Nestled among some bones lay a cinnabar chrysalis. Inside, the creature could feel their legs pressing against the edges. The area was becoming cramped, and soon, the stone would splinter and crack, releasing the creature inside.

It wasn't long before it did just that. With a crack! a piece of the stone fell away. Soon, more fell and the creature inside opened his red eyes, looking around. Despite having just hatched from somewhere, it was still dark. Where there no lights? Carefully, he picked himself up and began to wobble around, bumping into some bones and even a wall. Eventually, he made it out of the building that he was in and looked around. Still, he wasn't able to see anything. So he simply sat down, wondering what to do now.

Envy
You sink your teeth into the people you depend on
Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem

Envy trotted through the darkness, batting a brightly glowing pebble so that it rolled ahead, illuminating the path that they would then walk. The absence of their orb plunged their world into darkness for a few moments, until they caught up, and nosed the orb on its way.

It was as they wandered in the dark, playing with their new toy, that a sharp, metallic scent stung their nostrils, causing them to stop, the fur along their back stiffening. Eerie nostalgia washed over them, and they shuddered, taking the light into their jaws and looking around, uncertainty causing them to stop in their tracks. the little one knew that scent; but was it drifting to them from elsewhere, or was it just a whiff of their breath?

Envy sniffed again, and again there was that scent; metallic and toxic, and close. It definitely wasn't just them.

The weasel deliberated on the spot for a while before finally deciding to follow the scent, curiosity and a strange sense of kinship drawing them on. Would what they found at the journey's end be just like them? they hoped so.

But what they found was something far bigger, and they assumed more powerful, too. Although they hadn't moved yet, Envy couldnn't help but hope that they'd be almost as sick, but they still found themselves wishing for this one's long legs and their pristine white fur. They placed their little ball of light between their paws, and puffed out their chest as they hung back, watching curiously.

---

"Speech."
"Thoughts."

@Ákos

It wasn't long before someone seemed to approach. Or, rather, a light approached. He could see it rolling, and presumably being pushed by something. Every so often, he could see a furry creature nuzzle it further. It came even closer, before stopping a distance away.

He could see a furry chest, and perhaps more of a furry body from the glow that came from the little pebble. The creature was tiny, much tinier than him. Faintly, he could smell something that stroke him as familiar. It seemed very similar to what he had just hatched from, though he hadn't consciously been aware of the smell at the time.

He watched the creature for a moment, before slowly opening his beak and attempting to...do something. "Who are you?" The words came out harsh, though whether he had intended for them to, he didn't know.

@Envy

Envy
You sink your teeth into the people you depend on
Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem

Envy tilted their head, their rounded ears perked up as the stranger's rough voice reached them. Though the other creature's voice was harsh on the ears, Envy's own voice was high pitched and youthful, and they much preferred it. Their black-tipped tail whisked softly at the ground, and they tilted their head, blinking at the question. "My name's Envy," they said, getting to their feet and scurrying closer to give the strange, beaky creature wobbling before them a sniff. Though, they still kept themselves coiled in preparation to spring away, small tail quivering. "What about yours?"

They sniffed again, the rancid scent causing them to recoil, skittering back to the glowing pebble they held. "You smell a lot like my gem," they commented hesitantly, tongue curling around the bitter, metallic tasting object at the back of their tongue. "So does your chrysalis." Envy smiled, somewhat bitterly. "Does it hurt you, too?"

---

"Speech."
"Thoughts."


@Akos

The creature looked down at the one much smaller than them. Their name was...Envy. As they game closer to give him a little sniff, he tensed, though made no move to leave. It seemed the other - Envy - was prepared to leave if needed. When they spoke again, he flicked an ear. His name? He had no idea. He opened his mouth and said the first thing that came to mind. "Ákos."

Envy sniffed them again, and it caused them to recoil. He blinked, wondering why, until they spoke. Sniffing slightly, he realized that not only had the smell been familiar, but it was the same. As they continued, he frowned slightly, though it was sort of hard with a beak. "Hurt me...?" He didn't think it did, though he'd only hatched moments ago. But maybe it hurt somewhere else? For now though, he had no clue. And he said as much. "I have no clue! I literally just hatched, and you expect me to just know these things?" His voice seemed to get even more harsh, and he snapped his beak at Envy a few times as well.

