The lights of Tunnel P faded, their dying alpenglow on the rippled stone calling the Sentinels to sleep; not that many of them slept in the Warren these days, when they slept at all. Only Vargas's recent project had pulled them together, and alternating shifts of sleep had aligned to put Orthoclase-Alpha and Garnet-Delta settled down at the same time.

Not that either of them were particularly restful, settled deep down into the burrow-- close enough to the others that should an alarm be rung, both could pelt out the Warren and into action. Garnet-Delta had assumed that the Overseer (Overseer...) would have conked out immediately like it usually did, but judging by its shifting... They were both going to be here for a while.

Who was it kidding? Alpha would probably get frustrated and pelt back out to do more pacing. It had been acting off these days, scar noticed but not acknowledged by any of the Sentinels. Everything was.. Complicated. No one talked about anything; Elipson had tried to talk about Palefur, but Delta had shut it down; and certainly no one said a word about Elyon's death. Whatever happened to Alpha-- to any of them-- was their own individual problem.

Growing up, it had thought Orthoclase to be a hulking, dumb brute. It had certainly treated it like such; a lackey, an escort, a big safety Fuck-Off to anything that wanted to get in the way of Delta's exploration... Never unkindly, really, but just like kids do. And Orthoclase-Alpha had become an Overseer. Master Vargas explicitly declared it Overseer, marking it the most successful, capable creation out of their clutch. Garnet-Delta was, naturally, jealous.

That jealousy had led to it watching Orthoclase-Alpha more closely than ever. It had misjudged, and now as they lay in silence, Delta felt... well... mournful, really. It didn't know or care about much of anyone; not really its parents, nor Vargas or its own hatchmates in much detail. It spent most of its time alone, or quietly among them, never really interacting.

There was probably a good reason for that. But its mind wandered. The last time it had tried, it hit a brick wall. But there were thoughts in that big, weird-shaped head. There had to be. So what was its Overseer hiding?

Its magic reached out, brushing the edge of Orthoclase-Alpha's mind. The connection made, weak; it couldn't simply peel away the layers of armor to get at the deep thoughts it wanted. But it could sense Alpha's mind there, and surely, Alpha could sense it back. ... I can't sleep, it thought idly, a passing comment to identify itself.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

cw for one (1) f-bomb
Even though it seemed reasonable to have shift-mates sleep together and maintain a similar schedule, the orthoclase was finding that it hated sleeping alongside another body now. Any breathing was too loud, it couldn't get comfortable, the persistent throbbing of its fresh scabs continually kept it awake. It was a cruel fucking reminder of every little chip in its armor - physical and mental; of that viciously cycling seesaw between emotions and the absolute wreck it was (though it hadn't realized as much quite yet.)

To think it used to sleep with Ruby-Beta and the mess of smaller creatures nestling between them. Delta'd always been the first to nestle into its quills. Were it not so cagey and off-kilter, Alpha might've allowed that again. Creature comforts, though, weren't something it'd fully discovered yet. It could only be glad for the fact that the hybrid'd taken a hint and let it be. See something, say nothing.

That is, until a voice chirped into its mind. Quills pricked at the suddenness of it, and it shifted with a grunt. It'd been too loud to have come from Delta, and had none of the straining of being yelled. Some sort of magic like Vivilene's, then. Alpha gnashed its teeth in the garnet's direction, "if you want to talk, do it with your mouth."

Toxic eyes glared down, but it settled back down into a stiff-looking lying position, chin on meat-hook paws.

Weak as Delta's connection was, there was low-simmering annoyance roiling through it - a break in the lead curtain Delta'd found before. Alpha didn't take notice of the constant presence and the prying, for now. It just elected to lay right there restlessly, quills prickling here and there.

@Garnet-Delta

Hmpff, came the verbalization of disgruntled emotion in return, fur prickling along the half-cat's spine even as it lay perfectly crescent mooned an Alpha-length arm away. Speaking, using ones mouth, would completely distract from the purpose of trying to sleep.

