strong language

Vedette was almost to the ceiling when she was grabbed, her claws leaving slight marks on the stone as she screamed in outrage, flailing and snarling, craning her head to try and bite him.

He grabbed her wing and she let out a high-pitched squeal of pain, only thrashing harder.

Her teeth grabbed nothing even as they gnashed and chomped down, catching air and nothing more. She gripped Vargas' skin and snapped at his fingers, trying her best to maybe rip out a claw or something.

"FUCK YOU!", she spat, splittle and the remaining blood from her nose splattering forward, "I HATE YOU! HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE-"

She tried to quill him or bite him or something, having only the knowledge that her quills were quiet possibly jabbing into his hand to sate her, but then again, Vargas had thick skin, and a thicker skull, almost not enough room for a brain in that stupid head.

"PURPLE BALLSACK!", she sneered, tearing up despite her best efforts, her other wing flapping wildly while the other twitched weakly, "FUCK YOU!!"

V-Chaos-Two had just been eating, hidden behind a rock trying to ignore the horrible shrieks (they honestly weren't sure if the poor kid was in pain). They stood at the call of their name and set their meal down, grabbing their staff and walking over quietly.

They listed to the scene unfold, watching shapes wiggle and squirm, and grimaced before clearing their throat.

"Master Vargas," they said, wincing at the shrill shriek, ears flicking and pinning, "Er... I'm here. Do you uh... need assistance?"

The thing reminded them of Nidhogg. They wondered where it had ended up. Dead, maybe. Probably fighting something bigger than it.

They peered at Sentinel, blinking gently and noting the dog-like face, or at least its silhouette.

"... What's a ballsack?", they asked, concerned as to what in the world the creature was even saying. Were those even words?

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Plans were already blooming in his mind--a two for one deal, really. His eyes cut to the Sentinel as he waited for Chaos Two's approach. Yes--he could name one the babysitter; it would be good training for it. A sense of responsibility, the learning of control, possibly--probably--practice in combat.

He'd tossed the Agate aside after dealing with her wing, ignoring the failed nips and scratches she'd tried to leverage against his thick hide. Luckily for her, he was not so easily damaged.

Chaos-Two's approach, and words, had him turning toward it. What was a ballsack-? Vargas shrugged this off; he didn't know. "I don't know," he said bluntly. "This one here," and he gestured first to Agate-One, "is V-Agate-One, the creation slated to go to our Lord Dhracia. It must not, under any circumstances, come to real harm--but you are free to use physical restraint and punishment as you see fit, until then. I will be watching them and watching you. You will come to me when you need to go to continue your training. This one," he added, now nodding toward The Sentinel, "was created to be our guard at the Aperture--the entrance to Draco. It will be trained in combat, in responsibility. Sentinel!" he barked, addressing it directly. "It is your duty, for now, to keep close watch on V-Agate-One. To keep it under control, and to keep it from fleeing. Do you understand-?"

Vargas waited a beat for its response, and then turned back to Chaos-Two. "Agate is a troublemaker. Its stonegiver was the one to die early on, do you remember-? Lord Dhracia destroyed it and asked for it to be remade for her. It will be trouble. It is trouble I do not want to deal with," he added, blunt honesty apparently the way forward. "I trust you have been training, as instructed? What is your progress?" he asked.

Words were heard, mulled over, filed away. For the most part they came too fast for him to comprehend--new words, big words, many words. What he did grasp told him little; he had only the impression that V-Chaos-Two was higher than him in a hierarchy, entrusted with more things, more authority. It wasn't a feeling he could've put into words so early on; it was more of an instinct, a recognition of 'how things were.'

Eyes trailed over the Agate, the way it fought and tried--and failed--to bite at the Master, the way the Leviathan, with almost surgical precision, twisted the little one's wing. He took vaguely-interested note of this, of the way it had worked, the method he had used, the-

Vargas' abrupt direct address jolted him. 'It is your duty, for now, to keep close watch on V-Agate-One. To keep it under control, and to keep it from fleeing. Do you understand-?'

Four pale blue eyes blinked--two on the face, two on the ear-like structures--and the Sentinel turned to stare at Agate again. "...I will watch," he assured, his voice a quiet rasp of acknowledgment.

Then he stepped toward Agate--no threat in it, simply... standing close, as if waiting for her to do something else. His gaze was perhaps a little too focused.

@Vedette

Vedette shrieked as she was flung, landing on the ground and rolling. She curled in on herself and whimpered, pushing herself up to stand weakly. She tucked her wing in close and shivered, glaring at Vargas even as tears joined the blood on her face.

"Hate you," she hissed, and pointedly turned away from Sentinel, "Go'way. Fuck you."

She hated them all. Especially Vargas.

Her eyes landed on Chaos-Two, noting their limp, the way they didn't (couldn't?) make eye contact, how they looked through whoever they stared at. Blind. Crippled. Weak.

Perfect.

She darted over as fast as she dared, relishing in the flinch the creature made, an ear flicking toward her, an arm raising-

She latched onto their fur- fur! Soft fur, nice fur... She latched onto their fur and clung to them, hanging on. She looked at Vargas and grinned, an ugly thing that peeled her lips back. But of course Chaos-Two didn't see. They were blind! Perfect. Oh yes, this would be great.

She'd be an angel for innocent Chaos-Two and terrorize Vargas. A plan was already forming. If she got Chaos-Two attached, even... perhaps she might have an ally against the massive beast.

