Lethe is taking box 3!

Lethe continued to inspect the things and turned as a voice called out. A thing was coming towards her, kind of a strange thing that looked kind of funny, almost like it wasn't there. But she didn't understand and didn't think of it. She frowned. Of course there would be other things coming this way. The scent was really sweet and really strong. But she hated company and she would have much preferred if she had been able to inspect these things alone. "No," she grumbled and turned away. Other creatures were starting to appear, a thing that looked a bit like her but spotted, a weird monkey guy, an absolutely horrifying giant spider, a...dog? with the weirdest colors she'd ever seen, and a green weasel that looked a bit like a porcupine. She rolled her eyes. What a strange group of creatures. She edged away from the spider a bit. It wanted to eat the gem and, as far as she could tell, if it was big enough to eat the gem then it was big enough to eat her.

It was just then that the pillars began to glow. There were other creatures around now, not that she was paying attention, she was too transfixed on the light coming from the pillars. Usually she would have shied away from such bright light but now the beautiful red color was drawing her in. She unknowingly took a step forward...another step...and a strange feeling washed over her. Presents appeared before them and Lethe, unable to push back her curiosity, carefully reached for the closest box, the white one with a red ribbon and pink hearts, and brought it close, opening the lid. Before she did, though, she glanced towards the spider, as if scared that the monster would take her prize.

But then she found that she could not look away. The strange feeling intensified and the world suddenly seemed to shift. How did she not notice this before? She had thought that spider's were ugly...terrifying and hideous but this...this creature was so much more. Her deep midnight body and those long arching legs. Those eyes that made her so uncomfortable before now all seemed to twinkle with an indescribable beauty. She...she was perfect. In every regard. Lethe no longer saw a giant monster with too many legs and too many eyes, she saw a creature that emanated a magical, beautiful aura, a true vision of beauty and perfection and she was enthralled by the sight.

She realized that her mouth was gaping and hastily snapped it shut. She had to say something. She had to introduce herself. But why? This was so unlike her! She didn't want anything to do with anyone except herself. She just wanted to find a quiet place to eat and sleep and be in quiet but now that idea just seemed boring. Empty and useless without this creature to fill that loneliness. She shivered, trying to make sense of the feeling and when she tried to speak it was a hoarse coughing noise and she looked away, extremely embarrassed. If binturongs could blush, she certainly would be blushing right now.

Finally, she managed to steel her courage and she took a few hobbling steps towards the spider, looking up with awe and an uncharacteristic anxiety. "H-hello...I'm Lethe and...I just wanted to tell you that you...you....you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" Embarrassed beyond words, she immediately turned and shot back towards her box, trying to engross herself on whatever was inside, intent on not looking at the spider. Oh, she had just made a complete fool of herself!

@Thothaga

Although the situation urged him to linger and to investigate, and that greed inherent to the gembound beast was one of the strongest facets of his personality, being in such close proximity to the glowing half-exposed gem spires made things change - and quickly. The greed he felt ebbed away from a need to own those stones, to dig them out with his claws and add them to his secret hordes of wealth; rather, as Teyouma touched upon their surface with his talons he felt a sense of giddiness - an elation of warm, sensual feeling that had never taken root within him before.

It didn't feel right.

As pleasant as it made him feel, Teyouma's first instinct was to draw his talons back with a sharp gasp, a hurried backpedaling, practically falling over himself as he rebounded away from the spires and their strange magicks. The other bodies around him seemed to have been affected similarly, but they drew closer instead of away - perhaps their higher reasoning had been affected to a stronger degree. Teyouma never was a very brainy individual, nor the most emotionally developed, and maybe those faults saved him in this one moment.

Whatever the reason for his different affectation, he did not linger - and instead, bolted a safe distance so that the magicks wouldn't be so strong. But he didn't leave entirely; rather, he loomed in the darkness, watching and learning at a distance so he could still taste a bit of the effects.

What was that?

