Aliana was getting rounder by the day. From what he'd experienced with Siren, round meant uncomfortable. Uncomfortable meant sitting still more often than not, so Chimera decided to get Ali out of the house for a bit. She needed a change of scenery and to stretch her legs. At least, he thought she did. A gentle nudged roused the woman and he asked her to come with him. Together, they exited their wing of the resort and moved out into the wide open atrium. That was where the familiarity ended.

Blue crystals were plastered at the base of damn near every surface in sight. They were particularly thick upon the wood of the buildings. Were they growing from within the wood or had they simply formed on the wood? Part of Chimera wanted to just have Ali go back inside while he investigated, but he couldn't keep her inside forever. The new strangeness of the world showed no signs of stopping. In fact, it only seemed to be getting worse. Chimera cast a glance at the clouded fae. "Stay close."

Moving out into the open space, Chimera approached the massive tree in the center. Glowing blue crystals grew along the spines of ever single root, casting the entire atrium in an intense, luminescent blue. Tentatively, the giant man reached out and touched one of the crystals with one paw. The crystal seemed to thrum to live, glowing bright white before dying down again. Chimera's mouth set in a hard line. This was all too strange and he didn't like it.

"Chimera Klein"

Chimera is a very adult character and takes part in very adult situations. Don't read his threads. Ever.

Chi has three black Tibetan Mastiff's as guards. Assume they're very close by.

Chimera’s intuition had been spot on. As she grew rounder with their steadily growing children, Aliana's mobility decreased more and more. Where she had once been able to maintain all of her daily routines, now she was down to simple gardening tasks, mixing potions, concoctions, and medicines in her alchemical study, and relaxing. She didn’t try to push herself like Viper had done, too afraid to harm the delicate lives inside her womb. Chimera saw to her every need with diligence and patience, and never once did he allow her to feel like a burden. She appreciated his involvement in the pregnancy more than she could express.

Today, Chimera came to rouse her from her rest to help her get some exercise and fresh air, which Ali was grateful for. Together they exited their shared bedroom and leisurely made their way into the atrium—only to find a strange world awaiting them. Glowing blue crystals protruded from almost every surface on the walls and floor, growing like barnacles on the side of a ship. Wide aqua eyes studied the strange glowing objects that had invaded their home like parasites, marveling at the light they emitted, yet also unnerved by their sudden appearance. She glanced to Chimera at her side, looking to him for answers, but he seemed just as perplexed as she did. He told her to stay close, and she nodded silently. She had no intentions of leaving his side now.

Aliana followed close to Chimera, feeling an overwhelming urge of motherly protection for their family inside her. The crystals didn't seem inherently dangerous, but she had no idea what they were. The two wolves approached the large tree, her eyes roaming over the crystalline growths covering its roots and bark. They didn't seem like they had burst from within the tree, but were growing on it instead. Were they some sort of bacteria or virus? Chimera carefully touched one, and the glow intensified for a moment before fading away. Drawing closer to a cluster of the crystals, Aliana watched the way they hummed with light. It took her a moment of intrigued staring before she realized they had a rhythm. Some were glowing in time with her beating heart. The rest were glowing in the same rhythm, but at a slightly faster tempo. Faster heartbeats. Or maybe she was just being silly and paranoid. "Where did they come from?" she asked aloud, more rhetorical than seeking an answer from her mate.

"Aliana"

Chimera hadn't liked any of this nonsense when the sea creatures had rushed them on the beach. He'd liked things less when Dalila had been attacked by the luminescent beavers. Now that this blue insanity was on his own island, Chimera was angry. He wanted all of this bullshit to end so that he didn't have to fear for his wolves as they traversed their own home. That was what it had come to. His children were unstoppable. They couldn't be contained. Aliana was ready to pop. Dalila was as well. If whatever this event was harmed what was his... A low growl pulled from Chimera as he pushed away the thought. With his claws, he scraped one of the crystals off of the root that it had been attached to and threw it away from the tree. Well... at least they came off...

Aliana posed a soft question and Chimera growled again, but had no answer. He had no idea where all of this bullshit came from. Something about it reminded him of the strange house that he'd found himself in as a pup. The house had been unexplainable as well and the events within were something that he couldn't even share with others. It had all been so bizarre. Just like this.

Stepping close to his woman, Chimera directed his attention upwards. Thousands of the crystalline shards clung to the giant tree. It was as though the shards were trying to take it over. There was little bark left to be seen in most places. As his gaze shifted, he noticed the blue fireflies converging up above, flitting back and forth between the wide, sprawling branches.

"Chimera Klien"

Chimera is a very adult character and takes part in very adult situations. Don't read his threads. Ever.

Chi has three black Tibetan Mastiff's as guards. Assume they're very close by.

