The Moth-creature listened, its expression studiously attentive, to everything that the Gembound said. Those attentive to their surroundings might notice the Collector, subtly stepping back into the shadows behind it, head low and body tense; he vanished a moment later, as if simply fading away into the darkness.

The moth-hybrid looked at them all, listening. It seemed either overwhelmed, or simply to ignore what was asked of it; instead of answering them, or mentioning anything they said, it simply tilted its head.

"I do not remember," it squeaked. And then--"What is my name?"

It looked between those present.

"Give me a name."

@Wilder @Thothaga @Glory @Squick @Kera

Kera's gaze flicked down, briefly, to the tiny cat racing to her paws. She blinked a few times, briefly. "I'm Kera," she began, haughtily, as usual. "The Lightbringer, I helped turn the lights back on in the cave, and I'm gonna murder the fuckin' shit outta Blackberry and her dumb spawn."

She would have asked more of the cat-- who named their self Wilder --but her attention was gripped by one of the hybrids. It didn't matter, because Kera's attention was quickly taken by the growing chrysalis. Pale eyes grew as the wolf tilted her head upwards to regard the hybrid, ears tilting back onto her skull.

"Hello," she managed, then ruffled her fur out. "The Black Dog says you were a hero, a guardian. Do you remember that?"

She didn't so much care if the moth answered or not-- Kera was more concerned with trying to find some light composure, settling herself down back onto her haunches as she thought, staring upwards, thinking.

"Aether," she blurted out the suggestion. There was no particular meaning behind it, really-- she just thought it sounded pretty and it might be fitting.

Wilder continued to run around the legs of the new creature for a bit as the others talked before she stepped back away, panting heavily, but her eyes were shining with happiness. "Oooo you want us to name you? I think you should be called Moth because you used to be a moth! Or Gold because your gem is gold! Or The Collected! Because the Collector helped bring you back and collected us all together! That would be a good name!" In her own world, of course, this was a fantastic name and she looked very proud of herself for thinking it up.

She was distracted, though, by the interactions between Pride and Squick. She bounded over to the two and began hopping around Pride. "Hi, Pride! I was gonna tell you I found Squick but I haven't seen you! It wanted you to know it was safe with me! I found it in Eridanus and ate it! It seemed to be happy about it though." She stopped hopping for a moment and stared at Squick, connecting her magic to the little worm so she could speak again. Hey Squick, now that you found Pride will you go with him? There was no sadness in her voice that he friend was going to leave her, only joy that she had helped it find the host it so loved.

Whatever the rest of them were saying, Glory wasn't listening. He was transfixed on the Guardian, observing it from every angle. He could see all of them in it, somehow. This was incredible. Overwhelmed, so excited, and now he was honored enough to help name it as well.

He thought for a moment. "Hm, perhaps a glorious name that shows your true honor. Ah, yes, Honor! We should name you Honor! Or, maybe, Noble. Hero. Something that inspires wonder!"

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

The spider's eyes sparkled with pride.

"Magnificent." She whispered.

Thothaga glanced at the Collector, wondering if he shared the same thought, but to her surprise, he seemed to shrink back into the shadows, almost as if he was ashamed. She watched him vanish into darkness with concern. Was this not what he was expecting?

She tore her thoughts away from him and focused her gaze back on "Moth". There the Guardian stood, reborn as a glorious chimera of its life-givers. She was particularly fond of their banded legs- why, they looked just like hers! Is this what the Spire-Father felt whenever he breathed life back into stones?

Thothaga stepped foreword, sluggish from her drained essence, but proud nonetheless.
"They say you were a Guardian." She rasped. "A great moth who defended Gembounds from the dragon, Raheerah, but now, you are so much more." She extended a claw to him. "You can be so much more." Her many, tired eyes glimmered with a motherly gaze. "So love, call yourself whatever you like, what word speaks to you?"

"Thothaga speaking."
Thothaga thinking.

Pride watched the Moth, for a moment, ears flicking--but he didn't get involved. This wasn't his situation, although it was fascinating. He'd wanted to speak to the Collector, but the Collector seemed to be--well, gone. But the idea of a Gembound gestating so quickly, and with multiple Gembounds' energy granted to it--well, this was fascinating. What magic would it hold? Several? None? What secrets did it know? It spoke of having no recoll--

His mind was jerked back to the here and now by the white worm flicking through the air, landing on his face. Pride half-recoiled for an instant, instinctively, blinking. But it was just Squick. With a soft snort his ears pressed forward and he listened. ...So to speak.

"Ahh-... we hadn't--met," he answered softly, doing his best to echo his thoughts mind-to-mind. He wasn't sure how much verbal speech the little one could understand. A two-way mind link was harder to maintain, but he did his best to open the channel nonetheless.