The raptor raised her head from where she had been sniffing at a cavemouse, the mouse taking the chance to bolt once it had recovered from its terrified stupor. There was an awful crash, and then something sweet on the air. She straightened up, raising her head - and oh, hadn't she gotten tall? When had that happened?

She began to follow the scent, having never smelled anything so sweet before, and now painfully curious. Large, strong legs carried her swiftly across the ground, and it wasn't long before she came across the pillars, and the many Gembounds.

The velocirpator skidded to a stop, taking in everything, but especially those bright red pillars. They looked like they would taste good, especially when they glowed brightly. She trotted forward, curious as they faded, and stretched her neck forward to gnaw on one of the dull-colored pillars.

Taking Box #1!

He was not alone --- though, he already knew that from the other Gembound present. Curiously enough, a small spotted thing that vaguely resembled a cat came gallivanting in, planting its jaws firmly around one of the pillars. Azizos found his own tangible body gravitating towards the source of sweetness. His hoof wedged itself between two rocks, and the feeling of cold stone against his heels was enough to shock him. All semblance of his other self vanished, seemingly into the air. In the distance, any and all Gembound present would hear a rather loud, undignified bleat. Silvery eyes peered down. Oh. He wasn't under attack, then.

Ahead, a bright light was beckoning. The Morning Star followed, spotting some odd creatures along the way --- was that a giant spider?! How interesting! He wondered if it held magicka within it, if it could speak and if it could learn. Unless Thothaga spoke again, he'd never know. Regardless, Azizos focused on the spider for a mere moment; there was something happening. Lights spun into being, connecting the tips of each glimmering pillar. Bright, bright, bright---!

How curious. Seven delightful little boxes sat at the heart of the circle. Had this been some ancient ritual? How old were those that surrounded him? Azizos happened to notice a small green thing skittering toward the objects first, weaseling about. Envy, perhaps? The Morning Star strode forth himself, unaware of the sudden aura of love that had captivated two victims already. With an interested little hoof, he nudged at the white box, elegantly topped with a flower-like bow made of ribbon. If it was a present, perhaps he could give it to his deer-father---

Odd. A warm, indirect sensation rose in his stomach, compelling him to look somewhere for some reason. Azizos had intended to inspect each gift, but any desire to do so blew away. Silvery eyes instead fell upon the odd creature seeking to munch on one of the crystalline spires. That feeling of giddiness and adoration surged up, wholly foreign and almost unsettling. Butterflies flitted about in his stomach, and he called out, softly, "hello." As unfamiliar as these feelings were, Azizos could not shake them. He carefully aligned his chosen gift with his legs, and pushed it toward the common genet. "For you," he rumbled, a purr tumbling out from his chest, loud and clear.

@Birch

Taking box #7!

More and more Gembound arrived-- not that the genet really noticed. His attention was directed at the sweet-smelling pillar before him. But when he bit the crystal structure and found it to be inedible, Birch let out a disappointed huff.

This did not last long, however, as the light show was truly spectacular; a glow that built, arcing over his head, far, far above him. Despite its brightness, he found himself unable to turn away, even when they burst in a final display of light and beauty. He had, in his curiosity, momentarily blinded himself.

After one final bite to confirm that the pillar was indeed, inedible, he turned around to a soft voice. A box, being nudged toward him by cloven hooves. The genet stared at this box, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye: why have one when you could have two?

Without so much as a word to the other Gembound, Birch bounded away to grab a second box. He opened his mouth and grabbed an all-white box, not counting the red ribbon tied around it. A warm feeling bubbled up in his gut, one he was happy to ignore... until he turned to return for the first.

The boxes were the last thing in his mind now. How had he not noticed before? The creature that had offered him the first container as a gift was elegant and beautiful. The stranger's coat was silver and well-kept, the mane around their neck looked very soft, and the antlers and the moonstone horn-- it all formed into a perfect being, one that no longer seemed to really be on the same plane of existence as Birch.

The genet hurried forward, carefully placing the new box at the other's feet. "For-- for you," Birch stammered, giving the white box a gentle nudge towards the other. He glanced nervously up at the silver Gembound, waiting to see their reaction. The common genet felt a lot more anxious then than he had in his entire lifetime.

