"Testing new things is how we advance."

Just like letting your previously-unmet sibling just climb aboard.

Alpha had to tamp down the urge to lean away from grasping fingers (they felt like branches and that was strange) and the rest of Titanite attempting to saddle up. Its quills were pricking up, and it squirmed uncomfortably after the third limb was on. A deep breath drew in as a failed attempt to forget about the weight on its back, or otherwise assign it as not assault, or an attempt to pin.

"Hold whatever," it clipped, because it most certainly didn't care about these circumstances.

Vargas had probably never seen the monstrous thing look so worried.

Once Titanite seemed... settled into place, Alpha rocked up. I don't like this. It took a few steps forwards in that slinking, not at all rider-smooth gait of its, and grimaced a little. This is awkward - I'm just not used to it, the orthoclase corrected itself, but otherwise just kind of stood there unless there was... any further prompting.

@Vargas

Vargas settled himself in place, watching as the two children clicked together like perfect pieces of an IKEA chair.

Excellent.

"Move. Cooperate. Cast magic and maneuver. I will watch you," he added, without voicing the implied addition of "and judge you most harshly."

Alpha moved somewhat stiffly, but Vargas was entirely unaware of its uneasiness. It was hard for creatures such as them--stiff-faced and rough-skinned--to show emotion at all.

Titanite settled itself in, gripping to Orthoclase. Now that it was there, it felt comfortable, at least--not mentally; it didn't like not having earth beneath its root-feet but at least it was physically not in pain or anything.

It looked up, gripping Alpha's shell, and fixed its gaze on Vargas.

Plants wound up, subtle at first, for the Overseer's four limbs, at wrists and ankles--not strong, they were never that strong, but-... enough. Enough for a demonstration, at least.

"Get him," it rasped, simply, one long-taloned finger extending to point at their Overseer.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

Cooperate.

That, apparently, implied just letting Titanite call all of the shots and simply going with whatever flow he dictated.

Currently, it was to - "get him." Alpha twisted best it could, staring dumbly at its rider and following the curve of his chest down to his finger pointing at Vargas. Is he talking to the plants - another look had it concluding that he was, in fact, implying that it should get their Overseer.

The method of getting was unclear to it as of yet, but the orthoclase did what it did best: charging like a monstrous sort of bull. But, a bit hesitantly - as much as... a monstrous bull can hesitate going at beyond top-speed with the aid of magic.

@Vargas

The slink of vines lightly tugging his wrists and ankles had him glancing down.

The thundering roar of feet had him looking back up.

The instant realization and reaction could be best summarized with the following thought: Wait no-

He'd probably be proud of them for such immediate, powerful cooperation but right now he absolutely did not want to get rammed, or whatever Orthoclase-Alpha was planning, at speeds of "magic wind blowing him forward way too fast." For all his massive size Vargas wasn't a damn tank covered in chitin.

The vines, thankfully, were slender and their bindings not all that tight--the spellcast, he noted (even in his 'oh shit' reaction times) was weaker than it could have been. Perhaps due to having been used, over and over, on Orthoclase-Alpha already. He tugged free with a mighty heave of his limbs, and leapt aside--perhaps just in time.

If he were lucky, he might even get that cartoonish rush of air as his two overachieving spawn rushed just past him.

Titanite almost lost his grip when Orthoclase-Alpha suddenly shot forward like (and this metaphor didn't really work for Titanite, given the setting and all) a steam locomotive. "Like a red mouse toward lost shiny beads?" Maybe, if not quite as poetic.

In any case, it scrambled to cling to its mighty steed, a slow, quiet hiss of surprise escaping it. It saw the green blur of Eridanus flash past. The green light of Vargas' eyes as the Overseer eyed them, and moved to leap aside.

It wasn't sure if Orthoclase-Alpha would manage to intercept the attempted dodge of their target, and so Titanite just hung on, for the most part.

He did spare an instant to try and cast his magic out under Vargas' feet--a slippery mushroom mat might slow him down, if not tumble him completely. But there wasn't a lot of time to plan it, or focus on it, so he wasn't sure how effective it would be.

He also didn't think through the possibility that Orthoclase might have to chase Vargas--assuming it chose to continue pursuit--over the same slippery surface, if he even succeeded his magic.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

Magic wind was great and all, but this was perhaps the fastest it'd ever managed to run. For a beast used to quick bursts of motion without actually moving from the spot, this was like achieving light-speed. If only there'd been the comedic sound of bongos or however they make that running noise.

Titanite was trying desperately to hang on, Vargas was trying desperately to get out of the way, and Alpha was trying desperately to stop before it crashed smack-dab into a tree.

Being heavy had its advantages - but momentum sometimes was not its friend, and its spell had worked a bit too well in giving it a speed boost.

Not caring whether or not the tree-beast could stay on, it dropped to its rear, claws bracing out and skidding roughly across the ground. Leave it to fate - not physics - to decide whether or not it became best friends with that tree trunk.

... just barely, it managed to stop.

@Vargas

Comedy was on offer all around, it seemed, because even as Alpha scrambled not to faceplant a tree, Vargas was scrambling on the sudden carpet of soft, wet fungus that had sprouted up underfoot. He ran in place for an instant, wet leaves thrown up in clumps behind him as he staggered, each step nearly dropping him. He managed--barely--not to fall, though it was a damn close thing, and scrambled away a dozen yards or so before turning back, staring at the pair.

"Better than I'd hoped!" he boomed, and then paused, to ensure they weren't actually intending on assaulting him further.

In his day, chasing him and then killing him wouldn't have been... entirely out of the question, though he'd certainly have tested them hard in actually managing such a feat. "I will return to speak with you further, Titanite, and we will discuss... possibilities. Do the pair of you have anything to add? Or to ask," he added; they'd earned that much, at least.

Or, Orthoclase had, in any case.

Titanite clung on for dear life, and if it hadn't been such a perfect, saddle-like fit with Orthoclase's carapace it may well have tumbled off into the leaves.

As it was, even after Alpha managed to scramble to a halt, it simply sat there--as if not realizing it should probably dismount, now, casually sitting on the back of its mighty steed as Vargas spoke. Only belatedly did it glance at the toxic quills before it, and then--carefully--unfold its limbs and slide to the dirt.

Remembering its manners, it answered respectfully, the strange rattling whisper to its words. "I have... no questions... Overseer," it answered, standing beside its sibling.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

Alpha could feel its breath bouncing back at itself where it half sat, half squatted before the tree. It smelled musty. Someone needs to water this one less, lest it go rotten in the roots.

Puffing air softly at it, it stood - after Titanite'd extricated himself from their absolutely perfect LEGO set assembly - and limped a little on the spot. Teeth gritted, and it looked back to see that it'd successfully done two things: run off the barbed wire plants bound around its legs; and gotten just about every thorn ingrained into them.

It didn't hurt that bad. Good thing Vargas gave it a rigid face.

Don't mind the slightly harsher breathing. Better to leave pointy things inside of you. Doctor could pull the things out later with his little beak -

The orthoclase continued to stand there, preening at the compliments (even if it was for the both of them.) As far as it knew, proceeding with Overseer attack plans was asking to be killed. Shaking its head as far as further thoughts and questions, Alpha had a momentary brainwave - had it thought about the circle it'd found in this thread? Navy didn't feel like looking. Excellent segue, bud.

"No more questions, Overseer," it grunted again, and moved closer as if to immediately fall in step behind Vargas (even if he wasn't departing quite yet,) "but I found something..." A weird, pitchy sound punctuated the thought. "I do not know what to do with it."

@Vargas