- THE LEVIATHAN -

Six eyes narrowed. "They were not enough, because I asked you both." His tone was commanding, albeit still relatively reasonable, however the sneer that seemed to twist his rigid face as he spoke again was not. "Unless you would like V-Onyx-Three to speak for you, from now on..?" he added.

But this one was Chaos. He knew it. He pressed on. "If one does not 'hold back' then you come to me to have them punished. The Forge has been without the BOTH of you for half a cycle. Do either of you have anything more to say before I assign a punishment? Or do either of you?" he asked, looking also at the waiting parents.

It was still deliberately stiff.

He had made mistakes here, too, and he could see that; trusting the chaos would be shaped by Scion had been a mistake, and Azrael certainly had not moulded it. He should have seen to it himself--but now he would, though he wished to see, first, just how little control it had. Whether it would lash out, now, or wait and see. That, he mused, would speak volumes as to the potential for 'moulding' that it truly had.

It didn't escape him, either, that V-Onyx-Three had taken responsibility. He had his doubts; but if it wanted to take the blame he would accept that. It was not, however, so simple a situation. Already he was mulling over possibilities; and assuming V-Ruby-One did not lose its temper now and completely, he was pretty sure he had a half-decent solution.

@V-Ruby-One (or Scion)

The Sentinel was watching in silence all this time. He approved of his child's demeanor, and there was nothing judgmental or severe about him. But he did feel responsibility enough to observe his child's explanation, if not punishment.

When Vargas addressed him, he shook his head. "There is... nothing," he rasped. All else aside, he was loyal to the Forge, and Vargas had always seemed... fair, if occasionally harsh. If he were unfair, then the Sentinel might speak out. But not yet.

Scion grew frustrated at Ruby-One's lack of respect, its complete disregard for the situation, and the very foolish way it stood up to Master Vargas as if it dared him to punish it when it spoke in half-truths. Scion snorted disbelievingly at its words. Ignoring the snarl it threw its way, it stepped up. "I do, Master Vargas."

It glanced towards the ruby with a frown before putting all his attention back on his master. "Firstly, I apologize for not doing better in raising this one. Azrael claimed responsibility for it, but obviously he did not do a very good job in teaching it self-control. I should have stepped in more for its training. Second, I find it hard to believe that it simply "retaliated", as it has shown nothing but violent tendencies and a complete inability to hold itself back when faced with even minor insult." It could hear the warning hiss from its spawn, but Scion continued. "Considering its behavior in Canis some time ago, I would have good reason to believe that it is what turned this little spar into an unwarranted deathmatch."

Now it turned to glare back at V-Ruby-One, ashamed, annoyed, and anxious for it to finally be accountable for its actions. "Isn't that right, V-Ruby-One?"

It snarled at Vargas's retort. If Onyx-Three ever tried something of the sort, it would be up in flames before it could finish. "I will not have someone finish my fights for me," is all it said to the rest of Vargas said. And perhaps things would have gone alright - it would take its punishment and then it would move on. But-

Then Scion opened its mouth.

The chaos lying dormant within lifted its head like a waking beast as Scion full-forced threw it under the bus. Its head lowered, not in submission, but like a prowling beast on a hunt. Its secondary set of arms hung close to the ground as it hunched over, almost as if it were about to lunge in its stone-giver's face. How dare it. HOW DARE IT. It should have killed it in Canis. It should have ripped out its tongue! Take responsibility for it as if it were some fucking MISTAKE that it had made. It hissed in warning, but Scion ignored it and that was its last straw.

Despite its efforts to hold that beast within it back, to, at the very least, prove to the gathered that it was in control, it still surged upwards and out, manifesting not as physical flames but a dark force within its words. "It's. Helion." And to Scion, the words would echo in its brain sharply, growing louder and more ferocious with each second until its head was ringing, every word dripping with the vile chaos and corruption that haunted its steps. Let it feel that surging hatred, let it agonize in the same way it was tormented day by day.

And as Scion struggled with whatever it was doing to it, it glared up at Vargas. "And what are you going to do about it? Kill me? Toss me out? I thought this was a forge of Chaos." It pointed at V-Onyx-Three. "He should have known what he was asking."

@V-Onyx-Three

Vargas spoke with more control than they expected, even if the words were sharp. It was true that all this time that could've been spent working was wasted. But even so, he found that some part of him was also glad that even though he had chrysalized, V-Ruby-One had been too. "I do not."

They glanced at the Sentinel as he spoke, relieved to find that he did not seem as enraged as what seemed to be their opponent's parent speak up. It was not wrong. But they would not raise their voice in agreement, as its last remark seemed unnecessarily cruel.

He did not understand what V-Ruby-One, or Helion, as it named itself? Was that allowed right now? was doing. Its mouth was open, but he didn't understand why. At the accusation pointed at him, his neutral expression faded away as he narrowed his eyes at it. "I asked for a spar. Not a fight." Onyx-Three folded his ears back, but suppressed the urge to bare his teeth. "I misstepped. But Chaos does not give way to murder."

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

He listened, patience thinning. And not because he wanted this to be over with: but because he wanted it properly resolved, and nothing being said right now was helping in the slightest. He did not want V-Ruby-One aggravated further.

"ENOUGH," he thundered. "ALL of you." An inhale, sharp, and he pressed on, looking at Ruby-One. "You are V-Ruby-One until you earn a name. Thus far all I have seen from you is a childish tantrum. BUT," he added, hoping to forestall a renewal of said tantrum, "that is in part my fault."

