Sun stood on the top platform where the chrysalis’ rested. Where Aristotle had ended his life. The gibbon still hadn’t gotten over it. Nightmares of his body falling still plagued him. He hardly slept at this point afraid to keep seeing it again. He spent much of his time caring for the four chrysalis. He routinely used a rabbit pelt to clean the outside of each chrysalis. He had a stack of pelts ready for when they hatched to clean them with. Then he planned to clean out each chrysalis and turn them into beds for the babies while they were still very young. He thought it would provide them with a sense of safety to have their chrysalis close by when they slept.

Sun moved to the deep red chrysalis, it was different from the others. It had small beautiful wild flowers of all colors blooming around it. He began tending to the flowers, knowing that they were special. He knew that they had been born of Aristotle’s final acts. He would tend them until the day they no longer grew. Sun had been alone for nearly a full cycle now, Comet had stayed with him for awhile to make sure he was going to be alright on his own.

Now finished with his morning chores the Gibbon made his way to the bottom floor where he had a bowl of water and a bowl of fruit he had picked a few days ago. With a heavy sigh the gibbon sat down on the pelts he had laid out on the ground. The gibbon reached for the bowl of fruit and picked out a mango and began eating the fruit.

@James

James had asked the Edenfolk where Ari's home had been. The treehouse they had always dreamed of, high up in the trees. But these trees were no place for a horse. Perhaps for cats and a gibbon, who climbed trees all the time, but he felt ages more comfortable in Pegasus.

But it had changed since he'd heard the news.

His mane was braided, a long one running down his neck, and his tail was braided too. He looked older, more mature, with his chocolate brown eyes and his wings set proximal on his body, folded up neatly on his back.

"... Sun?", he asked softly, spotting golden fur and four beautiful chrysali, just like the one his Pegasus had hatched from.

His eyes were sadder than before, and there were bags under them. He looked older... but also more tired. His heart constantly ached nowadays. For Pegasus, for Comet, for Cirrus and Kaimana, and Tahi-shei, and now for Ari again. He worried himself into a fret more often than not, but today he'd left it behind so he could talk to his... his...

Sun.

James slowly stepped forward, eyes full of worry, "I came as soon as I heard... but not soon enough. Comet didn't tell me until a few days ago."

@Sun-Wukong

Sun sat staring up at the second platform above him, while he lazily munched on his mango. He didn’t have much he needed to do today. He needed to go get more water from the nearby stream, but that could wait. Emerald green eyes moved over the platforms bottom and the down the line of one of the trees that formed the walls of the house. They were bare. He wanted to decorate them somehow, but he wasn’t sure how. Perhaps some splashes color somehow. He wanted to find things with some form of image on them to put on the walls. Or perhaps some of the pelts Aristotle had provided for them. He had plenty after all.

Suddenly the gibbon was pulled from his own thoughts as a familiar voice called out his name. A surge of anger instantly welled up inside him. He as well was far more mature and now fully grown himself. He was an adult, his once sparse and thin golden pelt was now thick and full. His face was darker, his eyes had bags below them and his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. The gibbon jumped to his feet letting out an angry scream.

Emerald eyes fell onto James. He saw how he looked now. So much better than Ari had. Daddy had practically wasted away by the time he had broken. He hadn’t been hunting or eating much at all in his last few days. However it seemed that James was doing much better than they had. Or at least that was how it looked to Sun. ”Why would it matter to you?” Sun spat the words angrily at James. The anger and pain could clearly be seen in his eyes and face. The Gibbon reached for his stick and stood up to his full height and now reached to James’ chest now that he was fully grown. He leaned on the stick that was just a few inches taller than himself now.

@James

James flinched and took a step back, ears pinning. He didn't want to have to restrain Sun in case the Gibbon dared to attack him, but he would as long as it was in self-defense.

"... I care," James said, "I offered for you to come with Comet and I. I-I... learned some things. About Ari. About how he brought the stones to the Collector to be... killed. I suspected Ari's motives with the stones to be evil."

