Envy hesitated, finally offering a nod. Why would anyone think less of them? They were a king! And to top that off, they were... they hoped, good enough at hiding it. "I should hope so," the weasel said finally, sounding tentatively pleased, although part of them really wanted to ask Why?

Their rounded ears perked, quills raising in a softly undulating motion as pride twisted around, and after a moment of hesitation, Envy scuttled forward to reciprocate Pride's offer of a snout touch- even though Pride's head alone was bigger than the weasel's whole body. It made them feel dwarfed, and a little ashamed- so as soon as Pride had finished, the weasel scurried up Pride's neck to huddle in between his antlers, as they had on the great parade to Orion.

"Defenses? Yes, yes. I'll think about that. to stop the goose and its ridiculous minions? Crystal spikes, perhaps? I can make those... Royal guards, once they're trained? We could sort out some kind of trap for the throne room," Envy's shrill voice lowered somewhat thoughtfully as they settled in their place with tail spike curled safely to their chest, combing their green-tinted fur. They shook their head, then remembered Pride couldn't see it from their perch. "I don't think so."



When I speak.

When I think.



________________


@Pride

Pride waited for a moment, in case Envy did think of anything. Then he dipped his head a couple times in a thoughtful nod.

"Perhaps the others might have ideas for defenses," he mused. "In fact, it may be good to set up a meeting periodically--though perhaps not predictably, or our enemies may attack it. But it will do us good to keep track of others, to build and keep a bond between us--and to get their ideas from time to time. I will seek the others and offer training."

Pride paused, then.

It was not often he felt awkward, but right now, he was unsure quite what to... do. Did Envy want to just--sleep on his head? Was he to lower it and allow his little King, his little friend, to rest with him? Perhaps it would alleviate their stress, some.

Or was he to rush off and begin training at once?

Silent for a beat, he decided that the best course would be to await orders, to let King Envy decide what he was to do now.

@Envy

The king weasel nodded thoughtfully, tail twitching, tightening their grip on Pride's head as he nodded- and feeling themselves stick fast. "I'll ask them. I can make them work later. Or, uh... we." Envy liked the idea of regular meetings; it was an opportunity to cement their rule as the true king of the Seven. It would be their chance to make it clear that they were serious, that they could be a good king despite their size, and squash any apprehensions that they- namely Reseda, might have had.

The weasel's brow furrowed as they thought about the komodo dragon. True, she'd accepted their rule, but after a lot of 'consideration'. Envy wanted to guarantee that it'd stay that way, and it frustrated them that she'd had to think about it at all. They'd saved the stupid lizard's life! "A meeting would be good. Maybe we could have... a sign, of some kind. Every time the lights go out, maybe. But that could be often. Or we could send Lust to... you know... round them up. She's a bird." Envy felt an unusual pang at the mention of lust. Although they had seen her at the parade, they hadn't spoken to her properly since before the fight. And for Lust... it had been even longer.

It was easy to forget that they'd been in their chrysalis for just over a cycle.

They fell into an uncharacteristic silence, staring off to the crumbling ruins. So much had changed since they'd awoken; they were completely unprepared for this. It intimidated them- and they were almost tempted to just leave it all behind, pretend they didn't exist and go back to how it was. But they'd done it. They should be happy. They shouldn't be jealous any more. They should have a new name, a new life. They shouldn't feel like this.

They started to knead Pride's head with their paws, the repetitive motion helping to soothe them.

Envy felt the silence droning on, and their stomach turning over more and more. They felt themselves feeling nauseous, and despaired for something to break the silence and their thousand-yard stare. What was Pride thinking? Was he embarrassed to call them king? Had they ruined their chances already? He'd broken their mask and they despised the exposed, naked feeling it gave them.

"...Pride?" the weasel asked, fearful of his silence and what it implied.



When I speak.

When I think.



________________

@Pride

Pride was staring off toward the Throne, thinking. He either didn't notice Envy kneading, or he tolerated it with indifference. A sign for a gathering? Hmm. Perhaps-... He combed over his options in his mind--his magic, his spells. To Envy's increasing anxiety, Pride was oblivious.

