- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas was about to speak when Alek reached 'I appreciate it;' he deemed this a good enough answer to make up for the monologuing.

Except-... he didn't stop. He kept talking. Vargas found the conversation about the Forge to be fair enough, so he tamped down his impatience and waited, falling again to taking notes. And... the mention of Pride's family was noted, but set aside. It was when he started in on his relationship with a--vampire?--that Vargas lost patience.

"Enough," he said, at last, as Alek finished, raising a hand to stop him. His head was swimming. His eyes half-closed and he shook his head.

"There is no point in continuing this conversation if you do not plan to fight alongside us should we find enemies elsewhere. I will not have those in Draco, among my Forge, who will not fight for them. The loyalty of my people must be, to my people. If you are hell-bent on joining us and are willing to compromise on that then go speak to your other family and discuss it with them and return. If not, then it will not be... an acceptable arrangement." He was not hostile. Merely tired. Truth be told he'd have liked to have a dragon among the Forge, and one--at that--willing to share its genes. And it was perfectly fair that Alek didn't want to fight his own family, but it wasn't something Vargas could accept in the Chaos Forge. He wasn't about to start making concessions and trying to remember who he could rely upon should that come to pass; to make lists of who would perform as expected in a given situation, and who would refuse.

@Alek

Alek had given Vargas the wrong impression, by speaking his exceptions first, it seemed. He said as much, "I apologize Master Vargas, I appear to have given you an incorrect impression."

"I will fight for the forge, so long as those enemies are not my family. I was mentioning an exception, not the rule. And even then..."

He feel silent for a moment, processing whether his statement would be true. "If hostile members of my family were inclined to attack the Chaos Forge... I am already loyal to Onyx-Three. You cannot expect me to have full loyalty yet to the Chaos Forge itself, when I have not even joined. But I would fight Onyx-Three's enemies, regardless of who they are, though I hope it never comes to fighting my family. I could not kill them, but I could fight them if they truly were opposed and inclined to violence. ...And Onyx-Three's enemies are the Forge's enemies, in equal measure. So, I would do quite a lot, to protect Onyx-Three and the Chaos Forge."

It was a painful admission, in a way, yet a freeing one as well, because it was true. "I am a loyal being, and I care about Onyx-Three a great deal. They have been a friend from me when I was at my worst, and they continue to be a friend while I am at my best."

"Is this arrangement still impossible in your eyes, after hearing all that?" he blinked his own many eyes, bar the purple amethyst one.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Alek began to talk again, and to Vargas's mind, they were taking what could have been a few words and making them... far too many. Again, he has to settle his impatience in favor of being reasonably polite.

"I meant, specifically, your old family," Vargas replied evenly. And 'old' was used deliberately, to see if it sparked a reaction. Apparently I was too vague, he thought. "Either you are willing to fight them, or you are not. There are no caveats about how much, or how far. It is a 'yes' or a 'no' matter." He paused, staring intently at Alek.

"Tell me, dragon: just how close are the two of you?" He didn't give a reason for his question, but it was a blunt one. "With shorter answers, if you please. I prefer conversations that are to the point."

@Alek

Alek closed all his eyes for a moment, save the gemstone one, to think at this question. He could not commit to yes, for all that he wished he could.

He opened his many eyed purple gaze and regarded Master Vargas. Or was it just Vargas now. "No," he spoke simply, not going into caveats, but his musical tones were tense with disappointment at his own answer, for all that it was honest.

"If I am not joining the Chaos Forge, I am Alek, not dragon. It is my name," he spoke, in part to delay, because he was going to answer just as honestly. "I love Onyx-Three. I doubt they feel the same, or at least, not to the same extent. But that is alright. I am loyal to Onyx-Three."

His gaze was disappointed yet relieved, that he would fight his family. But Onyx-Three felt like family to him, as well. "I wished to stay beside them, through good or bad," his voice was thick with hard to describe emotions.

"Forgive me, Master Vargas, for wasting your time," his voice was full of bitter regret.

Then... a thought occurred to him. He was quiet as he considered it. Gradually, his head lifted from how it had fallen. "May I... Could I at least give a child to the Forge? One that might be an assistant to Onyx-Three when they grow. My inherited magic is powerful, descended as I am from Pride, though I am not at all a magic user. It is dangerous, as well, but... That should prove useful, here."

He paused. "I would need to find a suitable stone... But... Only if you approve. Only if I have not spouted more foolish, useless words."

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

'I am Alek, not dragon...' Vargas broke into deep, sinister laughter at this. It was the closest to outright villainry he could come, and he didn't hold back; it didn't occur to him to. "Allow me to correct that assumption," he answered, though he wasn't threatening, or even mocking. "In case V-Onyx-Three did not inform you... I am Master Vargas to everyone in this cave." He waved away any argument while adding, "Alek." It was always an interesting test, that, to see how they responded.

The hyena hated being called 'spotted dog,' and watching fear twist with anger... it was an experiment in how they handled themselves. Alek was assertive without being aggressive; he showed self-control. Not that it mattered now. His answer--a simple no--was enough to remove his chances of joining the Forge. Still; it was honest, and Vargas said as much. "Your honesty is appreciated. But I think you misunderstand your situation here," he added, looming just a little.

For fun, because he actually wasn't about to threaten the other.

