we'll party to the end of the world

Venom grasped for anything that would give her a sense of normalcy. Everything was falling apart, but there were still moments of life reminiscent of the days before the curse. A horrific but needed moment of what should have been, instead of the nightmare they were living. The Empress tried to ignore her illness, and that of her children. She tried to ignore the fact that they might all die. Her mind needed the reprieve.

So as not to cause much suffering, Venom summoned her children to the palace. Her heart ached that Hattori was sequestered on the dark island and not here with his family where he belonged. She took a deep breath as set up the coming of age gifts she had for her children.

For her eldest a set of golden engraved cuffs to decorate his royal paws. Next to that for Takeshi lay a beautiful piece of armor designed solely for him. For her eldest daughter were a pair of delicate gloves for her unique paws. Kitsune’s gift was most similar to Take’s, a glorious piece of armor to adorn herself. Then for the youngest of them, an elegant pair of bracers, decorated with the brilliant scales of a koi. Making her daughter the true dragon that she was.

Venom hoped to bring joy through the sadness, and to remind the pups… yearlings… of their importance even through everything that was going on and they were forced to endure.