That, and Garnet-Delta was trying to be subtle. Not that its Overseer would know subtle if it hit it square in the head. Its paws twitched, webbed toes flexing and claws unsheathing as it shifted, stretching with a grunt. Its magic slipped off of the edges of Orthoclase-Alpha's mind, leaving only a ghost of its afterthoughts imprinted at the edges. Delta scrabbled to find purchase even though a moment ago, it had grasped it.

Concentration lost, then. A minor setback. With a huff, the garnet turned its head to rest its chin on its leg, peering lazily across the way at its hatchmate-now-Overseer's putrid lime glare through the shadows of the warren. "I didn't wake you up," it noted, hating the smallness of its growl and how it chopped through the otherwise uncomfortable silence like a rowboat frantically driving through dangerous water. "you're not sleeping either."

So what? It had no right to be bothering the Overseer. It should show some respect. Surely it did respect Alpha, now. Begrudging or not.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

"Hmpff," it sniped back with far more disgruntlement than the garnet had; a low growl punctuated the sound.

The orthoclase shifted where it was lying, flopping halfway onto its left side so it could watch Delta. No movement on its end, bar settling chin-on-leg. Unkempt quills prickled. It narrowed its eyes, somewhat conscious of the burning-glow of its eyes; every bit of light from them cut through the warren's dimness. Of course the garnet hadn't woken it up. Alpha shifted subtly in place — repositioning its claws to cover its stomach and chest. Tucking in, tightening up. Still watching.

"I'm staying aware," came the grumbled half-excuse. Awake and aware was better than skimming the surface of sleep. That was just it. There were no demons dancing in the dark, keeping it from much-needed rest and compounding the weary ache of its bones and joints. None that bore six green eyes and held the smallest of hands in his, anyways.

Alpha's teeth audibly ground together as its virulent gaze fixed on Delta. Always quick to round on a perceived threat, it hissed lowly, quietly, "drop it."

@Garnet-Delta

Staying aware was a bad excuse. They were supposed to be resting, recuperating so they could work at peak efficiency. Wouldn't their Master be irritated to find they were failing to do that? Garnet-Delta almost wanted to have its Overseer smack it out cold, but only if it could do it in return. Maybe it was just the irritation of being shoved away talking.

The hissed command was like a firebrand shoved down its ear canal, and it fought against the two halves of itself: Obedience, and Self-Importance. It knew that something had changed, and even if it was none of its business, even if it didn't particularly want to know the messy details, it refused to be pushed aside. Aggression only met aggression though, and even as Delta grit its teeth in response beneath its lips, it knew that it could not keep feeding this cycle. What was the alternative?

Garnet-Delta pushed, even though Obedience should have made it drop its head down.

It slipped in through the cracks, and found purchase. Claws curled around the underside of the armor, and crimson eyes set themself firmly on its bigger hatchmate. We're both disobeying, its thoughts commented, stirring up loose ideas that didn't quite take shape, the Master needs us rested.

Oh, but what a terrible thing to imply. What could be keeping you up? Big plans, brilliant Overseer? Ah-- No, this was still too aggressive, too sharp. It could blunt them with emotions, maybe, but that didn't... Sympathy? Empathy? More like gasoline on the fire. Okay, no, it needed to keep being honest, if anything. Straight forward. That was how Orthoclase-Alpha worked, last it checked.

Owning up to and making it its own mistake, What did I miss? it tried, playing a dangerous game that could easily end up with it bitten in half and swallowed in one horrible gulp. A white-tipped tail flicked in the shadows.

@Orthoclase-Alpha

Drop it, it'd said, but it could practically hear the clockwork of Garnet-Delta's internal processes. The cat-hybrid was running through the calculations and looking at how every possibility could play out; it was in the set of the jaws, that hesitation between Alpha's growling and its next invasive step.

We're both disobeying, it's perfectly able to talk with its mouth the Master needs us rested. so why isn't it - everything ground to a peculiar halt. The orthoclase glared inward, a thrum of anger crawling towards the boiling point. What could be keeping you up? Big plans, brilliant Overseer? Quills pricked, toxic eyes (tired as they were) growing more intense and livid with every passing syllable.

