"What sort of name would I ask for?" Ten inquired with curiosity, genuinely puzzled by this conundrum. The thought of naming themself after mushrooms had not occurred to them, because this whole name thing seemed very foreign to them.

"Maybe..." the valkturtle considered, but they thought they were too shy to approach anyone if Draco. Usually they just kept to themself and grew fungus. So they probably would never get to go anywhere without the roaming rights they hopefully would earn.

Ten got rid of some more bad fungus, even more than prior attempts

At the fungus-related question, the valkturtle beamed. "Yes! Some can be poisonous, or make one sleepy, or hallucinate, or...Well, there are many properties to the fungi one can meet!" the valkturtle informed. "Not at all are offensive like that, though. Some are gentler fungus friends."

The arrow suddenly shattered, and Ten was worried. "V-Onyx-Three, hurt!" they exclaimed, scuttling over with concern. "Should we head back...?" they inquired with a worried gaze.

@V-Onyx-Three

"You like fungi." he stated. That had been a clear observation. "A fungi name." Maybe not the name mycelium, but he was sure they knew much more about mushrooms and all their kinds than he did, so perhaps they would have better ideas of what the name could possibly be. Yes, that would be fitting for the valkturtle. "Names are hard. It is good to think." Onyx-Three didn't know of anyone who had changed their name after already changing their name once, so it would be best to get one that fits right the first time.

"They are useful. We can meet again if you are free. I want to try on my arrows." Of course, that whole experimentation would have to be done in the future. Right now they were still preoccupied on the whole cleansing Canis thing, so it was important that they figure this out.

Luckily the main vertical shaft had missed his hand and was lying elsewhere on the ground. It was the splinters from it that had embedded themselves in his skin. Onyx-Three winced as he picked out the splinters, which left small trails of blood. But otherwise, they didn't go very deep. "I am good." He had learned a valuable lesson. It was a bad idea to use damaged arrows. He didn't even know damage arrows could break in such a way. "Let us continue."

Onyx-Three felt bad for worrying V-Chaos-Ten, and in delaying their work. He set the bow and arrows to the side, thinking that he wasn't having much success with them. He also didn't want to strain his arm anymore than was needed. It would be best if he stuck to manual work for now. But his hand was still throbbing a bit. "Can mushrooms heal?" If mushrooms had helpful properties in patching up wounds, perhaps they were another useful material to carry with him on longer trips.

@V-Chaos-Ten

"A fungi name," the valkturtle repeated, startled in part, but the words also held a certain longing. But as much as they sometimes wished they were, Ten was not a fungus. "Fungi have many names... but I am not one of them, and that is okay, because I help the Chaos Forge. But I do not think a fungus name would suit, because of that," Ten told Onyx-Three.

A quiet enthusiasm lit up the valkturtle's eyes at the thought of helping V-Onyx-Three. "Meet again... I would like that. V-Onyx-Three is good company," they stated, not quite intended as a compliment, more of a statement of fact. But they did not mind if the other took it as a compliment. It might as well be.

The Valkturtle watched with concern as V-Onyx-Three bled some from the splinter injuries. Their fungi friends didn't bleed, so it was concerning to witness a maybe-friend bleed.

The valkturtle paused, considering. "...None I have found yet heal, but I am certain some must," they apologetically told V-Onyx-Three, thinking the other was asking because of his injury.

But V-Onyx-Three said it was okay to continue, so Ten tried to continue. They looked at the bad fungi, sadness in their heart. It wasn't as strong as a clearing this time, but it still happened.

@V-Onyx-Three

Onyx-Three nodded, understanding the reasoning provided. "A name takes time. Time to find a name. Time to grow into one."

He did not expect that coming from the valkturtle. Mainly because this was the first time they had done anything together, and all he had really managed to do was somehow get himself hurt and not make nearly as much progress with clearing the Order fungus as he would've liked. "I have not done much." Onyx-Three stated. "Order is hard to clear." Yes, although at face value this was supposed to be much easier than combat, he still found it a difficult task.

They gave a thoughtful nod in response to the healing mushrooms, making a mental note that it was something they would need to look into.

Returning his attention to the fungus, he slashed at it once more, white breaking away cleanly under his claws and falling to the ground. It was satisfying. Perhaps it was the simpler, easy methods that were best for such a task. Going back to your roots wasn't always so bad.

@V-Chaos-Ten

The valkturtle considered this. Fungus took time to grow too. But it needed something to connect to and grow off of. "What nurtures a name to grow?" they inquired, thoughtful. "Time only?"

"V-Onyx-Three made conversation, and that is good... I do not talk to many in the Chaos Forge... It is lonely," the valkturtle admitted.

They regarded the order fungus thoughtfully. It cleared up well. Yet, they wondered... "Order fungus infects, but chaos infects too... Does V-Onyx-Three know the difference?" they wondered.

They had a theory, but they wanted to hear V-Onyx-Three's thoughts first without influence.