@Azizos

Nar took box #5

Narcissus
Watch my actions
Or lack thereof
Negate the person
That I said I was


Narcissus hardly paid any attention to those around him, instead focusing on the pillars. And, soon, the light show that began. His eyes were wide in wonder. It ended far too soon, and he felt disappointed for a brief second before noticing the boxes. Different colors, all beautiful.

He quickly darted forward and grabbed whichever one he touched first - red, with a pink ribbon. But as soon as he did, something seemed to change. He began to look around, but before he could, someone approached him. He hadn't noticed them before - he hadn't noticed anyone - but...oh, how they looked! He was overwhelmed with a feeling he had never felt before, never even known had existed.

Green fur, glorious, glorious green fur, with quills running down their back! And...was that a crown atop his head? He wanted to know more about them. He wanted to know everything! He also just wanted to stare at them forever...nothing else mattered, just the little weasel.

Upon hearing the words they spoke - Envy! what a wonderful name - his eyes seemed to almost glow. To join King Envy's kingdom...it was all he could have ever wanted! "Yes! I-I would love t-to!" He seemed to become giddy himself, grinning wide while staring down at the weasel. He let out a laugh, much like theirs.

This felt so wrong...he wasn't used to these feelings. But oh, he was quite sure he could get used to them. If it meant getting to be with Envy...he'd get used to anything!




"Speech."
Thoughs

as a maiden she tiptoes shy with her light...

Suddenly, light flashed from the red pillars, as bright is the lighting from the Spire, blinding the spider witch. She recoiled in pain, startled, as the radiance overwhelmed her light-sensitive eyes. I can't see! Thothaga wailed. Should have know this was a trap!

As she stood, huddle, confused, and scrapping at her eyes, the other gembounds had already moved in discovered the pillar's curious magick for themselves. As Thothaga's vision faded back, she heard a timid voice off to her side. She turned to see a fuzzy, quadrupedal figure next to her. This thing had introduced itself as "Lethe" She stared blankly at it for a moment, her vision still recovering, but even more so confused at its sudden complement from out from out of nowhere. "Yes, yes I know." She waved the creature off, somewhat suspicious of their intentions. "What do you want? A favor?" No one had ever told her that she was the " the most beautiful thing they've ever seen". There had to be some strings attached.

As she regained focus, Thothaga noticed a strange-looking box next to the creature. As a matter-of-fact, all the gembounds had one, each neatly wrapped and colored brightly. Thothaga felt a strange pang of jealousy. Where's my gift?. Without one, she felt lost, left out, exposed after a fresh molt. Then her eyes spied an unclaimed box - the red one with a pink ribbon and white shapes that reminded her of upside down rumps It was calling to her. For me?. Her heart swelled with joy. She scurried to it, and noticed that it smelled of the same sweet essence as the pillars.

In that moment, her spider brain chimed in. Eat it.

Impulsively, Thothaga sank her fangs into the box with a crunch. Suddenly, like a jolt of lightning, something strange.. yet lovely took hold of her mind. A gembound of black and mint green caught her eye, and he was magnificent. Thothaga's heart fluttered. "Now that is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." She echoed Lethe's words with wistful admiration, even more blind to binturong's feelings now. Her beady eyes sparkled with devilish delight, as a longing, an unfathomable lust, bubbled within her. Through the sweet haze, an ancient arachnid instinct surfaced, and twisted her lovestruck heart. She wanted to become one with him, to have their essence tangle up in each other like caught prey in a web, and what better way to do that than to devour him.

"I must.. consume him!" She blurted out.

Her gaze locked on him like predator, hungry. There was another with him, a small green rodent-thing with quills. She chittered anxiously. It seemed she had competition. I must eat him before he does! Thothaga's mind raced. She can't lose him to this- this little green poser! How could she bare to live without him otherwise? With the present still impaled through her fangs, Thothaga bolted over to them and reared. "No! You mustn't!!" She cried, overhearing their conversation. "We, are meant to be together," Thothaga threw a beadied eye glare at the weasel and hissed. "Not him!!"