What did I miss? (Flash of claws striking chitin, hide scattering away, blood dripping down the face. Hurt hurt hurt hurthurthurthurthurt I'm going to hurt YOU -

Get out, it's mind bellowed in time with its voice, "GET OUT." A split-second image of lightning coursed through its mind before ozone started to boil and burn in the air. Every needle on its mane stood on end, waving once with the shock of electricity lancing out of its stone. In comparison to Alpha, it was a small, trifling little thing. If it reached Delta... ? Best to sit down and pray.

The orthoclase shot to its feet in the same beat, looming with teeth bared in a wickedly glowing grimace.

@Garnet-Delta

The wound, the scar, the massive claws rending across its face, Vargas? Garnet-Delta had found something that it shouldn't have gone digging for.

The static in the air was palpable, and then it was blinding. The feline went from curled up ball to full extension in an instant, back arched with the start of a hiss, wings flaring out-- but every muscle seized as electricity slammed into its small form.

Its stone's magic should have stopped there; the electricity was powerful but not life threatening, a violent shock to jolt it out of Overseer Orthoclase-Alpha's mind. However, when faced with being stricken by lightning, Garnet-Delta wanted nothing more than to Get Out like its Overseer demanded. Its magic surged in response, and everything... shifted?

The hiss that started in Garnet-Delta's mouth was suddenly a guttural, horrible roar through its jaws, though both louder and somehow dampened, as though cotton was shoved into its ears. Thoughts clicked slowly into place at the sound stopped-- it felt... Exhausted, like miles of sand had been shoved on top of it. Its body tingled with the leftover static from the spell cast, its head throbbed with a migraine, and otherwise it felt stiff and numb.

Garnet-Delta found itself staring, double vision, down at itself. The smell of charred fur was strong but tasteless, and its wings were... wrong, wrong, wrong what was what had happened did it DO THIS? Its face did not grimace, its skin was clamped down all but for the rattling of quills that grew to ring in its ears.

The Orthoclase, now piloted by Garnet-Delta, stumbled backward like a drunken rhino in a china shop, knocking into the narrow walls and ceilings of the warren, huffing and grunting. "Orthoclase..." It. It had... It was Orthoclas-Alpha.

The thought wrung out, uninhibited from shock, What in the caves did I do?

@Orthoclase-Alpha

Content Warning
This post contains potentially sensitive material:

vomit

Raw power made contact, and the moment the garnet started to reactively seize, Alpha was struck by a twinge of - regret? Worry? Concern? For the cat-hybrid's wellbeing, or its own? This was out of line, unwarranted attack, a too-quick depression of the hair-trigger that was its temper. Click! went the chamber, boom! went the bullet thundering out, far louder than that paltry little starting noise. Toxic eyes widened -

Distorted. whAT Churned and shifted, tilted, center of gravity's tilting move and steady out middle legs? gone, missing, changed.

It listed to the side, blinking one eye at a time - lips peeling back and getting stuck there. Ears pinned, fur puffed out. Wrong, wrong - all wrong, it was roaring but it didn't feel it in its throat. Nostrils flared (INPUT: Not Found) and caught the singe of hide. Every muscle was twitching erratically. Rattling resounded from elsewhere, and it finally managed to make its eyes focus enough to see... itself.

Something lashed behind it, straightening and going limp alternatively and it stared at its reflection - but not from above as it usually did. Not into a pool of water. Looking on, not at. It twisted its head down, found webbed (burnt!) paws and hissed. Charred lungs heaved, and it retched through an unfamiliar throat until it'd upchucked whatever mouse or bird or roadkill it - Delta? - had eaten that day.

Then, through blurry eyes, it stared up at itself, instinctively curling in - "stop it." Shit it sounded so small. This was a plot, it'd been betrayed, the garnet had always wanted to be an Overseer, always vied for Vargas's attention. The little monster'd been waiting to be attacked so it could trap Alpha in this weakened, pitiful body -

Its lips peeled back impossibly further. Alpha yowled from where it was painfully curled in on itself, "STOP IT!" Magic that wasn't at all its own ebbed up. It was equally as stolen - the very kind that had set this abrupt shift into motion. A desperate grab. If it was going down, it would be kicking and screaming.