Anguish filled his eyes, nostrils flaring, "... And I was wrong. Wasn't I? Aristotle wanted a family. Just... just not with me. Despite our adventures, all I did for him. My mentor told me that Ari could be using the stones to make a family... one of evil. The Collector told me about the stones. But I've been too trusting."

He looked Sun in the eye, tears welling up, "Ari was always good. Comet told me that his last action was to make a fourth life."

"... If I'd known that such a thing could happen, that... that creating too many lives at a time could kill someone, I would have told Ari," he said.

But Ari would have done it anyway.

"... You have a new sibling," he said, two seconds from bursting into tears, "A little brother. His name is Pegasus. H-he's grey all over, and horse-like, like me. He's covered in soft little baby feathers, and where his mane would be are beautiful pink feathers instead. He has two horns and his pink gem forms in two horns on his nose, and he has a white star on his forehead like me, and three white socks and feathered feet. His tail is long and thick, like an alligator's, also feathered. H-he's so beautiful and sweet, and I-I want you to meet him."

@Sun-Wukong

Sun glared at James as he spoke. His nostrils flared for a moment and then he just stood there listening. He didn’t know why he was listening. Then the anger flared worse as he let out angry hoots. ”Daddy did it for you. He hated himself for what happened. He was supposed to give him more but risked death from the Colletor to rip the other gems from him. He knew they would die but he got Last Legs for us to help US.” Sun snapped the last word accentuated. ”Last Legs was subdued by the souls of those gems. He didn’t want to do it and because he didn’t give him all of the gems, Last Legs was barely able to be used and risked losing everything everytime he used it!” The Gibbon spoke in an even voice. The anger was clear in his words but his tone was even almost calm.

Sun looked James in the eyes as he spoke. ”Daddy broke after you both left. All he ever wanted was for us to be happy and to have his own family again.” Tears welled in the Gibbon’s eyes and quickly wiped them away with a hand. ”How could you doubt him. You had known each other since you were children. How could you ever believe that daddy would do that, that he could be bad?” Sun snapped again, on one of the many nights that he had stayed awake with Aristotle as he couldn’t sleep after the separation, Aristotle had spent many of them telling him about the times before they had found him. ”Yes it was. He gave his life and his own stone to make a final life.” He paused for a moment looking up at the platform above him. ”It’s special. When he gave his life, I found flowers blooming around the chrysalis.” His tone dropped as he spoke explaining about what made the last one so special. ”He had always wanted a family with you. That’s he was wanting to move here. So we could have a better house.” Sun once again looked James straight in the eyes.

He wasn’t so sure he believed James about not knowing about it himself. He looked away again, his emerald eyes roaming the walls but then once again falling on James with a still angry glare. But he listened as James explained about his new sibling. ”I see…” The Gibbon looked away tears forming in his eyes as he sighed and motioned with a hand. He turned his back and began making his way up to the top platform where the canopy of the tree formed the roof. He was leading James to where the Chrysalis were. The Platforms were connected by ramps formed of limbs and vines. It was thick and clearly sturdy. Sun led James into the room and motioned to the four chrysalis’ of varying colors. ”I thought you might like to see them.” Sun mumbled softly as he walked over to the flowers with the help of his stick. He gently brushed his hand along the tops of the flowers blooming there beside the brilliant red chrysalis.

@James

James saddened, "... Aristotle never loved me. Not like I loved him. He saw me as a friend and he led me on. Maybe he didn't tell you, but he told me that he didn't l-love me back and he broke my heart. I doubted Aristotle b-because I was weak after that, and I felt hurt and betrayed and it clouded my vision. It made me doubt if all of our adventures and wonder if our love was fake."

He shook his head and looked down, "I... I never wanted a family. I wasn't ready, Sun. I was a child, three cycles old and still trying to figure myself out, and he dragged me into this and told me that we could have children together and that he was going to have A-Abraxas and-"

Tears welled up and he looked down.

"Did I tell you how I fell? Where I got my wings?", he asked, "When I broke my leg, I went for a walk to clear my head. I met a lady made out of trees and she asked me to help. I jumped off one of the cliffs of Orion to land on her platform, only... it was an illusion. No one was there as I screamed, and I fell," he said, "A part of me died. I-I wanted my freedom back. I wanted to show my children that freedom, but he never understood, never emphasized my pain and couldn't understand the pain I felt, how weak I felt."