@Envy

Envy
You sink your teeth into the people you depend on
Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem

Envy blinked. Akos, they echoed internally. Where did everyone seem to get these names from? The little one snorted and shook their head, huffing out a small sigh. But, their name was theirs. It suited them, and until the day when it no-longer represented them, they would guard it jealously. "Akos, huh?" they asked, and then nodded.

Envy sighed, looking slightly dejected as the hybrid seemed confused by their question, and then their confusion seemed to mount into something a little more extreme. The weasel scoffed. "I knew as soon as I emerged. It's not hard. Besides, you're... standing." They snorted. They looked at Akos with what seemed to be a mixture of disappointment and resentment. They certainly didn't seem happy for them. Perhaps they had been hoping for some kind of kinship, someone to share in their pain; but either way, they suddenly seemed hostile, baring their small fangs as the strange hybrid clacked their beak at them.

---

"Speech."
"Thoughts."

@Akos

Ákos had no idea where the name came from, but he had to admit he liked it. It suited him, though he didn't know how or why. It just felt...right.

He soon stopped his angry outburst at seeing the look on Envy's face and huffed. He felt as though...he maybe shouldn't have acted so angry. A feeling he couldn't name tugged at his heart, but he ignored it. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. "I don't know. Maybe? I haven't done a lot yet. Just...standing and walking. How...How does it affect you?" He sat, and looked around. "Why...why is it so dark? I can barely see." He looked back to Envy. "Where'd you get that light?"

@Envy

Envy
You sink your teeth into the people you depend on
Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem

Seeing the stranger seem to cool brought Envy inching towards calm again, although their fur continued to stand on end in a feeble effort to make their noodly form look a little bit bigger. Fidgeting, they settled back on their haunches and rocked onto their hind paws, standing up straight as a stalactite.

The stranger spoke again, and Envy's eyes once again narrowed to slits as they thought of how to respond. They considered what the stranger would think of them if they gave them the full truth, remembering haphazardly what they'd taken from their meeting with Khloros; think before you speak. Pretend."I... When I first came out, it sucked. I was sick and couldn't eat. Or drink. But I don't need to anymore." they used one of their short limbs to gesture to their chest, displaying their teeth in a hesitant grin. "The rock is in my throat and it poisons me. But all this pain is gonna make me the strongest creature in the caves! One day..."

They narrowed their eyes and peered at the odd hybrid curiously, hoping that their words would go down well. Hoping that they'd be impressed.

---

"Speech."
"Thoughts."

@Akos

Ákos flicked an ear as the weasel spoke. Couldn't eat or drink? He hadn't attempted to do either, not yet. It wouldn't be too hard, would it? His gem wasn't in his throat, and it didn't seem to poison him. And...the strongest? That caused him to snort. "Right. You're just a tiny little....thing. You? The strongest?" He chuckled bitterly. "I'd like to see that." Still, he couldn't help the thought that...maybe he was a little impressed. Maybe? He didn't know.

Can pain make someone the strongest? He had no idea. He wasn't in pain. At least, not as far as he could tell. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to be the strongest. Leave that for someone who isn't so young.

@Envy this is crap i am sorry but i needed to post something

Envy
You sink your teeth into the people you depend on
Infecting everyone, you're quite the problem

Envy bristled at their obvious disrespect, narrowing their eyes and glaring icily for a moment. But they were soon puffing out their chest and leaning their head back, looking down their nose at the tall hybrid. They sniffed as though in distaste, lips peeling back in a forced grin. "Someday, you will," Envy assured them coolly.

But the other's mention of their size sprinkled yet another pinch of salt across their numerous wounds. "Hmph. Size doesn't mean anything. You're big, but I hatched first, and I've been through things you never will. That makes me stronger," Envy forced their grin even wider until their cheeks ached, placing a paw on their chest as their tail twitched expectantly. They narrowed their eyes as they waited for a response.

---

"Speech."
"Thoughts."

@Akos