how come i've never seen your face round here?
i know every single face round here

---


For cycles a single chrysalis lay undisturbed. Its dark purple surface blended into the darkness at the back of the throne as the creature within slumbered. Behind its mind eye there lay only darkness, darkness might be relieving to some but for him it was a sign of terrible things to come. He was a star, his moon was nowhere around to help ease the night. Where was she? Had she ascended? Was she gone and left while he remained behind? She had always been the smart one, ready with plans rather than brash actions. Perhaps he should model himself after her... but how could the star change its path?

The air within his purple cocoon began to run out, his eyes opened staring at the darkness that surrounded him. He needed out! With a rough amount of force his slammed one of his massive paws against the side of the cocoon, breaking it open and releasing himself in a rush of fluids. It took only that one blow before the whole thing caved in and began to shatter, completely exposing him to the cool air...

And the darkness.

His eyes were unused to this sort of gloom, he could make out shapes... but where were the lights? It was not like this before he was sealed away. So many questions... Thankfully he could still see his stars on the ceiling but not much else. He pulled on something within himself and focused on his vision.

But nothing happened.

It was just as dark now as it had been before. Why was everything failing him? Were the greater gods displeased at his service on the mortal realm? Was it because he'd failed in protecting Zelena and restoring this city to its former grandeur? "Why hast thou forsaken me?!" He howled to the sky, completely at a loss at what to do. Without his moon... without his sight... without a purpose...

He was lost.


---

323 | notes | @Kin-Kin

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

an empire falling in just one day

you close your eyes and the glory fades

ready aim fire away...

Kin-Kin padded through Orion, her ears pricked and nose lifted to take in the stale scents of other Gembounds that had already passed by this way. The cavern was silent other than the sounds made by her as she moved- rustle of a cape, the clicking of her claws, and the soft huffs of breath that she drew. And then she heard something; the distant crack, and unmistakable sound of a Gembound emerging into the world. Kin-Kin was the source of almost the only light in this cavern, her pelt shedding a delicate glow that wasn't really enough to light the way. Kin-Kin knew that in order to figure out where she was going, she'd need to see past the borders of her vision; and a little trick she'd learned would make that easy.

Carefully, the golden wolf reached into her gem and began to strip the glow from her fur, reforming it into an orb of light above her head. It didn't take long before that bright orb was bobbing away ahead of her like a torch, and the brightness was trickling back into the rest of her fur.

Soon, Kin-Kin knew that she'd found the place, when she saw their shadow cast by the light of the orb. Kin-Kin turned her focus away from the light and to whoever it was that had just emerged. Her first thought was that they were big for a gemling, but their voice soon told her that this was no gemling... yet they had emerged from a chrysalis nontheless! How strange.

Kin-Kin moved towards the creature, and was greatly intrigued by their appearance. The wolf sat back on her haunches, her ears pricking up towards them. "Heh... I dunno, Kiddo. Why d'ya think?" she responded to their words, adjusting the sword on her foreleg with a clink as a warning, not to try any funny business. The gentle glow her fur shed made her the only thing completely visible in this secluded, and dark corner; even when the orb she'd summoned flickered out.


" speech "

@Mosi

how come i've never seen your face round here?
i know every single face round here

---


His cry went unanswered for a few moments, enough to make him lose hope and lower his head dejectedly. It was then that he saw a glow flicker at the corner of his vision, he glanced upwards to see... Her. It was not his Moon, no. It was someone else altogether but in the dimness of the caves and in the depths of his despair he was ready to cling onto any sort of hope or any sort of sign that showed him the way. Her coat was awash in a gentle glow, the only light save for the distant pinpricks of the stars above. It reminded him of the stars or perhaps even a softer version of the moon.

