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It took disappointingly little for the orthoclase to beat down that instinctive urge to bite back against that blade Vargas was pointing at it - his order that it had failed to follow through on. But - ! Alpha barely wanted to say, the oil-beast'd left during the commotion. He'd advised them on staying put. It stayed put. That was its orders - staying put. Keeping them... it didn't keep them there.
In merely a minute, it'd already convinced itself that it was in the wrong again.
Zoisite's sliding into its periphery went unnoticed as its chin tipped towards the floor. The little grub was the last thing on the Overseer's mind as it uttered a short "yes, Master" and listened blandly as the behemoth rounded on their self-righteous asset.
It hadn't taught any of that; there was no conception of the Sentinels that could've possibly come from it except for what that long-gone Desert Rose had tried to urge it towards when it was a cycle old. All he'd attempted, too, was professional courtesy - fighting blindly never served anything well, and they were meant to be keeping to themselves in this tunnel. Now, the fate of the Caves was set squarely upon Vargas's shoulders, and theirs by proxy.
Orthoclase-Alpha wasn't about to misste - "Mom?" - it shifted where it was standing. It took a single staggering step back before curling its claws into the stone. Toxic eyes stared down at the grub that was suddenly right underneath it. The little thing stared up at it with glowing eyes, head tilted as far back as it would go so it could see. Tilted back, because it was a twisted, upside-down creature, doomed to be made wrong, as a failure - no, no, it still had a chance. For future generations of designs...
But, that wasn't why it was so startled.
Every instance of that word and every permutation of it had some terrible meaning etched into it for the beast. Being told that such a word was wrong was the first. Her complete and utter destruction (she'sgoneshe'sgoneshe'sgoneSTOPshe'sgoneSTOPIT) was the second. The reawakening of those that'd survived (when they deserved to DIE -) was the third. This was - it blinked. This was - it shook itself. Too much time'd passed, it should move - this wasn't the next... ?
Blazing eyes tore away from the wide-eyed staring contest it'd locked itself into. Its head jerked away and in the same motion, it growled softly, "no." Then, with quiet warning, "Overseer." It wasn't a mother, it wasn't her, she was dead, she wasn't its mother, all she did was give it a piece of rock that happened to make up its whole being thanks to Vargas -
It stepped over the grub as it trotted down the tunnel, eyes peering for a dim smear of red and finding nothing.
:(
exit to
BENNY WORM
Garnet-Epsilon
Epsilon watched Overseer Orthoclase-Alpha address it's.. well, design, and sighs sadly, uncurling from the small amount of flattening it had done as Master Vargas ripped into the Bloodstone before it left... they left.
Well, they think blandly, watching the dragonet leave,
That's what I get for being attached.
A few blinks, and a deep breath to try and erase that now familiar pang in it's chest, and it pulls itself together while The Leviathan addresses one of the younger, and suddenly Epsilon remembers-
I have a job to do. A mission.
At that sudden bolt of realization, Epsilon follows after Master Vargas quickly, fluttering so that they stay out of his way, but they make sure they're seen clearly before attempting to address him.
"Master Vargas, sir. You spoke of combat, near in the future. I am no combatant, not yet, and I wish to avoid being a liability in the battle. I do, however, have something useful I was assigned to do by Commander Hemlocke a few cycles before, before... the human and Lord Dhracia's orders and visit. I wish to ask you permission to continue my assignment."
Maybe they should have alerted Overseer Orthoclase, but, he was busy, and Vargas was the one with the power right now. The offer of safety right now. The main concern, for now.
For now.
"I believe that my assignment would also offer us some footholds and possible allies in the future. Otherwise I would not bother you with this."
@Vargas
Khavur had to wait through a speech before getting the answer to its question. The speech was even more confounding enlightening. Its purpose, what is was made for -- do what Master Vargas said in order to serve Lord Dhracia, serve Lord Dhracia to protect this nest, these caves. And why? Khavur had assigned no value to Lord Dhracia, had assigned no value to this world. It was too young. It was... unsure. Supposedly, they were all built... for war.
The happiness, the blood, the happiness, how giddy it felt, how lovely--
If it was built for war, then why did such thoughts hurt so much?
An answer finally came. The fog in Khavur's mind was not cleared but rather pushed off to the side for a time. Master Vargas offered... lessons. Eventual freedom, to a degree. Well then, it could not wait to start... to learn...
It was enough to make the mind drool.
Khavur left then, having been promised its meal to come. It did not notice the disappearance of one of its littler siblings...
- exit -
Garnet-Epsilon
To the point, very helpful for Epsilon's anxieties.
"I'm alerting you so that, when I am successful in infiltrating The Seven, there is absolutely no confusion as to the motives of my tasks. When I land myself a position of trust, we may find in them some useful blueprints or at the very least, allies in any upcoming dissent in the caves. Commander Hemlock assigned me the task themselves."
To the point, hopefully, and Epsilon has to stop itself from taking a nervous gulp.
"I wish to go now, as well, and I ask your approval to fake my dispersal from the Sentinels, so that I can better do my task. I don't want any sort of miscommunication. Further reports will be given via assigned messengers, so this... will be the last time I appear here for as long as it takes me to succeed."
Oh they're so going to get splatted...
@Vargas
- THE LEVIATHAN -
"Blueprints..?" Vargas echoed, baffled, and he didn't try to hide it. After a moment he shook his head, with a grunt, his words coming stern but not harsh. "You report to Hemlocke, not to me. You have my permission, but get Hemlocke's before you go. It will report to me regardless; there will be no miscommunication, but your... initiative, is noted," he added, and whether that was a good thing or a bad one was not quite clear.
But one point did bear a thoughtful addition, and after mulling it over for a brief moment he spoke on. "This uproar is a good time to fake hostile departure, you are right on that," and he considered it a moment longer, and could find no fault in that. Had it been its own thought, or Hemlocke's suggestion, or someone else's entirely? Vargas scrutinized it a moment, and decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. "Good thinking."
Another grunt, and a nod, and he left it to speak to Hemlocke instead. He himself turned, pacing away, looking for a place to hide this newest--and goriest--stone.
Nidhogg gave chase, biting at his heels, and though he kicked it twice, it scampered after him--hissing.
exit Vargas for real this time (and his ankle-biting puppy)
@Garnet-Epsilon
Kethri turned to Doctor and nudged him gently, "Of course, my friend. I'm still naught but a student, after all. Perhaps I should stay with you and learn some more before venturing off to cause chaos."
She smiled and looked at the skull in her claw, full of the goo, "... I want to study this. I want to see what it does, what it is."
She gave Doctor a final nudge and hobbled off awkwardly, careful not to spill the cup, looking for somewhere to put it where no one would accidentally touch it or the like. Once that was done, she retreated, stewing over the plans of her first experiments with the substance.
Exit Kethri
Bloodstone was leaving, but they would be coming back, right? They didn't mean forever-- Koi wouldn't abandon them, right? The grub stared motionless as they were bumped by a snout, offered a few words that rang hollow in their young mind, and then the hydra was gone.
Master Vargas's booming voice shook the ground after Bloodstone, but no one actually stopped them. They were coming back, right?
A lot more was going on, but still, Zoisite could only focus on so much. They stared up longingly at their mom for direction, only for a sharp, stern correction to strike them down. mom no life-giver no alpha NO, Overseer.
Huge legs reached over them, and they crouched down lower to the ground as a mane of bristling quills swept overhead. Slowly, mandibles clicked shut, and they fell still.
They had done something wrong, and they didn't know what.
exit via staring at the floor like a scorned dog