James shook his head, "I didn't know Aristotle. I knew the personality he had pretending to love me back."

He turned to Sun, head hanging and feathers falling out, loosened from stress. He ruffled his feathers and sniffed.

"If I wasn't a male, maybe he would have truly wanted a family," he said softly, "... But now I have Comet and she's as adventurous as anything, always off getting hurt or something, turning my hair grey. I hope Peggy has that freedom- maybe a bit safer freedom, but..."

James watched Sun walk up the tree and took flight, gently landing and peering upon the colored gems, eyes soft.

"... Just like Peg's," he sniffed, "... I'm sorry I left, Sun."

But it was hard to live without love.

@Sun-Wukong

Sun hooted angrily again. ”He loved you James more than you think. It may not have been the way you loved him but you were his family and he wanted a family with you.” Sun affirmed. He knew what Aristotle had told him. He had said he did love him just not how James loved him. He only figured out he didn’t feel the same as James the day they had fought and separated.

Sun slammed his stick down on the ground and hooted. ”That’s another thing!” Sun snapped. Daddy told me he had given you multiple chances to leave when you first found me so you wouldn’t feel like he trapped you. You didn’t have to stay for any of us. You could have left before you got dug in so deep with us! But you chose to stay James! He never forced you to do Anything” Sun for the first time actually yelled tears in his eyes.

Then James changed the subject. He started talking about how he got his wings. How did that have anything to do with this? The Gibbon thought angrily to himself. Then as he listened he just got angrier. ”And you never understood how he felt! You never understood how badly he wanted a family of his own! Something he had dreamed about since he was in his chrysalis!” Sun was again yelling tears streaming down his face leaving dark streaks in the fur of his face and neck. James had never tried to understand how Aristotle felt and had just stayed out of some feeling of false obligation. ”You only stayed to make yourself feel better! You could have left in very beginning! Daddy had a plan whether you wanted to be a constant in it or not!” Sun was snapping and crying his voice breaking as he yelled at James.

Again Sun felt that rage well up inside him. ”He never pretened anything with you James! He just loved you differently why can’t you understand that are different types of love!” Sun cried angrily scream at the winged horse.

Sun sat silently in front of the flowers. He was ignoring James for a moment as he cried on the flowers. ”It broke him when you broke our family. If you were going to leave you should have done it sooner. Maybe it wouldn’t have broken daddy so badly.” Sun mumbled before stepping forward to gently rub each chrysalis in turn Sun was crying but kept it to himself. He didn’t care if James saw or not. It was his fault daddy was gone. Not that he cared. Or at least that was how Sun felt.


@James

"Oh yes, Sun, let me just leave this child alone to be raised by a lion with no expertise! Let me just abandon the Gembound I loved!", he said, "It's not easy. I chose to stay for you because I loved you! I didn't know how to balance my own happiness and the happiness of others! Do you not remember our memories together?"

And then James exploded.

"I could have left! I could have left Ari alone! He had no one but me and I felt it was my responsibility to be there for him! It wasn't but I couldn't understand! We couldn't understand each other and that's when our relationship fell apart!", he yelled, "Don't you dare talk to me like you understand, either."

"Yes, it was me who broke our family apart, me who ruins everything, me who's such a complete and utter failure that even my son hates me!", he screamed, tears welling up.

James inhaled sharply, stamping a hoof on the ground, "I know how much of a disappointment I am, how I don't deserve happiness and love and how I don't deserve anything. I've regretted everything about Ari and I wish he never met me so that he didn't have to suffer."

He wanted to hurt and to punish himself and he couldn't stop the hatred from overflowing.

"... Why can't you understand that things are complicated?", he said, brown eyes bloodshot from restless nights, from nightmares.

His love for himself had died with Ari.

"We were children," he said, "We were stupid and naive. I wanted to play tag and he wanted to grow up. So I grew up too, following in his footsteps, unable to pull myself away because I was weak. I couldn't stand up to what life was throwing at me. I couldn't form my own stupid opinions because I was too ignorant to have any!"

