, his voice. The warmth they felt when they saw him. They weren't exactly sure how they knew him, but they did and it was a feeling of pure bliss. They chattered a moment only to look up when another voice came from the shore.

Their eyes went large instantly when the big brown thing was finally spotted. Curiosity got the better of them and with a few paw kicks and a moving dolphin tail, Maya had found their way to the shore; albeit with the help of the dolphin below them. One day they would get the hang of swimming, but for now they felt a rest was in order. So, as they pulled themselves to the cold rock flooring just in front of the big brown bear their eyes swept up eagerly to Leon. "This one is fine! This one very happy!" Maya began only for their ears to twist backwards when yet again a voice called out. Only this one was from the creature they had seen in the water!

Almost instantly Maya spun around and grinned broadly at the hybrid. "Yes yeees! This little blue friend! Friend friend! Maya your friend!" They spoke excitedly, their strange tail moving up and down as if on an instinct to wag back and forth.

"speech"
OOC: Boop
@Eeya Leon