"I remember. The screaming thing?", they said, and sighed, "I will... care for it. I'll make sure it doesn't escape or hurt itself or others. And I'll try my hand at teaching it manners. Perhaps it can learn something from Sentinel."

Chaos-Two nodded at Vargas' question about his training, "I have. Unfortunately I've been struggling with such spells like the ones Doctor has, but I am confident with the cleansing spell from before. I've been going out- not alone. I've asked some to come with me when I venture further than Pegasus- and I only go to Pegasus to graze, and not far from the tunnel. My apologies if that isn't allowed, I'm fulfilling my diet."

They were about to continue when they heard a noise from where Agate-One was carelessly tossed, and braced themselves, preparing to shove their spear handle into the gremlin's mouth, only to feel claws gripping fur. They were seconds from grabbing the thing in their teeth and throwing them down, but they hesitated. Nothing was happening. They were just... hanging on. Shivering, trembling.

Chaos-Two sighed and left her, not offering a hand. At long as she was quiet.

"Ahem...", they coughed, "I've been exploring Pegasus and I ventured to Polaris with V-Labradorite-Two to inspect the festival going on there. Various... 'booths' were set up, and some offered different things like treats and trinkets. But I acquired something called a pumpkin, and it seemed to be magical in nature. I can make or at least summon them. But aside from that I believe Doctor and Kethri are busy setting up a garden for their herbs and plants, and I intend to help them in order to learn more about their healing or damaging properties."

They shook their head out and held up the spear they'd made, the feathers tied to their quills shaking around, "And I made this. Both as a weapon and a staff. It both aids my walking and assists me in combat."

They winced at the tugging of fur as Agate-One pulled, looking down sharply, receiving a quiet coo and a little nuzzle. Okay, now they were a bit uncomfortable.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

He listened, ignoring the spitting rat that Chaos-Two now held close. Or rather, was clung to by. "Good. Remain guarded, that is good. Continue learning, too. Thus far it sounds appropriate; what of the training by Garnet-Delta, by Orthoclase-Alpha? Have they taught you the basics, yet?" That had, if he recalled correctly, been Chaos-Two's instruction: to get the basics from each of them.

A nod, then, to the brat. Lord Dhracia's sick joke--but he had made it, hadn't he-? Or had she had something to do with it; with the way that it'd turned out? Maybe, or maybe she just had an eye for... potential. Whatever sort of potential that was. "Keep both children close. Their safety is your responsibility and if we lose that one, Lord Dhracia will kill us all. I will remain near, as well; within earshot, most likely." Six toxic eyes fell to the staff, studying it briefly. "Take that to the Blacksmith when you can. See if he will enchant it for you, or tell you how to do so. It may be more useful to you, that way," he suggested. "He ought to be back in his forge, now--in Leo. Which reminds me--I need to visit there," he murmured, shaking his head.

So much to do; and how much time did they have-? How much had Dhracia granted them?

Vargas looked to Onyx-One. "I will arrange your training. Keep an eye on this one in the meantime, and obey V-Chaos-Two's commands. Are we understood?"

He ignored Vedette, staring at her without blinking, without expression. Some might have found it unsettling, and to others he might have simply escaped notice: doing nothing of interest, just sort of blending in, waiting, watching. Inactive, so to speak. He hardly seemed to even breathe.

Sentinel studied Chaos-Two as it came, observing, listening, picking out what meaning he could from its tumultuous clusters of words. And when Vargas addressed him directly, again, he looked up to him. "I will watch," he repeated, slowly. An assurance; an agreement.

He pushed up--a stumble, puppy-like, clumsy on new and oversized limbs. Down he went, onto all fours, a fall: then he was tottering back up again, staggering like a tiny drunkard toward Chaos-Two--blue eyes locked on Vedette, on his charge--his responsibility.

He was five minutes old, he had a job, and he took it very seriously.

@V-Chaos-Two

V-Chaos-Two nodded, "I will do so. When I go, should I still take someone with me, or am I allowed to venture forth without a companion now that I am grown?"

In height, they were only a few feet shorter than the kaiju when standing tall, which they seemed more comfortable in doing. They glanced over at the Sentinel, ears pricked up. How... endearing. No one but Vargas and maybe Alpha showed such seriousness in their jobs like this pup did.

With a sigh, they tried to pry Agate-One off, only to find that she was... asleep? She wasn't moving, and couldn't see the creature still glaring at Vargas, and so they just sighed.

"I will protect them with my life," they said, bowing their head slightly. And they would.

Chaos-Two turned to the Sentinel and nodded towards where they'd set up their nest (and perhaps it could be shared until they made more for the two children), "Come, Onyx-One. We'll get this one settled and then I'll get you both something to eat."

A variety of things, meat and grasses and fruit in case they were carnivorous, herbivorous, or omnivorous like themselves. They seemed to be taking to their roll rather well, all things considered. They had such things stashed away (and carefully hidden from their siblings).

Vedette huddled against Chaos-Two's fur, glaring at Vargas. As long as she was still, nothing seemed to happen, so still she would remain. At least until she found a chance to run. And run she would, far away, far away from this place! Perhaps she'd even seek refuge somewhere with other Gembound. There had to be more. And they'd take pity on a weak thing like her, judging by Chaos-Two's behavior.

She sighed and finally looked away, burying her face in their new care-giver's chest. She'd bide her time.

Eventually she'd find an opportunity. Chaos-Two was blind after all. How hard could it be?

She'd live to eat those words. Don't underestimate the nanny.

She peered at Sentinel through this Twobutt's fur, glaring at them. Stupid dog. He'd be a hinderance too.

@Vargas