ORIGIN - Decisions, Decisions

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Vargas gave a stern nod, to the assurances. Orthoclase would serve well; it would protect the chrysalids, and it would not--at least deliberately--some attract the Creator's wrath.

The news of a white dragon, however, gave him pause. He looked to Orthoclase-Alpha with renewed interest.

"The white one-?" he asked, thoughtful; "What is its designation?"

This information would have been better gathered from Thirty-Five, Vargas knew, but the Desert Rose was... indisposed, at the moment. Still, he was already running through his head what was best to be done about this. Send someone, perhaps, to try to negotiate-? But who? And if Thirty-Five had already begun infiltration, it would only reflect even worse on their potential cooperation.

Hell.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

... did it know of any sort of designation? Alpha mulled over it - the plodding up to the bone pit, the somewhat muddled haze after its initial threats, the reality-altering power that the Seer held - and shook its head slowly, "I don't know."

More description might help, then; "it's more armored than the ice-breathing black one, and has four legs." Radioactive eyes glanced out towards Canis for a moment, then back to Vargas.

Seemingly having forgotten about the scale deer (likely decomposing) further down the tunnel, the orthoclase rocked onto its rear set of limbs. Sitting - even if it only alleviated the strain from its hind legs. Nothing more to offer for that, apparently.

@Vargas

Vargas stared for a very long moment at Orthoclase-Alpha, and then grunted. "...How many dragons are there?" he asked, mulling all this over.

"I believe I saw the white one at the Arena, but are there more-? That might be both useful, and dangerous. I will see what can be done, in any case. Do let me know when you've chosen a name, Overseer," he added, with a sly sidelong stare.

It seemed that Alpha was dismissed, for Vargas was pushing back up again, preparing himself to leave--but lingering, a moment, his departure not so abrupt that his new champion could not ask him questions, if need be.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

"I've seen four of them," it answered - not particularly picking up on whether or not the question was rhetorical. Alpha'd personally encountered three of the four, and the fourth was a hatchling last it saw - and the very deliberate cause of a certain eye worm debacle and meltdown.

The orthoclase grunted its acknowledgement, though, with a bow of its head - paying little mind to the names issue for its own well-being. Suddenly being thrust into such a privilege was... frightening, at best. Most others were drip-fed, but here it was, given a high honor and... oh, add another "thank you, Master," to the bunch, for good measure to show appreciation.

Overcompensation was a specialty of its.

Quills pricked, and it waited until Vargas made his exit before returning to its scale deer, hurriedly packing it away with a few rips and tears. Then, it paced to the chrysalises, watching over them for the moment.

exit?
@Vargas

Vargas had meant the question, not rhetorical as such; the news that there were four had it counting in its mind. The black one, this fire-white one, possibly the icy one he'd once seen, and the black icy one Alpha had fought. That did add up.

Where had they come from-? Raheerah would never have chosen ice; but they were too close to his design to be anything else. ...Magical echoes, somehow, of the master? The irony of the magic that half of them held, and their color, did not escape him.

Hm.

Thank you, Master.

Vargas glanced to Orthoclase-Alpha, and grunted.

"I will return," he informed it, and turned to pace away.

exit vargas

Now that it put some thought to it, there were at least five dragons — it hadn't initially counted the bloodstone due to its… current alignment with the Leviathan. Alpha still hesitated to call the little beast loyal, even as it reliably returned after every hunt elsewhere or attended training sessions rather promptly. Color it a little nervous, maybe, about treachery. Of those three heads turning on it after it was fully-grown and trained, having analyzed all its own features —

The orthoclase shook itself with a snort. That was ridiculous. It wouldn't fall to that monster if it tried. Its master would have his dragon. At least one would belong to them — Masters, what a thought. Them. It and Vargas. Did it fit? Alpha rocked to its feet and started to pace in front of the chrysalises.

Back and forth.

Picking a name meant it'd earned its place to think and to be.

Back and forth.

Being an Overseer meant it'd earned its authority over others.

Back and forth.

Being meant it'd made it.

Alpha didn't think about how it'd maybe just been lucky; didn't think about how it'd been the Master's only viable candidate; didn't think about how it'd blundered its way here. It was here. It was— someone. That was… terrifying. Thanks to these chrysalises, the spiders, the dragons, the blood currently mucking up its claws and teeth, it was… someone.

It was someone.

It stared at the chrysalises for a while longer, then loped down the tunnel.

exit… part 2

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