"Hmm? I was just thinking, my King," he answered, when Envy's words interrupted his thoughts. His tone was smooth, somewhat absent. "If we need to signal a meeting, perhaps you could create one of your illusions in a predetermined place--somewhere we should all keep watch? If I must call others, I can... try this," he added.

Pride went still, concentrating, focusing on an area above the Throne. His magicka surged at his call, and--pleased--he wove and directed it. His intention had been to vaporize a stone along the ceiling over the Throne, to ignite it into a ball of brightly-glowing plasma, easy to notice from a distance. His result however was to explode a rock just before his forelegs, instead. There was a sharp crack and a whoomph, and suddenly the stone was a white ball of tangible flame licking out in all directions. With an alarmed bleat the stag tumbled backwards, nearly head-over-heels away from it, staggering and then falling away in a comical tangle of limbs.

Quickly he moved to right himself, huffing as he tried to regain his composure, glancing about to ensure that Envy--if they'd been dislodged--was still okay. "Ahh--but-... Ahem. Higher. Higher up than that." His voice cracked faintly with the rush of adrenaline, his heart pounding.

That had been far too close a call.

@Envy

Envy felt themselves grow marginally nervous at that. Thinking about what? they wondered, but knew that imploreing would only serve to give them away. Pride knew enough already. So they kept their mouth shut. "I could do that... but I'd need to stay close and keep the magic going." Envy doubted that it was the most efficient course of action.

And then something struck them! A proud surge filled their body, and the weasel excitedly raised their head and stood. "I think I-" they started, but were cut off by the explosion, Pride's bleat and sudden motion, which almost wrenched them in half as their hindpaws stuck in place. With a shrill cry, the weasel unlatched themselves and, head still spinning, tapped into their magic. The little-used gift of the ancient kings manifested in horns and the ethereal wings that quickly carried them aloft. In the air, Envy had the opportunity to calm themselves, breathing heavily.

"You don't say," the weasel answered a little snidely, as they drew themselves into a hover right in front of Pride's face. "As I was saying," they cleared their throat as they settled back into place on Pride's head. "I was thinking, why don't we just use gems? We can put a gem in a set place or something and tell the Seven to keep an eye on it. When we want a meeting, we put a bright coloured gem in the hole- or a glowing gem! Or both! No-one but the Seven would ever notice it!"



When I speak.

When I think.



________________

@Pride

Pride stood flicking one ear as he tried to regain his composure, to listen to Envy's words past the pounding rush of adrenaline in his veins and the faint shame that gripped him. He took a deep breath, then nodded slightly as he exhaled.

"That would also work, yes," he agreed. He turned to watch Envy, and then realized--they had, if only for a moment, flown.

...That is new.

"...How long have you been able to fly?" he asked. The question was mildly-delivered, but his mind was racing. Surprise, shock, flickered through him--his mind raced back, at once, to the fight against the Bloodberries. Had he known that Envy could fly, things would have been so much easier! They could have simply fled--though granted they could have done that anyway, and his king had refused. Or they could have lured Blackberry up somewhere high, alone, and destroyed her.

Thoughts of murder in his mind, he stared at Envy, perched as they were back upon his head. "Do you wish to explain to one another what we are capable of doing, with our magic..? It would come in handy," he added, biting back the irritation, "for planning and strategy. For example--" and now he just couldn't help himself--"--of the Bloodberries, only Blackberry, I think, can fly. We could have--we still can--lure her, perhaps, into an ambush."

@Envy

It'd be more subtle than making a big old explosion. Only the Seven would know what to look for but that other thing, well... anyone could see it if they were in the area," Envy explained, seeming disappointed by Pride's lack of enthusiasm. The deer's question caused them to pause, though. They felt as though he'd put them on the spot, and flinched, sticky paw pads tightening onto the deer's forehead. "Since just after I set off to spy on the goose. I used it to get away from them."

They paused for a moment as Pride suggested speaking to one another about what they were capable of doing using magic. Envy had quite a bit under their belt already, but they fully intended to become the most powerful magician in the caves- which meant learning everything, and overcoming the limitations of their tiny body. "Well, I... I can do a lot. I have gem magic, illusions, primal, plant, a few of yours and Reseda's, fire and... lightning." The feeling of of lightning seething to their core had awakened a memory, long buried- and they knew that they could perform electricity, but not much of it. The Bloodberries had shown them their magic, though, which meant that Envy had the opportunity to hone it.