"Thothaga speaking."
Thothaga thinking.

@Narcissus @Envy

The boxes themselves--should they be opened--have simple, but eye-catching, collections of little red, pink and white gemstones. Some are jagged, some are polished smooth, though none have magic in them. Still, they make for very fine gifts.

The very act of touching them, however, grants a flush of magic to those who picked them up.

Azizos will find himself with the knowledge of a new spell: Sensorial Link. Thothaga and Envy will find that they have access to the spell Give Life, though it will obey any regular reproductive cooldown. Likewise, Lethe and Birch find that they've the ability to Give Stone without having expended Magicka to obtain it.

Strangest of all, Narcissus will sense a new magical touch: the one-time gift, the next time he reproduces, to not trigger the normal reproductive cooldown. It fees like a strange magical fertility; a gift from the caves themselves.

The question now becomes: will the Gembound present, flush with their new gifts and the allure of the now-lifeless pillars, use these gifts now? Will they give in to the moment, or will they safe this magic for a wiser time?

__________

Only remains unclaimed.

@Envy @Thothaga @Teyouma II @Envy @Narcissus @Birch @Catalyst @Azizos

Oh, a gift in return — "ah, thank you." — and a swell of magic came with it. The hybrid purred softly, lowering his head to nudge the box open, revealing a glimmering assortment of very festive and appropriate gemstones. Ears flickering forth, Azizos sniffed; these little gems had the same sweet smell as the pillars, yet not quite as overwhelming. The fragrance was gentle, endearing. Judging from the genet's box, he figured all of the boxes held these saccharine hearts inside. They almost looked like the candies Naskital had lying in his pile of gifts. A quick lick proved them to be inedible, definitely not candy. It was a box of rocks, but it was the sweetest gift he had ever been given.

Still yet, with love and adoration flowing through his heart, the lion-stag felt inexplicably off. Beneath the overpowering feelings creating a fog over his mind, Azizos pondered about this. He had never met this odd little creature, yet quite literally fawned over him. "My name is Azizos," his voice, somewhat distant, chimed. With a tilt of his head, he quietly asked the genet for his own name. All the while, Azizos sank down to his knees and then his rear. Effectively, he was loafing alongside his box and the cat-like creature he was almost head-over-heels in love with. Yes, this sense of comfort among many strangers… it was wrong. The lion-stag did not like how he could only focus on the genet and nothing else. Mind-fog was troubling him, and he shook his head abruptly, silvery tines cutting through the air rather dangerously.

With that motion, Azizos seemed to stir something in his own conscious, dislodging the haze across his mind. The sickeningly sweet odor flooded back to his nostrils, causing him to snort. While his thoughts could wander to the other Gembound present, he was still drawn back to his apparent soulmate. Okay, something definitely was up.

Lethe felt her break crack as the giant spider waved her off. She looked back over her present and her eyes were wide with worry. "N-no, I don't want anything. I just think that you're beautiful and I....I..." The words stuck in her throat and she cursed herself for being so damn terrible at talking. If only she'd practiced socializing more then eating and sleeping. She'd never be able to tell the spider how she felt. But the feelings were so strong, so real, that she had difficulty believing that the spider felt nothing in return.

She felt an overpowering magical sense coming from the box and she reached out to touch the gems. As she did, a rush of magic went through her body, soothing and warm but very powerful. She suddenly felt a stirring in her gut. A stirring to reach up to her eye and scrape off a bit of her gemstone. And give it to the spider, of course.

She quickly snatched one of the gems with her tail and brought it to the spider, but found that her gaze had shifted. She followed the gaze and saw it rest on a strange black creature. As the spider cried out, she felt her cracked heart break.

"No!" She cried out, flinging herself at the spider's legs. "Wait, please, give me a chance!" She was completely at the mercy of her love, the feelings opening some kind of doorway for a world of emotion she hadn't bothered to glance at before.