The chrysalis was small. A gorgeous starry blue, but no larger than a large pebble, easy to overlook among the mists. And small as it was, it held inside a very small creature. But that creature was ever growing. And now, the creature was no longer smaller than the shell that contained it.

Cracks spread across the brittle surface, hard to see at first, hiding among the spiked stars of the pattern. Then the cracks and pressure became too much, the structure unable to hold, and the shell shattered, leaving the small form inside to roll to the moist ground, waking blearily.

It was not the most attractive creature that appeared now. Wrinkled and dull brownish with a slight dome to the head and too-big eyes. He’d grow out of most of that, sure, and with no way to see himself, he could hardly care. His surroundings were much more interesting.

Large eyes scanned his surroundings warily and he walked forward, tongue slowly climbing out to clear one of them before hiding back away. His movements were unpracticed- slow and jerky and uncoordinated. He’d hear a sound or see a flicker through the mist and his head would dart that direction, only for him to start forward again when he lost interest or it proved nothing. He needed to find something to climb or to shelter him.

HIKARI
Throw away the light, the definitions, and say what you see in the dark.

Hikari is digging through the mud for insects—a slightly disgusting task as always, if only because the sensation of the mud on his beak makes him feel unpleasant and unclean—when he hears the slightest little crack from nearby, the familiar, yet distant sound of a crackling chrysalis.

His head shoots up at once, scanning the fog for any sign of the new life, but whatever caused the disturbance remains hidden in the fog.

The part of him that cares about his appearance is concerned about the mud he can feel on his beak, the thought that this is no way to greet a creature, especially one who will presumably be seeing him for the first time, but.

Well, he's always been curious, and he's always had a soft spot for kids.

That convinces him to seek out the hatchling more than anything; the little flutter in his chest at the thought of seeing a kid again. He hasn't interacted with children since… since the Callers.

How long ago that was.

He shakes the dim blanket of nostalgia off and begins to walk towards the sound, calling gently into the fog, "Hello? Little chick?"

@Gramlic

The lizard paused again, head moving in what seemed like a single twitch. He had heard… something. Some one? Was that a shadow that loomed in the mist? Was it moving?

A chick. That’s what it asked for. Was that what he was?

”Hello?” He parroted this word. A greeting. Was this being friendly then, to greet him? Oh, but that shadow was larger than he was. Then again, at his size, everything was larger than he was, so that was hardly surprising.

He gave a chittering warning sound and opened his mouth to bare vicious, invisibly small, nub-like teeth at the shadow, tail raising slightly as if it somehow increased his size. If this being meant him harm, it would surely reconsider now. ”Who?”

Hikari

HIKARI
Throw away the light, the definitions, and say what you see in the dark.

Oh—the smallest of voices rises up from the fog, reaching his ears, and Hikari cocks his head, peering searchingly through the mists.

The hatchling, whoever it is—it must be absolutely miniscule if its voice is that quiet. Even as he tries to pierce the mist, he can't catch head nor tail of the little one.

That's… concerning. One so small might get snatched up by any number of lessers, or, worse, fall prey to the carnivorous plants—they pose little threat to one of his size, but to the hatchling…

...he will simply have to keep a close eye on the little one, then.

He takes a slow, careful step forwards, bending his neck down to search the fog. "My name is Hikari," he hums, half-distracted by this task of trying to locate the source of the hatchling's little voice. "And yours?"

Hm. Will it even know its name, at this age?

@Gramlic

The shadow in the fog drew closer. It was about looming over him now, and perhaps he could see a glimpse of color, or of white?

He held his ground, tail still up, stance still stiff. He refused to show any sign that he was absolutely terrified. The shadow hadn’t attacked him yet. The voice and the words seemed friendly enough. Of course, there was some chance that was only because he hadn’t been found.

The shadow shared a ‘name’ and asked for his own. A name? A word? A word that was his? Did he have one? Would this ‘Hikari’ know that he didn’t? He could just give one that sounded good and this shadow wouldn’t know if it wasn’t really his name.

He thought for a moment before answering. ”Gramlic!” That sounded good. It growled some when he spoke it. Very intimidating. If he wielded that as a name, this shadow would think twice of messing with him.

@Hikari