"One day, I want to learn all magic. Everything."


When I speak.

When I think.



________________

@Pride

Pride listened, closely.

"Primal..? Plant?" he asked, curiously. "What can you do with those?"

He then paused, thinking.

"Would it be possible to teach me how to fly? I would find it quite useful. As for my own magic, I can knock things away from myself, create gems, move things with my mind, turn anything into boiling flame, create doubles of myself, turn water into ice or steam, touch minds with my own, switch objects' locations with my mind, and ahh... create mist. But I find the most powerful magic is the combination of things. For example-..."

Pride turned, glancing around, and then focused on an older spell that he knew--the summoning of moisture from the air, the coalescing of it into a thick mist. It took a moment of concentration--moreso than usual--and when it arrived, it was relatively thin.

Pride stepped back, nodding to the mist.

"For example," he continued, "I can create mist, and then boil or freeze it. Someone standing in mist that suddenly freezes solid around them may not do much--but boiling steam... that could kill. The mist itself could perhaps put out flames, or be liquified into water to drink--yes? I may even be able to switch the location of my double with--say--a stone, but I have not tried that yet. I find combinations very interesting to experiment with."

Content with this conversation--and more enthusiastic about magic than about nearly anything else thus far--he glanced back to Envy. "If you ever wish to teach one another, to practice or to spar, I am always willing, my King."

@Envy

Envy's spines ripples in consideration. They thought for a moment, and then decided to demonstrate. The weasel arched their back and rose their spines erect, puffing themselves up as far as they could. "Primal is all about me. I can change myself. make my senses stronger and change the colour of my fur. And I can... sort of... steal emotions..." Envy considered how much to tell Pride and how much to keep to themselves. But the more magic they told him, surely the more impressed he would be?

Envy sucked in their breath and honed their magic. Their fur flickered for a moment- and like a ghost, the weasel's body appeared to fade into nothingness, leaving only their lilac eyes hanging in the air above the deer's back, looking at Pride smugly.

"I only use plant to... take in light and help feed myself. Unless you want to turn yourself green, I don't think you'd have much use for it." They tried to imagine Pride turning green, and couldn't help snickering softly at the thought. But an air of nervous hesitation came over them as Pride asked to learn how to fly. "I... I could try to teach you, but uh... it was a... well, an old, old Gembound gave it to me. I don't even know if it exists outside of him."

They felt a growing seed of jealousy brewing in their belly as Pride talked about everything he could do that they couldn't."I can summon gems, too! I can also spit hot liquid, and lightning." They nodded vigorously as Pride offered to teach them.

And... Envy remembered something else, and looked up at Pride, hungry to be taught but also for answers. "Pride, I think there was something else, too. Did you feel it, at the gathering? When all of us were together? I felt something new. It was like I just..." they paused,lowering their voice. "...Lost control."


When I speak.

When I think.



________________

@Pride

Pride's ears perked at the mention of a very old Gembound, but as he opened his mouth to ask, something else Envy was saying caught his interest.

An effect felt, during the gathering..? Pride tilted his head, closing his mouth and thinking. He remembered nothing of the sort; but what could it have been..?

"Lost control of your magic, my king?" he asked, a little worriedly. "Perhaps-... if many Gembound gather in one place, it becomes more chaotic?" This was but a guess; he had not felt the tug of their joined magic himself, not yet. Perhaps there had been some other effect? "I believe..." he added, and then hesitated, thoughtful. "I believe that our intentions can shape magic into virtually anything we wish it to do. Perhaps our gathering empowered us, in some way? Reshaped magic into something new--via our intentions? Though I have no idea what that could mean," he added.

After a moment, he shook his head. He had no real answer for this, though he was curious if the others had felt it, as well--why had he missed it..? But there was still flight to ask about.

"Where was this ancient Gembound, the one who taught you flight? Perhaps I can speak with them directly, if it is difficult to teach?"

@Envy