After meeting Yew, Ru had emerged into Gemini proper and immediately been struck into silence. The entire cave seemed to show every angle of one's self, which was interesting if you happened to be going through a crisis of identity.

At the very least, it was a good way for Ru to inspect the entire blueish-green body. The scorpion's tail was never something that Ru had ever gotten a proper look at; now, it was abruptly on display. As were those ears, and now Ru was wondering -- had the creature ever seen such a sight? Somehow, Ru couldn't imagine it. Seeing the whole body. Ears and claws and hooves and face and all.

Ru inspected the stone in the forehead. It was pink, with a star in the center. Ru, bafflingly, smiled. In a strange way, it was... pretty.

Ah, but Ru had changed directions since then -- different priorities. The waterfall had been a good place to stop and take a drink. Ru probably hadn't ever had clean water before -- the creature could not remember. One way or another, though, it was crisp, clean, and pretty.

Then, of course, the strange vortex at the edge of the the crystal pools had caught Ru's attention, and then naturally it was time to categorize. Ru trotted over, inspecting the strange rift in space-time. It was sort of a hazy patch, like looking into something weirdly shiny. Instinct told Ru that this was dangerous -- naturally, the creature did not go too close.

"Are you sentient?" Ru asked, already trying to categorize.

Like any other day in Gemini, the rift whirled gently. Streams of color bled and milled about, like the iridescence of oil on asphalt. It was constantly in motion, with the occasional rush of a breeze; perhaps from the other side.

No, it was not sentient.

But, as the creature approached, it did seem generous—there was a gleaming flash of hypersaturated light, and then a pile of what could best be described as a pelt fluttered to the floor.

It was tanned and well-oiled, the simply etched surface and curves filled in with charcoal. Laying it out flat revealed that it was in the shape of a sort of... football guard, for lack of better description—two shoulder guards and a strip joining them together. Light had hardened and cracked the well-used piece around the edges. There was a torn scrap of bloody, dirty pelt where pauldron met base.

There was no way it'd fit something shaped like the quartz, but... it was neat to look at. The old Champion might've seen something like it on the odd trial-runner, particularly those with softer or bipedal bodies (although, none had been even remotely fashionable like this.)

@Quartz Five-Two Four

Ru was still staring into the Rift awaiting an answer when the light flashed without warning. The Champion had survived a very, very long time by being aware and having good reflexes, so it was no wonder that Ru immediately startled. Magic flared out in the same instant, and then Ru was just as reflective as the rest of Gemini. Well, sort of -- the Champion was still tinged slightly blue-green, which became more apparent with the various mirrors, but the point still stood. If this had been an Eyehook, Ru would have survived it.

There was an object on the ground when the light cleared. A heap of material. A cautious claw prodded at it, turning it over. The object looked like something's skin. It was, Ru noted, designed with some sort of aesthetic in mind -- leather and charcoal and etchings. The creature arranged it to look more closely once the offering was determined to be well and truly not alive.

Armor. Ru squinted at it, and looked back up at the Rift. Why had this thing given Ru bloody shoulder guards? "What are you?" Ru demanded, still reflective and nearly invisible. There was no response, naturally, and Ru's eyes returned to the miscellaneous object.

It was... weird. And not something that Ru could use, not with the quadrupedal shape and lack of appropriately shaped shoulders. Not that Ru would have needed it anyway -- most of this particular Champion's strategy had been in staying subtle and non-threatening. Just barely surviving so that the others would not be quite so tempted to try and assassinate Ru or sabotage the creature's success. A flashy shoulder guard would have slowed Ru down and drawn attention.

Ru looked around as the spell fizzled out, not bothering to recast it. Maybe there was somebody else nearby who would want this?

Garnet-Epsilon

Epsilon had been.... wandering. Looking for trinkets and ideas to bring back to Pegasus.

New targets, outside of the small family they'd become fond of.

Maybe even some new food, or-

Oh.

Looks like another Trial runner? Or at least they don't look like most of the other modern Gembound. Or they did until they winked out of existence with a flash from whatever they'd been interacting with.

Epsilon tries to get closer, disguising themselves as best they can with their own magic, wrapping air around their feet in layers to catch the small noises made my shifting stone and dragging paws.

When the other Gembound slowly folds and shimmers back into existence, Epsilon decides to ask what the... heck they're both looking at.

"Pardon me... what's all that stuff?" they ask, from the perch they'd attempted to sneak up onto. With their wings half open, and posture low as if to leap in any sort of direction, they definitely hold themselevs as someone who's first meetings aren't always... kind. Poor Ru, they're gonna jump outta their scales.

@Quartz Five-Two-Four

Ru did not need to hear Garnet-Epsilon to know that they were there. Ru could taste the heat of the creature as they moved through Gemini, could feel the way their silent steps still left vibrations in the stone. So much stronger than Ru would have felt over sand -- everything was so close together. It was for that reason that Ru's head turned calmly towards Geppie when they spoke.