Aliana could tell Chimera wasn't happy by the strange entities that had invaded his island home. She was perturbed by their appearance as well, but she was more concerned than angered. The chimeric wolf beside her growled a few times and plucked one of the crystals from the tree. Ali watched as he did so, noting that the tree beneath it seemed unharmed. So they were just like growths on top of the bark, not actually a part of the wood? How bizarre. Aliana reached a tentative paw towards the cluster of six crystals she'd been staring at and delicately tapped one, watching as the cluster as a whole thrummed to life in much the same way they had when Chimera touched them, then ebbed back into the heartbeat-like pulsing glow. Their light captivated the clouded fae, feeling drawn in and entranced by the crystals. Bathed in their supernatural glow, Ali reached forward to touch them again.

When her paw made contact with the crystals, they once more lit up brighter as if her touch had sparked a surge of life into them. A soft gasp escaped the petite woman's lips when she suddenly felt the pups inside her squirm about, kicking her from inside while they adjusted themselves inside her cramped womb. She flinched, fighting against the ache of pressure it caused. Had touching the crystals somehow upset them? No, that was ludicrous to think about! She looked up to Chimera, hoping he hadn't noticed her reaction, but offered him a reassuring smile in case he had. She was fine—just pregnant woman things.

Following his gaze up the tree, her eyes spotted clusters of those glowing blue fireflies dancing between the branches of the tree. "Those are the same fireflies we saw on the beach," she noted. They were also the same ones she'd seen in the gardens with Dalila before. They also hadn't seemed inherently dangerous at first, and had even been delightful to watch. But now she questioned their true motive. Their presence here with the crystals couldn't be coincidence, and she knew Chimera was likely drawing that conclusion as well.

"Aliana"

Seeing Aliana so enraptured by the pulsing gems made Chimera growl again and the soft gasp that pulled from her elicited yet another growl. His pelt bristled, standing up in a ridge along his spine and the giant put himself between Aliana and the crystals. He had noticed the strange brightness when she touched them and the odd pulsation afterwards was too strange. He didn't want something happening to her or their children. "Don't touch them again," he warned. If they needed to know things, he would be the one to find out. He didn't want anything here to affect Aliana.

The blue lights seemed to be creeping closer and closer to them and Chimera growled again. He was just about ready to send Aliana back inside, but they couldn't be prisoners in their own homes. Hell, before long, the crystals would probably be on the inside as well. He'd never be able to sleep again with so much light around all the time. Grumpy. Chimera was now grumpy.

Ali's voice brought a grunt from the man and he nodded. "All the more reason to be careful." She would remember the confrontation on the beach. The danger and animosity that the blue glowing creatures had shown. They couldn't be too careful. Thankfully there were no giant seals or crabs in the center of the island, but he was sure that whatever force was doing this would have no problem finding other things to throw at the two wolves.

"Chimera Klien"

Chimera is a very adult character and takes part in very adult situations. Don't read his threads. Ever.

Chi has three black Tibetan Mastiff's as guards. Assume they're very close by.

Chimera's growl and the way his hackles raised startled Aliana, but she wasn't afraid. She knew he wouldn't hurt her and that he was being protective of her and their family. He placed his massive form between her and the crystal-studded tree, forcing her to take a couple steps back. Her ears pinned to her head, giving him an apologetic glance. "I won't. I'm sorry." She knew Chi was doing it to keep her safe and she appreciated his efforts. Glancing down at the floor, Ali spotted the crystal Chimera had scraped off of the tree. It no longer seemed to glow like the others once it had been removed from its attached surface. Were these things... alive somehow? She reached down and picked up the seemingly dead crystal with delicate paw pads, inspecting it up close. She gave it a tentative sniff, but no scent came off of it. It wasn't like a salt deposit or anything. It just looked like a transparent rock. But how could rocks grow on a living tree?

Chimera told her they needed to be careful and she couldn't agree more. Not knowing what was happening or what these things were, it was scary. Aliana didn't feel genuine fear very often—only two other times, in fact, both times Chimera had forced himself on her violently—but this was certainly a moment she would never forget. Mystifying and unnerving all at once. She watched the fireflies for a few moments more before she began a slow turn, gazing all around the atrium at the sheer amount of crystals that had sprung up overnight. Her heart beat faster in her chest, keen aquamarine eyes peering around the room like a detective trying to sleuth out the mystery of the crystals. Were there even any answers to be gleaned here?

"Aliana"

Chimera

You hear a faint scream echoing from within your head when your paw makes first, tentative contact with the crystal. As you scrape at it with your claws and tear it from the root, the scream intensifies into something tortured and pained.

Aliana

As you you touch the broken crystal an instant splitting headache is immediately thrust upon you, and the pups within you move rapidly as if trying to escape out your ribcage.
You suddenly feel overwhelmingly nauseous, and like your skull may explode any moment.

The moment that the crystal snapped off beneath his paw, pain lanced through Chimera's skull. Screaming echoed within his mind and if the sound had been external, his eardrums surely would have burst. The giant man grimaced and shook his head as though doing so might rid him of the cacophonous sound that reverberated within the confines of his skull. The longer that the screaming continued, the more Chimera could differentiate the tones within. The screaming sounded like the howls of some beast in excruciating pain.