His Moon was missing but this one had been sent to him in his deepest moment anguish. Was this the greater gods sending him a sign? Was this someone special? She was not a goddess herself, no. Her body was not in the shape of his own kind but it resembled it, was molded after it. She was no full-fledged got but with that glow, with the light she possessed... perhaps she was something similar. Her words caused him to go silent, contemplating as he attempted to put everything together before finally he said in his gruff tones, "I think you were sent down by mine sister. My Moon saw me in my sadness and sent you as hope." He stared at her, four eyes staring intently as he wanted to devour her very form. "You have been touched by the Moon, your coat glows from Her touch. Who are you?" This being dripped in moonlight and cast down so that he may see hope again.


---

286 | notes | @Kin-Kin

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

an empire falling in just one day

you close your eyes and the glory fades

ready aim fire away...

Kin-Kin listened to their words, and was... confused, to say the least. She was sent by no-one, and followed her own path through life... though she'd been craving a purpose to it all for quite some time. Her ears twitched in careful consideration, wondering what she ought to say... but this was a towering beast, twice her height and... now that she could get a closer look, not quite canid, either. They had four eyes, and a star on their nose!

Kin-Kin was slightly wary, but her well-conditioned body language didn't show that. as far as they knew, she wasn't even slightly nervous. She doubted they had her magical prowess. "Heh, perhaps I was. But that'd be up to you to figure out, right?" she said smartly instead, flicking her tail, and puffing out her chest. They asked of her name, and of course, this was always Kin-Kin's time to truly shine; she would be respected and adored, by this beast and by anyone else. With a grin appearing on her face, Kin-Kin took a deep breath. "Though, my power is mine, and mine alone. Let me show you." Kin-Kin took a deep breath and stepped up onto her feet.

"I am the Magical Champion of the caves- and that title is mine, and mine alone!"

Kin-Kin pulled the plug on the barrier between her magic and the outside world, letting it overflow. In moments, her pelt was ablaze with light like a golden fire, lighting up the world... or at least, a small bubble of the world around her.

"I am Kin-Kin!"


" speech "

@Mosi

how come i've never seen your face round here?
i know every single face round here

---


"I have already figured it out." He grunted, he was almost certain that this one was special, different than all of the other mortals he had come across. She spoke again, claiming that her power was hers alone. He shook his head, rubbish. The powers were gifted by the gods and the gods alone. Perhaps they'd been gone for too long if all of the mortals had forgotten this. No matter, he was back to show it to them all. Starting with the gifted creature. "Your powers, along with everyone else's, are gifts from the gods. Nothing more. Nothing less." He stated it matter-of-factly as if what he were saying were indisputable truth. In his eyes, it was. How could powers be anything else than what the main gods made of them.

The wolf before her, her body set up an intense glow. One that startled him and hurt his four eyes with the suddenness of its appearance. He closed all but one pair of his eyes before looking away. Without looking directly at her the light wasn't as intense but he could still see her with his near three-sixty degree vision. "You are a 'Magickal Champion' because you were blessed by the Moon with special abilities... perhaps far more special than any normal mortal in these caves." Or at least more special than he'd ever seen. No one had ever left such an impression with their abilities of light. It left in him an ache, he missed his Moon dearly and here she was like a part of Her. "I am Mosi Nyota, The First Star. I am a god, my sister is a goddess... but she has gone missing. My Moon... My Light... Gone..." His voice seemed to crack as he thought of his missing kin. Hmm... This Kin-Kin... Her name... Was that a sign as well. He turned back to her fully, eyes adjusted to the light that rippled from her pelt.

He spoke again but his rough words were soft, mused mostly to himself. "You may not know it, our grasp on the mortals of this realm is tenuous at best, but you must have been sent from the Moon. You are no doubt touched by her, gifted, and granted godly powers... at least in part." She was no goddess herself but... close... worthy of his audience, no doubt. Why else would she be gifted such?


---

286 | notes | @Kin-Kin

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

an empire falling in just one day

you close your eyes and the glory fades

ready aim fire away...

"Sure, Kid," Kin-Kin agreed eventually, seeing this as both the easiest, and most fun route.

