ORIGIN - I don't want you in my cadillac, please

After that whole... Murder scene. Esther decided it was time to take a break - and a reward. A two for one, as some say. They're going to leave to do other things - hopefully - not without offering something in return. Vargas' group has shown Esther a lot of things, some they already knew, others... Well let's just say they're going to think about approaching the Masters before they do from now on - and completely stay away from the humanoid that tore the bird apart at the seams using His magic. And in turn, the Palace.

They did have some things they wanted to ask for - or well, offer and ask for? Esther has a lot of things they want to talk about, in a short time, mostly, but... Still, they have to find Vargas for it. He should be here somewhere.

"Master Vargas?" A simple summons - a question, easily avoided if he can't hear them.

Oily-dark eyes scan the area of draco - will they not be allowed here in the future? The place moves in such a way that brings on curiosity, and their lingering... Corruption. His magic - it's calmed by the spire Draconua lingers near. Guards, now. Their wings are pulled close, trapping the mutated creature underneath them. It should be an easy conversation, Esther is not worried about that bit. Their plan should work fine. Still, he could say no and they would be done with that.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Ahh, that one.

He liked that one. Usually quiet, Esther also didn't hesitate to speak their mind when it mattered. Vargas still remembered (and likely always would) the absolutely dry bluntness with which they'd assessed the failure of Ursa upon departing.

For this one, he would make time, though he wasn't sure what it was that they wanted. Reporting in for new duties, perhaps? Hm.

"Here," he called, pushing up from where he'd been crouched, heading toward Esther with long strides of lanky limbs. Faint curiosity glinted in his acid eyes, but other than that, he offered only a businesslike nod; he trusted this one enough to state what it was that they wanted, plainly.

@Esther

It did not take long for the Master to show up - Esther almost felt bad for what they were going to ask, especially since the group was their home. Esther never had a place to stick around before, they could be helpful here, knew how to be helpful - are throwing it away on a whim. Not really, they have other things they want to mention, too, but first.

If they knew the opinion Vargas had of them, they would never even entertain the thought of leaving. Still, it's a bit too late to bring that up now.

"I wish to take a reward for the quest where we found the city underwater." They say first. "You mentioned rights to revive stones, I want that." Right to the chase, like always. "However, I also would like to depart from the group. It has nothing to do what happened at the meeting, the bird deserved what she got. But I would like to leave the child behind in my stead to take my place, or do what job you deem fit."

A fair trade, they think - but will Vargas think the same? Corruption is... A powerful magic, and the child will undoubtedly have that element, so it is perhaps something for him to think about. Though if not, Esther supposes that would be fine too.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

He was turning the request quickly over in his mind, ready to approve it, when Esther sprang the second bit of information on him. Leave? he thought, surprised. There was no malice in it, it was just out of nowhere, to him--and he puzzled over it, for a moment.

Esther wanted to leave--which meant they were likely unhappy in the Forge--and yet wished to claim rights--and to leave a child behind..?

"Yes, you may leave," he began--best to get that out of the way, in his businesslike and booming tone--"though I will be disappointed; we need level heads such as yours. You were always somewhat quiet but perhaps... that is not a bad thing." Dark humor in his tone, for who could look at screaming Draconua or screeching Chaos-One and think that quiet was bad at all-? "I would ask why. That is not to determine my answer, but so that I know if something is making my people unhappy. You do not need to earn a right to create children if you are leaving, and you do not need to leave one behind, if you do not wish it," he added.

It was, perhaps, an unexpected statement, but an honest one: while one of his actual spawn, purpose-built, he might have required to replace itself, Esther had joined of their own accord and he would not make the same demands. He had exerted little in training them; sparring had been a benefit to both Esther and any sparring partners, and anyway--"Your aid in Ursa has likely outweighed anything I imagined you owed to us, and that in turn was little." He paused, for a moment, thinking, and went on. "But if you do choose to form a child before you depart, I will ensure it is trained and well cared for. Did you have a stone in mind-?" he asked, curious again--but his tone was neutral, indicating that he would not press if Esther withdrew their offer entirely.

@Esther

Having that first thing confirmed was nice, they supposed. They didn't have to wait for an answer and Vargas seemed not angry, surprised, even. Which, they supposed was about right. It was just... Confusing, to say the least. They'd never seen him with that kind of tone before, or slight change in the way his facial expression was. Not that he could do much expressing, with his teeth all out like that all the time. Compliments, too, were unexpected. Once again, the gembound felt bad for even asking to leave in the first place. Still, it's too late to go back now.

"I am not - was not unhappy. The forge is - was a home to me and that will not change. I have learned many things under your - and your Overseer's command. Things I will keep with me as long as I live." everything they learned, and experiences they had, even if they were bad, still helped shape them and Esther knew this. Even if there were... Questionable decisions along the way.