The howling screams continued as though whatever was making the sound never had to stop to breathe. The two-toned man sat down hard, then slid down to lay on his stomach so that he could raise both paws to his ears. He pressed upon them and shook his head again, but nothing would make the sound stop. In his distracted state, he couldn't even see the reaction of Aliana, nor was he able to focus upon her in the slightest. The screaming was all encompassing and it consumed him entirely.

"Chimera"

Aliana had been too busy reaching for the crystal to notice Chimera’s immediate and visceral reaction to what breaking the crystal had caused. She did notice when he grimaced and began to shake his head, an expression of agony on his face. Ali’s heart dropped in worry, but by then she already had the crystal in her dainty paw. "Chimera…?" she asked with concern, but that was all she was able to get out before the crystal’s affliction hit her as collateral damage.

All at once, Aliana felt as if someone had driven a red hot poker straight through her skull and into her brain. The searing pain nearly blinded her and knocked the breath from her lungs, her stomach churning as an intense nausea came over her. Her paw instantly dropped the crystal to the ground, watching as it shattered before her eyes. Most disturbingly, Ali felt the litter of pups within her belly begin to writhe and squirm within her, the sensation terrifying and alien. She cried out in pain and panic, Aqua eyes going wide while she braced herself against the ground and tried not to vomit. It was like the children within her were in as much agony as she was. What had she done to her children?!

Aliana gasped for breath, feeling like her lungs couldn’t expand enough to get more than a few shallow gasps in while her vision swam and spun in a disorienting blur of color and pain. Bile rose in her throat. Her puppies continued to kick and thrash about inside her, bringing her to her knees as she nearly collapsed. "Chimera…!" she managed to gasp out for help between choking gasps, feeling like she was on the verge of blacking out from the horrible assortment of dreadful sensations.

"Aliana"

It Continues for Chimera...

Huh? It doesn't seem like anything happened... Well, maybe that's for the best...

It Continues for Aliana...

Huh? It doesn't seem like anything happened... Well, maybe that's for the best...

The thundering in his skull began to die down. Enough at least for the man to turn his attention to the woman nearby. The moment that he looked upon her, he could see the pain that she was in. Her gasping voice pushed him into action and Chimera began to herd the fae away from the atrium and the mass amounts of crystals within. Eventually he had the wherewithal to scoop Aliana onto his back, ducking beneath her and being careful of her rotund belly. Once she was settled safely enough, he slowly moved across the open space and back towards the wing where they lived. Once on the wooden walkway that stretched between the wings, he deposited the woman on her paws, sticking close to her.

Chimera pulled Aliana against his chest, curling his neck over her small frame. He was furious that he had no power over whatever this mess was. He was furious that these crystals had harmed one of the sweetest women that he'd ever known. If it wouldn't have put them all in jeopardy, Chimera would have burned the entire tree to the ground.

"Chimera"

Aliana wasn't exactly cognizant of what was going on around her. The pain inside her head was so intense and it felt like the puppies inside her belly were tearing at her insides in a desperate attempt to escape from the agony. She tried to breathe, but each time she did, it felt like the breath was literally being forced from her lungs by the painful jarring movements within her. The only thing she was aware of was Chimera's bulk beginning to usher her back the way they came. Each step felt like it took a mountain's worth of effort to move, like the strength within her body had been sapped away by the crystal in vengeance for breaking it. Her vision spun, turning into a swirling sea of colors and shapes. She felt like she was going to be sick at any moment and had no idea which direction she was going, using Chimera's warmth and strength to help guide her.

Suddenly, gravity no longer affected her, and Ali felt herself being lifted off the ground. Blinking her vision to focus her eyes, Aliana realized Chimera had scooped her up and was carrying her away from the crystal-filled atrium. Dainty forelegs lifted to wrap snugly around his neck, clinging to him like he were a raft amidst a turbulent sea. Between them, the puppies continued to squirm and thrash about in her womb, bringing nausea and pain with each movement. She whined quietly beneath her breath, focusing all of her effort on not throwing up and holding on to Chimera. It didn't take long before her mate had them safely away and deposited her back to the wooden floor between the wings, her legs wobbling slightly while she tried to regain her equilibrium. The sickness had begun to wear off, as had her headache, but the pups were still going mad.

The clouded ash and snow fae pressed her form closer into Chimera's embrace, leaning her head into his chest while he curled his neck around her to shield her from the world. Her breathing was steadier, but still with a shallow raising while her lungs tried to catch up to the rest of her. Delicate white paws caressed her swollen stomach, quietly shushing the fidgeting pups within. Tears had formed in the corners of her aquamarine eyes while she tried to comfort their unborn children, praying that they were all okay. "I'm so sorry..." she whispered quietly, though whether it was to Chimera for disobeying him or to their unborn children for putting them in danger was uncertain, just whispering that mantra over and over. "I'm so sorry..."

"Aliana"