Though anyone else might have been disgusted by the little maggot-like creature having leapt onto their face, especially given its nature, Pride was fairly neutral. He controlled his faint repulsion, and anyway, experience had lessened the impact a great deal. Squick's words, though--those warmed him greatly. He felt a flood of sympathy toward the tiny thing, and--well, warmth. Kindness. Squick's statement was kind on its own, and Pride's expression softened as he spoke.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Squick. You do not regularly live outside a host, do you...? Have you found someplace warm, and safe, to live?" Silvery eyes briefly glanced to Wilder. The cat was very small--very liable to be killed quite easily--but hopefully that wouldn't be an issue. It struck him as a distinctly less secure survival prospect than his own body, but he wasn't about to ask the parasite to return to him. It had always been a little... strange.

@Squick

Black listened, drawing himself up proudly. He would have been unsure (had he been asked) as to why he was proud. Perhaps it was because he was a Guardian, and this moth, clearly--or well, what had once been a moth--was a Guardian too. And now it had asked for a name.

A shame it did not remember; but none of them remembered their "befores," did they..?

"You are a Guardian," he responded in that dignified rumble. Kera--the Lightbringer--had given him another name: Aether. It sounded pretty, and strong, though Black did not know how she knew it was his name. "I am a Guardian, but I am not as strong. The Lightbringer is a guardian; she brings light." He nodded his great head to Kera with this, and then added--a little more quietly--toward her: "How did you know its name?"

This was a question quizzically delivered--for, to Black, obviously Kera must have already known it from somewhere.

________________

Squick clung to Pride's face for a while longer before opening its eyes and looking around. It crawled just a little bit higher so that it could sit between his horns, curling up on his head with its forehead wrinkling contentedly. Oh, came the thought, along with a faint touch of disappointment. Well, I... wanted you to know that I am happy, and safe, and missing you terribly, Mr. Pride.

Its mandibles twitched and it thought. It shook its head slightly. Not since I left you behind, Mr. Pride. I walked a long, long way and I was very cold and tired. But then I found Miss Wilder, and she said that I could live in her belly for a while! She's very nice to me, Mr. Pride! I really like her! It paused to look around, and was able to make out the small, warm shape of Wilder nearby. It twitched its mandibles in a smile her way.

She asked me to help give life to the big moth-host, so I came out. But I won't be here long, it added. It's very cold out here. Colder than I remember it.

---

When I think.

@Wilder @Pride

The hybrid listened, its face as wrinkled-up as Black's was. Its extra legs twitched, its wings resettled on its back.

"Aether," it repeated back at Kera. This sounded like a distinct answer, more than a question, and so it accepted its as fact. But as the others spoke, it repeated more words, each time seeming slightly more overwhelmed. "Moth. Gold. Collected. ...Honor, Noble. Hero." Though it seemed to be thrown off by all of these, Thothaga's words made it think.

It stood in silence for a long while, a silence that stretched so that a soft breeze through Canis, rattling some bones, echoed in the quiet. At last, squeaking and gurgling, it spoke. "Aether, Gold, Hero." Never mind that it was not actually golden--not in the slighest. It seemed unaware of this. "Aether Moth. I am... these things. I will be Aether. I will be Moth, Guardian. Aether Gold-moth. Guardian." It seemed to decide this, and then, tilted its head.

"You have created me. I am Guardian. I am bound to you. If you need me. You will call. I will come."

Another squeak, and a gurgle, and Aether fell silent.

_______________

The Gembound present have earned the aid of Aether, moth hybrid Guardian, whose form has mirrored aspects of their own and will (until its death or disappearance) immortalize them! They may call upon Aether for aid at any time.

@Wilder @Squick @Kera @Thothaga @Glory

Kera sat herself back down onto her haunches, brush tail thumping hollowly against the cave floor and kicking up long-settled dust into the Canis air. "Hello," she responded cheerfully as she heard her own title and purpose, as if to confirm that she was, in fact, the Lightbringer.

Kera listened to the other suggestions, but she did happen to agree with the gigantic, mildly terrifying talking spider. The moth could choose whatever he wanted-- even if her name was very obviously superior. Kera was halfway through the gesture of swiping her tongue along her jowls when she felt Black leaning in, rotating her ears to listen.

How did she know his name?

Not a fucking clue, Dog.

She chose it merely because it came to her-- merely because it sounded nice, and strong, and seemed to fit someone who'd given up their life to save other gembounds many cycles ago. That was, in fact, how she picked her own name many cycles ago. It just came to her. And it seemed good enough.

Was this an answer she'd give Black, however? Fuck no.

"I know many things, Black Dog," Kera said with an attempted air of authority, an air of 'yes, I know what the fuck I'm doing and I have my entire life in order,' and more importantly, dignity. "Like the moth's name. Aether." She nodded very dutifully towards the moth.

Which, surprisingly, accepted Aether, and Gold, and Moth, and Guardian.

Aether Gold-Moth, Guardian, seemed particularly fitting at least.

"Hello, Aether!" Kera said. "How do you feel?"