"The Chaos Forge is the reason these caves exist. The reason any of you are allowed to live. This cave system is run by servants of the master of us all, and He requires armies. We create those armies. You--you Gembounds--are new. An accident. Do not press your luck, or I have no doubt those trying to maintain your tentative peace will decide to simply wipe you out. The Forge's task, unending, is to Forge soldiers to send to other worlds. V-Onyx-Three is not one of those," he added, with another wave of his hand to forestall any frightened protest or the like. "But the reason we are as we are is that we must be. Failure will mean extinction. Should I risk you joining and it wound up harming our cause, we risk the entirety of the caves. Our rules are harsh, as they must be. Our restrictions are intense, as they must be. Granting us a child would put that child beneath that yolk, and you would not later be able to 'rescue' it should you disapprove." Blunt. Clear. He did not want conflict later on.

"If you simply wish a blacksmith's assistant then be my guest, but what if that is not the future that this child desires?" he pointed out. "What if they choose to be a soldier, to put themselves in harm's way far from either parent? -What will you do then? Think on that. In the meantime, V-Onyx-Three has not yet proved themselves to create a child... but if you choose to do so I will approve it, as I imagine any spawn of your bloodline will prove useful one way or another. But first, I need to speak with Onyx-Three themselves. They must answer for whatever has happened to put both them, and another of our member, out of usefulness for half a cycle." Stern irritation lined his tone. "In the meantime, and afterward, you may remain in Draco if you wish. We do not restrict outsiders from doing so, but avoid the Black Spire if you do not wish your magic to be shifted toward Chaos. But I will speak to V-Onyx-Three as soon as they awaken. I do request that you leave their wakening to me." It sounded less like a request, and more like a warning.

If he had any thoughts on the 'love' that had been professed, he showed no sign: there was no reaction, no mention of it at all.

@Alek

To be quite honest, Alek did not see what being Master Vargas had to do with not using Alek's name. But then, he did not know at all what it meant for one to be a 'Master' truly, in the first place. He was quiet, not agitated, simply listening.

And he kept listening, as the other spoke. And he continued to listen, even though the other seemed to view him as morally righteous. Alek did not consider himself such. He could say that, even, but what was the use of wasting more words and time?

"I have accepted that I cannot join, Master Vargas," he acknowledges as he finishes speaking. "And perhaps the child I grant to this cave will not be a Blacksmith's assistant. So long as it stays part of the Chaos Forge, part of Onyx-Three's life, I have no objections. I have no such intentions as strange as 'rescue'. I understand that you act with a purpose, even if I cannot be a part of this purpose. So it seems we are in agreement." He tilts his head, questioning if his conclusion is correct.

"...I will stay in Draco, mostly, I believe, but I will also be seeking a stone for this child. Not because Onyx-Three is... unworthy, but because I do not wish to put them into an uncomfortable position. I do not know if they would want children, even," he additionally added.

"Is there anything else, Master Vargas?" Alek inquired, tone polite and musical.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

"You put Onyx-Three in a difficult situation, then," Vargas pointed out. "If you are as close as you say: they will need to then balance their worth of your child against their own obligations." He paused, debating.

Part of him was very, very tempted simply to accept the offer, to have a gemstone here in Draco and the potential Chaos dragon that might result.

The other part knew full well what a disaster this might become. As it stood, V-Onyx-Three was a good Forge member--despite what else might have happened between it and Ruby-One. It was keen, well-spoken, curious, and wished to be both creative and to contribute to the Forge. This, however, might distress it--he had no way of knowing. Not without speaking to them first.

He debated only for a moment longer. The deciding factor was not a matter of emotion either way--greed, nor concern--but practicality: the child might well turn out nothing like Alek, physically. And what then-? Did he wish a Forge member that essentially looked like a Red Rat, that would also unbalance Onyx's position within the forge?

As much as he mocked the so-called 'spotted dog,' in that moment he did wonder how she might handle it.

"Wait until they awaken. I will make no decisions before that point," he said.

@Alek

Alek considered that, idly glancing around to consider the creatures of the Forge. "I do not wish to cause conflict within Onyx-Three," he commented, truthfully, as his gaze regarded Vargas again.

He considered the possibility of leaving the child's parentage unknown, his tactician mind noting the way that others had many eyes and several odd traits.

"I could leave, after placing the child's chrysalis. I do not want to burden Onyx-Three and possibly distract them from their duties. A child of mine... Would not likely look so odd, here. I would find a good stone, regardless..." he hesitantly suggested. "But lying is not a good foundation for a beginning," he added, musical voice more firm.

"Waiting is likely best, yes," he concluded.

Still, Alek felt adrift as before. What was he to do if he left? He did not know.

But what was he to do if stayed, either? There was no progress to that path, only stagnation.

"Is that... everything, Master Vargas?" he asked, his voice distant, full of thoughts as he was.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas was about to protest when Alex voiced his own conclusion: that lying would be a terrible foundation for such a thing. "Indeed, and I do not lie to my Forge. You show wisdom in that," he added, for credit was required where it was due.

"I have nothing more to add, unless you'd like to know more about the Forge as a matter of course. Or to observe our working. I am not chasing you away," he added, matter-of-factly. "If it were not for the factor of your family you would be welcome regardless. I can always use those who are not half-feral beasts. More delegation. Less babysitting," he grunted. "But other than that, I will find you--or send Onyx-Three to find you--when they are awaken, and after we have spoken."

@Alek

Gazing at Master Vargas, Alek was glad that this being was the one leading the Chaos Forge. Master Vargas had created a place where Onyx-Three was content and loyal.

"That works," he murmured. For now, he would observe Onyx-Three's home. Learn more of his friend through the world he had grown up in.

"Thank you for your willingness to allow me to stay, for now, at least," he added.

But that was all could say, his mind drifting over his failure. He wondered what Onyx-Three would think of him having not been able to join. He hoped the other was not disappointed with him.

[Exit Alek]

@Vargas (for visibility)