They seemed convinced; as strange as it was, Kin-Kin had to hand it to them that they were persistent. She wasn't crazy though- yet- considering that if there were gods out there, she felt like she'd be one of them. Now that was an appealing thought. At least they acknowledged her greatness, to a degree. Proclaiming that she was perhaps the greatest in the cave. "Well, I don't doubt that," Kin-Kin said matter-of-factly, very pleased with their statement. She wasn't about to deny that she was gifted... but in her view, those gifts came from herself, her skill and perseverance. Not some bigwig from on high bending down to give her a little bit of favouritism.

She sniggered at the thought, but fell silent as they introduced themselves as Mosi. Kin-Kin shrugged, settling back down with the glow still radiating from her fur. They seemed taken aback by the brightness of it. Hah! some God they were!

But, they claimed to have lost someone close to them, their 'Moon'... their sister. Kin-Kin didn't know quite how to respond to that... she wasn't exactly the one to come to when it came to comfort. "Well, that sucks," she agreed, flicking her tail slowly and turning her gaze so that she looked away. "I guess you can hang with me instead."

When the alleged 'god' spoke again, it was more to themselves, but Kin-Kin still listened closely. "Well, I think that's a given," Kin-Kin replied with a shrug, in response to their talk of their connection with... 'mortals' being slim. "Well... what does that mean? I know it makes me amazing an' all but... why? What makes you think that?"

She didn't know what else to say. This all seemed very sudden.


" speech "

@Mosi

how come i've never seen your face round here?
i know every single face round here

---


Hang? With her? A strange expression... Did she just mean to join her in companionship? Hopefully so and not literally "hang". What strange creatures these mortals could be. In any case, he would be glad to "hang" with her if she was touched by Zelena or any of the other gods, really. He hardly ever found anyone who was even close to one of his equals. "Perhaps, if you really are touched." How could she not be?

When she questioned him further the beast blinked at her, all four eyes opening again to drink in her sight before replying. "Because you have come to me in the darkest of hours, both literal and metaphorical." It all made perfect sense to him, he reasoned it out soon after she had revealed herself. "Mine sister is missing, she was never far from me but then you showed up in Her place and bathed me in your light... Her light. You took away the darkness just as the moon goddess would. Your showing up when you did was a sign from Her and from Them, as well. You are special, the one who chases away the darkness. You are not made as a god is but you have our powers and are made in our image." He rose to his paws then, legs shaky from disuse but he stood tall and refused to show any more weakness than necessary. Weak, stupid vessel... He hated being forced onto this stupid mortal body. "You said yourself that you are a 'champion', do you not believe that that in itself is a sign of something great? All great powers come from the gods, to deny that is to deny your abilities." Even if she denied it the wolf was prepared to argue the case or perhaps leave and let her think on it herself. Maybe with time she would realize that what he said was the truth.


---

321 | notes | @Kin-Kin

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

an empire falling in just one day

you close your eyes and the glory fades

ready aim fire away...

"Aw, c'mon, Kid; what's so bad about hangin' out? I was only offerin'. What difference does it make if someone... uh... touched... me?" She didn't know if she liked the sound of being touched without her knowing it. Although perhaps she was misinterpreting it. As she'd considered before, this power was hers, and hers alone, and it didn't take some god to do that!

"I don't believe in destiny," she told them with a shrug. "But I can light your way if ya like. Part of being a magical champion, I guess." Now, Kin-Kin was too stubborn to admit it, but she was beginning to grow more and more curious about this creature, and their words. They spoke with such confidence in everything they said... they must have believed it, wholeheartedly. Crazy. Kin-Kin decided that it'd be beneficial to her (and her ego) to hear them out. And besides, she was beginning to enjoy all of this... divine praise. She held back a chuckle. Godly powers, you say? You see my powers as... Godly? Kin-Kin grinned back at them. She couldn't exactly turn down that one. She liked to think that if there were gods out there, she'd be one of them.

"So... What does that make me?" Kin-Kin asked, still sat grinning at them.