@V-Onyx-Three

Ah, now this was a question he knew the answer to. "Experience." Was what he settled on at first. But there was more to it. "Time brings events. Action in time brings experience." Onyx-Three regarded all that he had learned and done. Perhaps if Onyx-Three knew more about the wonders of having friends he would have also answered 'relationships', but alas, he did not yet learn about such things.

"Not all wish to converse. They are focused upon their work." Yet, even so, he found even during sparring, it was sometimes helpful as well to have some sort of banter. It was helpful, too, to gain some knowledge and tips while you were in the process of learning. But sometimes he was not very talkative. Well, he wasn't ever really talkative, but there were times when he appreciated silence over chatter. "You have knowledge to share. I appreciate your insights." And then, he thought, there was also the fact that some members of the Chaos Forge weren't always the most friendly. But that was an entirely other matter. V-Chaos-Ten seemed much too friendly to get into any fighting of sorts, or even sparring, which explained why they might not have spoken to as much members. Fungi were a niche that he didn't know anyone else fulfilled.

"Between Order and Chaos?" That was how they interpreted it. "Order is white. Dangerous. Chaos is what is right. For these caves." With this, they ripped out some more fungus, coming out easily with their sharp claws.

@V-Chaos-Ten

The valkturtle nodded thoughtfully at this answer. Experience... Perhaps, because their experience was limited to the one cave, Draco, they had not yet learned much yet.

"I know. And passion for work is good," the valkturtle acknowledged. "But loneliness does not hurt less for knowing why. And... V-Onyx-Three is willing to talk and has passion for work. I wish more were like V-Onyx-Three," they confessed.

"I appreciate being appreciated," the valkturtle grinned shark teeth at the silliness of repetition in that statement. Then it faded away, a neutral expression on their face as they focused on the next patch of fungus. It faded away too, with the effect of Ten's magic.

"I agree with V-Onyx-Three," Ten spoke slowly. "But... would V-Onyx-Three want to have chaos magic in every part of them?"

"Both infect, in their own way... spreading their system of mycelium through the caves... What makes one infection good, and another one, bad?" Ten wondered, asking the question that had been plaguing them, as they killed 'bad fungus'.

"I think... Order is bad, because it ignores... individual's wishes. That is why I think Order is bad. What about V-Onyx-Three?" they inquired, sharing their opinion at last.

@V-Onyx-Three

"Thank you." It felt strange to be complemented in such a way, especially without them feeling like they have earned it at all. "You are nice." Perhaps kind would have been a more accurate word, but it did not come to mind. Onyx-Three thinks it would be nice if more members of the Forge were nice. There really wasn't that many members to talk to.

Chaos magic in every part? Were they talking about corruption? "I do not know." He admitted, once again. There were a lot of things they didn't know, and it was something he was open about. "The Sentinel has Chaos. But other magic is important too." After all, he had learned some things from the Blacksmith that would be made much easier by magic that could not be done if he were corrupted. "There are ways to serve Chaos. Without being Chaos."

As for whether which was better... Onyx-Three visibly tenses. The memory sweeps through him. Ursa-- a hunt. Icebeast. Blood. Then a warm feeling piercing through the cold, warmth, similar to what his mother had shown him. Warmth. Order. Love. He shakes his head. It felt traitorous to even think about.

The valkturtle's words about which was better made sense. It was love undeserved, unwanted. A connection he never asked for. "I agree. It gives a false feeling. Chaos is true to what is. Order creates what does not exist." Overly philosophical for what Onyx-Three usually says, but the words came easily to him this time.

Emotions swirling inside him, he tugs at a clump of fungus which refused to break away under his claws.

@V-Chaos-Ten

The valkturtle gave a nod of both acknowledgment and agreement at V-Onyx-Three's answer. "There are many ways to serve," they agreed, happy with that answer. Not that they would have been unhappy with any answer.

Everyone was a different sort and had different requirements even falling under the label of Chaos Forge. Like the mushrooms Ten tended to, they all had different needs to thrive. "Everyone is different, needs different things. Our Forge acknowledges this," they spoke, voice content.

It seemed Ten was a budding philosopher, having made another think. His answer made the valkturtle nod. "Very true, V-Onyx-Three," they praised the other's thought process.

Then they focused on another patch of Order fungus. It worked, clearing some away, if just barely.

It wasn't like there was much choice about whether one was a part of the Forge or not, as if you were born into it, you were pretty much stuck there. But Onyx-Three always thought that even if he had not been born into the Forge, he would still have joined and found it a fulfilling and happy way to live.

They were glad the valkturtle did not continue to press on the point about Order. The memories they had of that time were best left in the past. "Yes." Was all they said in response.

They tried to rip off another chunk of fungus without much success. Oh well. Then, another question came to mind. "What do you eat?" It would be strange if the valkturtle ate mushrooms, considering how much they liked mushrooms. But at the same time, if they liked mushrooms, did that mean they ate them?

@V-Chaos-Ten