"I was shown what Ari could have been. How the past could have been repeated by my mentor. He was- is a father to me and showed me what a 'real friend' was. Friends didn't fight and run away from each other just to have a breath of air," he said, "Things were complicated. Confusing. They weren't linear and straightforward."

This was a mistake. James had come to repair a relationship and he felt it breaking even further apart.

He turned and walked out of the house, unable to stay inside any longer as the tears fell, an ugly, angry look on his face, angry at life, at himself, at Sun for being unfair. Hatred burned bright inside of him, turning inwards like it always did. He couldn't hate anyone else. It was all his fault. All his fault.

"He didn't love me," he mumbled, "Who could possibly love... this?"

He opened his wings and held them in front of them, staring at them. Before they had come, everything was fine. Maybe he was free, maybe he could fly, but it had only caused him agony. Physically and emotionally. Maybe he was the mistake.

A tiny wisp came into existence, floating in front of him suddenly. He stared at it, watched it flicker and sway like a flame. So small and weak. But it was there, still shining, still flickering.

@Sun-Wukong

Sun stood listening to James respond to him. He wasn’t sure he wanted to listen but he did. Of course he remembered all their memories together. He had loved both him and Daddy so terribly much. He loved the time that he had spent with James on their own. He had taught him how to climb. He had taught him so much. If it weren’t for him he wouldn’t know how to do some of the fundamental things he did. ”Of course I do. How could I forget?” The gibbon responded in a very sullen voice.

Sun slammed his hands down on the ground. ”I may not understand it all, but I know you had a choice and you make it like he didn’t give you one, when he absolutely did. It. Was. Your. Choice.” Sun spoke his voice very even and matter of fact even though James began to yell. He may not have completely understood, but he knew what he was told and the way James made it out to be. He had choices and he made them on his own, just as Aristotle had made his choices to start a family at a young age.

As James screamed Sun just stared at him. He had nothing to say. He didn’t intend on trying to console James or try and make him feel better. He still loved him in a way, at least he thought he did, but he wanted him to hurt the way Aristotle had in his final days. Sun wanted to be held and comforted to be told that it was alright. But here they were fighting. ”You may have been a child but you still could think for yourself. You shouldn’t have dedicated yourself to caring for children if you weren’t ready. He was.” Sun spoke through gritted teeth, his eyes glaring at James.

”You really think that badly of him. Then why are you here? Daddy never ran away from you. In fact he moved here and made us all a house before you decided you didn’t want to be a family anymore.” Sun stared at him, his voice simply matter of fact at this point. He felt that James had run away from them, despite what Aristotle had told him it’s how he felt.

Sun watched as James walked outside his face streaming with tears. He was angry, he was hurt. He wanted James to hurt. And he could see that what he was saying was hurting James, however this didn’t make him feel any better. ”He did love you James, even if you don’t want to believe.” Sun Said from inside the house. He wasn’t going to follow James, if he wanted to leave he wasn’t going to stop him, he wasn’t going to intentionally stop him. If James wanted to leave then so be it, he hadn’t been kind so he wouldn’t blame him.

@James

self harm

James stood there with gritted teeth, wondering when Sun had become such a prick.

He wondered when he'd become everything he hated.

He jumped off the balcony and landed hard, but not hard enough to break his legs. Unfortunate. He walked until he couldn't hear Sun anymore and sat down, thunking his head into a tree, tearing up.

"I wish it had been me," he mumbled, "Now I know what I do. You weren't horrible. I was. I don't deserve the life I have."

He curled up and held his wings closer to himself, desperately wishing he could just swap places with Ari. Then Comet and Sun would have a parent who loved them, who could care for them. They'd be better off if that had happened.

Oh how selfish he was. Bitterness welled up and he yanked out feathers, punishing, hating, destroying. He was so selfish, so awful. He was everything horrible in the world.

James stood and flew back up to the house, wanting to comfort, to hold Sun again, to run across Orion with the gibbon on his back, laughing in glee. He wanted those days back, the days when his own head wasn't his worst enemy. So he took a step forward and lay down, opening his wings, trying to open his broken heart again.

"I'm sorry."

@Sun-Wukong