He looked up at the lingering parents, in particular staring at Scion for a moment, before looking back to its spawn. "You speak of Chaos. Chaos is nothing without control. Not Order; but control! Or do you wish to be as Draconua, writhing and spitting under the Black Spire while accomplishing nothing? A slave to your magic? An embarrassment, to be dragged out when violence is needed, and mocked behind your back otherwise-?" He grunted. "It was in part my job to ensure you learned that control, and in that I have failed. Some of this responsibility lies with me. Your punishment will be, in part, learning. When you learn to focus your Chaos, to direct it--that is power, V-Ruby-One."

He looked to V-Onyx-Three.

"As a punishment and a learning experience for this utter lack of control and flaunting of our rules, the two of you are to go and hunt together. Learn to cooperate. To direct your anger to a suitable target! Do not return until you have a TROPHY worthy of your power." He neither knew nor cared what they would pick. A Meadow Deer, a Sand Worm, one of the Lacerta beasts--he did not care. "Tell me where you are going before you depart, because I will send someone to check on you periodically--and if you harm one another again, I will have you RAKING FORNAX'S BEACH FOR THE NEXT THREE CYCLES." This last was a roar, a bellow that shook flesh and bone, filled with as much 'anger' as he could muster. It was more a frustration, really... but he wanted his point made. Vargas knew Chaos; he knew that gaining V-Ruby-One's respect would be quite difficult. Fear, maybe impossible.

He hoped that it would at least see reason, or at the very least, have its competitive edge pricked by the challenge of the trophy.

And if in the process it learned a lesson or two about directing that rage, and teamwork, all the better.

"When you return with this trophy... we will discuss what you have learned."

@Scion

It sat back and prepared to watch the fireworks, but the explosion of Ruby-One's fury was disappointingly subtle. The echoes in its head pressed down and down and down until Scion's body was trembling from the migraine it imposed. It stumbled back, raising a claw to rub at the top of its head, as if it would do anything to stop the throbbing in its bruised brain.

"Fuckin...ow," it snarled under its breath but said nothing else, simply shooting a death glare in its spawn's direction.

The tongue lashing from Vargas was brutal and it made Ruby-One want to rage and retaliate, to wipe that superiority right from under his feet. Especially when it rejected its announcement of a name. Wipe its individuality, its identity, to be replaced by a number - V-Ruby-One. Oh, how it hated that title. An impersonal sticker that otherwise blended it into the masses, a barcode that could be scanned and picked out only if needed. Just a thing.

It would have lashed out against that. If Draconua hadn't been mentioned.

It feared the valkhound, perhaps more then anything else. Not because of the damage she could do or the danger she posed, but rather because it saw itself in her. A potential future in which it lost itself to its own desires. If that beast simmering always just beneath the surface was fully unleashed and it was consumed. Vargas knew right where to push and he pushed hard.

It fell silent and still, its head lowering as it glared at the stones beneath the Leviathan's feet. It didn't respond save for one final growl, a deep, drawn out thing that was not so much an expression of its want to fall into violence again, but rather a response to shame, and a hatred of feeling such a putrid emotion. I AM NOT ASHAMED. I WILL NOT APOLOGIZE. But, if it took its punishment, it might as well be sorry! But if it didn't...

No, it didn't want to be a slave to itself. That was the whole point. It was in control. IT IS IN CONTROL.

"Fuck," it hissed under its breath.

It's head turned and it glared at Onyx-Three, eyes narrowed. "Fine," it spat. "But if you insult me or try to boss me around..." It didn't finish the sentence, only punctuated it with an animalistic snarl that said everything it needed to say.

@V-Onyx-Three

He was going to have to hunt with V-Ruby-One? But Vargas' anger ensured he would not speak out against this. The punishment wasn't even as bad as he thought it might be, and it was even productive. They would get to learn how to hunt, and perhaps even teamwork skills. Not that Onyx-Three thought that it was the one he wanted to be training his teamwork skills with, but at least it was a useful task. Possibilities were already running through their mind. If Vargas wanted something deemed worthy of being a trophy, it would have to be a truly monstrous creature. And even better, what if they were able to bring back a stone? Now that would really be something.

But the main worry was not the hunting itself. It was that Onyx-Three had no idea if he could even trust V-Ruby-One not to try and kill him while they were out there. Even if someone was going to be sent to check up on them, what if it happened between these visits? But still, they reminded themselves that as long as they stayed on guard, it would likely end in chrysalis again, and not death.

"Do your part. I will do mine," was all he said in response, voice controlled and steady. "Thank you Master Vargas. We will succeed." Not wanting to risk making V-Ruby-One potentially angrier, he decided to leave it up to it. "V-Ruby-One can decide where we will depart."

Would they have a chance to see Alek before they departed? Or perhaps they would be able to meet with him afterwards. If they didn't die. No, they wouldn't die. They needed to stop thinking that V-Ruby-One might potentially kill them before anything happened. For all they knew, hopefully Vargas had talked some more sense into them.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

"Good," Vargas said, and it was with emphasis and finality. He was pleased that they agreed, and clearly this matter was--for him and for now--closed off. He eyed V-Ruby-One. "If you do not know where to find worthy prey, ask for suggestions. I, or another, can offer information."

He then shifted his attention to V-Onyx-Three. "Before you go, you had a visitor in your absence. I would speak with you, alone. And it should be now," he added, though it was not a demand so much as a strong suggestion.

He glanced between the two. "And on that note, the two of you are to do this alone. You are not to accept outside aid: this is your test alone."

@Scion