They continued to argue their point of view, saying that to deny that gods existed was to deny her abilities themselves. She was special, sure she was special... but she still liked to think that that was down to her, and her alone. "Okay, okay. So what if you guys gave me this power, and I was the one who made it great? Yeah, that sound about right? you could easily have given it to someone who never trained or anything, so I brought this magic to new heights, would you say?"


" speech "

@Mosi

how come i've never seen your face round here?
i know every single face round here

---


His head tilted to the side, confusion faintly visible in his four eyes. "I have never... 'hung out' with anyone. I do not know if I fully grasp the meaning." He finally admitted. First it was "hang" and then it was "hang out"... These mortals and their strange expressions.

Ah, they'd given him a tough one hadn't they? Was Zelena testing him? To see if he would lose his temper? Well, he would do no such thing. He would try patience to see if it worked here. "Destiny shapes us all. Mortal or otherwise." He told her. "Destiny is what lead you to become a champion. Destiny is what bade us to meet." No one could get away from their destiny. One could run from it but in the end they would always end up fulfilling it. "Destiny is what will make us great." His voice was a hungry growl as he peered past her at the dilapidated city. He had to do this, he had to fulfill he and his sister's calling. She was no longer around but that just meant he had to work extra hard and enlist the help of the champion She'd send him. He could only imagine the reward he would get after restoring this tired old city. Would he rule the entirety of the caves? Would he ascend on high once more? Only time would tell.

He snapped back to the present when the wolf asked him a question. What did that make her? "A demigod, methinks." He tasted the word on his tongue, it sounded about right. One with the powers of a god but not quite at the godly status as the rest. With the rest of her words he was forced to nod in assent. "You did wonders with your powers. You did not allow our gifts to go to waste, for that you are to be commended... and rewarded, for your efforts. Maybe that's why you were sent to me so that I could inform you of your gifts and your destiny." He peered at her then, wondering what she would make of that. Imagine, ruling this place with an iron fist. He hardly wanted a seat as a king, he just wanted to be worshipped but her... He could use a mortal figurehead.


---

384 | notes | @Kin-Kin

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

an empire falling in just one day

you close your eyes and the glory fades

ready aim fire away...

Kin-Kin was quite amused by their misunderstanding of the phrase 'hang'. True, it wasn't something often heard in the caves... but it wasn't too hard, either. She chuckled. "Don't sweat it... just means to stay with someone for a while and take it easy... In a friendly, fun kinda way. Y'know?" Kin-Kin explained calmly and casually, her plumed tail swishing from side to side.

They then went on to express their... admittedly strong, opinions on destiny and fate, and the like. Kin-Kin shrugged her shoulders slightly. As much as they told themselves- or her- that, the fact remained that no-one could really prove it. How could they? Life was forged on coincidences. Sometimes coincidences seemed too good to be true... but also too bad to be chance. But that was just life, wasn't it? She shrugged it off, nodding their words away. "Not to bust your bubble, but destiny can screw you over just as much as it can bring you to great heights. Whether ya call it... destiny, fate or just dumb luck... some gembounds just ended up with the wrong end of the stick. I mean... there's only one me. Surely that's bad enough luck, right?" She snorted with laughter at her own joke. Looking up at them, however, the red wolf followed their gaze and turned towards the sight that was the crumbling city of Orion, rising up onto her paws. And there she remained, wondering what was going through their head.

Kin-Kin's ears pricked at the answer they gave to her question. Oh yes. She liked the sound of that. very much so, in fact. It seemed that Kin-Kin had earned herself a new title. Pride swelled in her chest. Heck, it even had god in it. As much as they'd been adamant of their position above her in godliness a few minutes ago, they sure seemed to pick out a grand title. "So... that'd make me Kin-Kin, Magical Champion and Demigod of Light? Oh, I like that." Kin-Kin's face split almost in two with the grin that spread across her face. That grin was only furthered by their praise on the usage of her powers.

"Hah! Well, it'd be dumb to hatch out with... as you say... gifts like these, and not make good use of 'em. ...A reward, you say?"

Kin-Kin's ears pricked.


" speech "

@Mosi