But, nothing. The orthoclase's grip slipped, and it just stared wide-eyed.

@Garnet-Delta

Orthoclase-Alpha's body scrapped against the stone ceiling that the warrens were dug into, massive claws dragged through dirt and twitching, furiously trying to retract but there was no where to go.

Through eyes that bled the color of freshly pressed olives, smearing glow through the dim, the garnet's consciousness watched itself regurgitate. It couldn't even imagine the smell of the bile, as though the brain it was piloting had no pathway to such a phenomenon. Its current stomach should have lurched, but it did not, Delta did not feel anything but the heaviness of its new carapace.

"stop it," mewled the little, little alien before it.

That's me, its thoughts screamed, doubled vision unable to tear away from its feline form crumpling into a ball before it, what DID I DO? THAT'S ME THAT'S ME THAT'S ME-- Orthoclase's front pairs of limbs scrambled, trying to pull in, nearly sloughing itself into the sand as its weight slid in the sand.

"STOP IT!" Alpha yowled, and its thoughts cried, I DON'T KNOW HOW!

Another scrambling step, and its body finally tilted until center of gravity was set loose, gravity crashing down as the rookie on stilts crashed, trying to move limbs that did not obey. Another desperate sound, a gutteral unhinging of jaws and a voice strangled deep in the back of its throat-- a growl with barely any air in its lungs.

It couldn't think to reach for its magic. Its stone, glistening like a smear of fresh blood in its lime vision, lay across the warren in its body that it couldn't recognize; wrong, wrong, wrong.

Paws (feet? hands? instruments of destruction?) scrambled against the sand, its heavy body squashing half its limbs as it panicked like a sinking ship.

Breath shuttered, and immediately was pulled out with a gasping sound, "NO!" no no no no no what did I do I didn't mean to put me back put me back put me back Another breath, its prison suffocating and words and emotion hard to articulate without fucking lips, "I don't understand-- I didn't do this," don't hurt my body don't hurt me put me back put me back get OUT OF MY BODY

Why was it so afraid?

It was the Overseer, now. It didn't want it, not like this. Under no circumstances could it take the blame for this, under no circumstances could this get back to Master Vargas.

Why was it so afraid?

Its face burned. There were too many things, all blurring together, and it could not make sense of a single part of it. Not until it was itself again.

It was the Overseer, now.

Jaws gnashed, and spittle came from its teeth as it spat out another breath it couldn't keep inside the Orthoclase's corpse, "Put me back."

@Orthoclase-Alpha

Its uncoordinated self—no, no, that self's gone, that body was stolen (and if it weren't so rife with fear, it would be furious)—scrabbled in the sand, took up too much space, took its claws far too close to the fragile, fragile little Garnet-Alpha.

The tiny alien's entire hide bristled, fluffing, and it tumbled away from the massive jaws parting in front of it. Webbed paws stung and ached as they slammed into the rock, wings (wrongwrongwrong) smashing against the Warren's walls as if they were just limbs to walk on.

The noises it made where pathetic, a strangled mewling of "stop, stop, stop, stop, stop" over and over, like a broken record.

Delta—the Overseer, the orthoclase, it it it it—growled and claimed that it didn't know what it'd done, and there that fury-stifled-by-fear. A hiss broke from behind its teeth (one thing! One familiar thing!) even as it attempted to wedge the garnet's battered and bruised body into the smallest, deepest hole it could. "You did it! YOU did it! YOU—" It quivered, it sniveled, its mind raced through a thousand things at once as it hissed and spat from its alcove. Claws unsheathed and dug into the rock until their quicks bled.

It wanted to destroy, but it couldn't. This pathetic little body. PATHETIC—"FIX IT. RIGHT NOW. YOU DID IT." Its throat was so hoarse. Magicka sparked and nothing came of it again. It had nothing. It had nothing.

Garnet-Alpha started heaving again.

@Garnet-Delta