"Armor," Ru replied. "For something bipedal, with shoulders, to keep them safe." Ru looked Geppie over appraisingly. They looked as though they were poised to flee at any moment, terrified and winged. Somewhat familiar, with the black and the ears and the slightly hooked beak, but Ru couldn't quite place them.

"Don't sneak up on people that you plan on speaking to," Ru said, one batlike ear flicking. "I could have killed you." Ru nudged at the armor with a clawed foot. "And do not assume that just because you're not heard, you're undetected. Do you know your designation?"


@garnet-epsilon
ignore that check i forgot i'd selected the box

Garnet-Epsilon

"If you wanted to kill me, you would have done something the moment you noticed me. Don't lecture me." they almost... snap, but they make their way closer to look at the armor, wondering what bipedal meant. They seem like they've decided posturing is not worth their time... either confident or careless, as they flicker their ears and tilts their head back and forth to analyze the item before the two of them and ponder it's... state.

Bi- is two, but... pedal? Petal?

Epsilon had already decided that they didn't quite like the lecturing tone the other had taken, and so they refuse to ask them about what the words means and they resolve to learn it later, from someone less likely to report back to a shared Overseer or Master. If that's possible.

"My designation is Garnet - Epsilon, though... others call me Cirrus." They didn't really know why they'd offered their name for the mission - other than covering their tail. Wouldn't do to break that façade now, of all times. "Are you here on a mission, as I am?"

Quid pro quo?

@Quartz Five-Two-Four

Ru shrugged. If Garnet-Delta didn't want the advice of a Champion, then they wouldn't get it. Ru's head tilted. This one seemed awfully young to have earned a name, but Ru supposed that perhaps this Cirrus was older than initially assumed, despite the sloppy footwork and childish reactions. "Alright," Ru replied mildly, not particularly caring one way or another.

Ru mulled over the bit about being on a mission. "In a manner of speaking," Ru replied airily. "I was informed by Master Vargas that I have a choice -- I have never had a choice before, and I suppose that I am on a mission to figure out what I'd like to do with that." The creature looked back at Geppie. "I am Quartz Five-Two-Four, but my name is Ru. I have not yet decided what my gender is."

The creature nudged the armor again. "Do you know of any creations who might have a use for this?"


@garnet-epsilon

Garnet-Epsilon

Epsilon would have loved advice, on any other day. But they are not in the mood for a lecture, particularly since they're currently in a bit of a conundrum on their mission, and meeting the champion had brought that to the forefront of their mind. They listen intently, one ear pointed at the other, the other ear swiveling back and forth, and they round the armor, still attempting to place it on the body of any of the Gembound they'd seen around the caves.

Possibly the blue elf family would like it, but they had no way to get this large item to them, nor a connection... yet.

Epsilon looks at Ru, when they're done speaking, and tilt their head in thought. "Are you one of the ones who took him up on his option to distance yourself, then? I've never seen you before, so I'm curious as to anyone else who I may work with." They're doing their best to sound innocently curious, but the squint of their eyes is calculating as they look at the champion before them. This one had earned a name, unlike them simply choosing one for cover. That will change soon, but for now. "But, as of others who may make use of this, I know of an organized gathering of seemingly related Gembound who could. I have no way to get it to them for the time being, though."

@Quartz Five-Two-Four

Ru mused over Geppie's question for a moment, and decided to reverse-engineer an answer. "Some of us think that the old ways are wise," Ru stated. "Some of us are still trying to decide. Some of us began trying to reinstate them, to guard Hydra, and to prevent others from entering -- others of us wandered. The Master made his creations and moved on to other places to make more of them." Ru's head inclined slightly. "Simply put -- I did not join the others after the first Trial. I was neither returned to stone. I wandered -- I was not offered an opportunity to stay, so neither was I offered one to go."

Ru felt a bit playful, and eyed Garnet-Epsilon before letting a bit of harmless magicka push out. Thin smoke billowed out around them, spooky but otherwise able to be seen through as the creature's reflective eyes began to glow. "I am a Champion of Hydra, many times over. I was created to run trials and, I believe, test designs. I am a survivor -- I always have been. That is who I am, Garnet-Epsilon." Ru's face twisted slightly. "That is a very ineffective method of numbering, might I add. Unless there are only a handful of garnets, I suppose, but that does not seem very practical."

Back to the topic at hand, though. "You are a curious one. Getting a read on me, inspecting me, trying to know who is on your side and who isn't. Good. That will keep you kicking." The hybrid shrugged again as the smoke began to dissipate. "As for the bipeds, I suppose I could bring it to them, if you direct me. Or I could just leave it here, I suppose."


@garnet-epsilon