The lack of needing to give to leave was surprising - wasn't the master always looking for ways to increase their working numbers? Of course - they already had some of the things listed as rewards just from joining when they did. Because they were not a creation of the forge itself, not a creation of the master telling them it's fine if they wish to not leave something behind. Still, they were going to revive the stone anyway, and well... They don't want to leave the kid alone - they could take it with them, but that meant waiting for it to hatch. Surely it would be safe with the group?

They blinked in surprise at the Ursa mention - they had tried all they could there, to help, to give their very quick and blunt report about the group's failure - and Draconua's attempted demise by the rest of them. The entire situation still left a bad taste in their mouth, and if they were honest the group should have seen it as a bad idea from the moment they thought of it. Though not a lot of them seemed to think.

"Thank you." They replied, not knowing how else to respond to everything the master is saying. Of course, the second one gets an answer almost immediately. "I want to leave something behind to be remembered by, and I was going to revive it regardless. I do have a stone in mind."

Out comes the stone from their maw - Esther'd been holding onto it when they came to ask. Still, it was something they kept close for a long time.

"I took it from someone's stores cycles ago, though I am not sure if the on who had it killed the owner or not." An honest answer, Esther really did have no idea. The stone, a glassy blue horn-shape, it's pretty, and Esther knows the thing inside must be too.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

They did not give him a reason--they gave him a non-reason, reassurances, but no real cause. He pondered this, studying them briefly. "Merely a desire to move on, then?" he asked, pushing for clarification. Any good boss had to get the reasons for his employees quitting, after all.

Truth be told, Vargas felt much the same way about Ursa: but it hadn't been the Forge's push. That, Vargas partially pinned on Tahi-Shei, who had led the assault and assured him that its soldiers had been trained. And he partially pinned it on himself... for not double-checking that the stag knew the definition of the word 'training.' Apparently, he had not. The "soldiers" had been a mess, and in Vargas's mind, only Forge members had really performed well at all, with only a few outside exceptions.

As for the stone, then-? "Very good," he said, simply, peering at it; "do you know what was inside?" It was--blue, but beyond that, he knew nothing of it; he didn't immediately recognize it. The child, left to chance, could be anything. It might look like Esther (albeit, he imagined, without those wings--those likely wouldn't pass) or it might look like whatever lay within the horn-rock.

In other words, it might be magnificent--or it might be wholly useless. At the very least, knowing what had last inhabited it would give him some idea of what to expect.

@Esther

Oh - Esther didn't exactly say why they were going, and the confusion persisted.

"Yes - there's nothing been done to chase me away" Though that murder was fucking scary and Esther won't be touching that pretty lady.

Esther shakes their head at the question "Ah no - it was already only a stone by the time I got to it, and I have no way of really checking." which sucks in the long run, but there's not much Esther can do about it.

They do hope it takes at least a little after them when it hatches. Even if they're not the strongest creature, a weakling compared to the absolute units vargas has created, but they are good for more than just combat. Scouting, reports - Esther especially is in tune with this very thing, perhaps the child will take on - ? If it's taught that way, perhaps. Esther isn't even sure if there's spells that can check what's inside a stone. It would be... Weird at worst, useful at best.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

He considered, briefly, studying Esther for a beat. Vague, he thought, but he did not press the topic--he'd think it over later. For now: "Your magic is already His. Bring the stone to one of the empty crevices in the Womb--the back wall--and plant it there. I will look after it," he assured them.

There was no "I wish you well"--Vargas was not that sort, and it wouldn't have even occurred to him to say as much. But a door left open? Yes. Burning bridges was never wise. "Should you choose to return in the future, I imagine we will not have gone far."

It was said with wry humor, but he was nodding back to the back wall, indicating where to go--turning, now, and pacing slowly off that way. He'd see the stone planted, then, as they wished--and find out by pure chance what would come out of it in a cycle's time.

@Esther

Vague, yes, but the possibilities are endless. They're disappointed they're going to leave before the kid hatches, but if they're around... They won't leave. They'll get attached. They found themselves relaxed - grateful - knowing Vargas will personally look after the chrysalis and make sure it thrives. A good thing, the child will be well looked after, a good one. Maybe someone who can make a name for itself here.

"I will.

If they return... Esther. They will think about it. Maybe if their wonderlust is gone one day - after all, this is their home now. Was their home.

"I will remember this."

Exit?

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

He led the way off to the Womb, a brief glance cast Esther's way. 'I will remember this.' Was that good? Bad? Neutral? He supposed it didn't matter.

Already, his mind was settling this back into his long list of "business" things: one member gone, a new child soon to raise--one touched by Chaos, one he'd need to examine on hatching and then keep a close eye on. Unfortunate, to lose Esther--but it was good of them to leave a replacement behind, at the very least.

Unnecessary, in this case--but good.

exit Vargas