All right, enough lazing about. It was time for Porkchop to wake up.

Honestly, it'd been pretty nice sleeping in this rock so far. Not that Porkchop had been aware of any of it, but now that he was awake, he was already feeling a bit of nostalgia for the ol' sleepy times. It'd been comfortable enough: dark, quiet, with no hunger or thirst to interrupt his naptime. (Or, well, he assumed it'd been comfortable enough. He didn't remember feeling much discomfort--he didn't remember much of anything.)

But the chrysalis, it seemed, was not feeling the same nostalgia for the piglet. It'd held onto this dead weight for long enough, and now the cracks that had begun to spiderweb along its surface rapidly spread as Porkchop stirred inside. The pale sapphire cracked and collapsed, spilling its contents out onto the cold hard floor.

Porkchop, soaked in a puddle of chrysalis fluid and feeling rather bruised from the fall, was not happy. His eyes squeezed shut. His face wrinkled. And then he began to bawl.

"AAAAGHGHHHHHAHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAUAUAUAUAUAUAUUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAA--"

@Maximus @Vicktor

It had been just a few week's time now, and Vicktor had his mind entirely set on Porkchop. He had regretted what unfortunate events had happened in the arena of Deathmatch. They were a child back then, and Vicktor still to this day did not know what exactly had come over him. But he knew he did not feel it now. That once raw and primeval emotion swapped with one of the desire to protect and teach. A desire to apologize and ensure nobody would be making their way to cause further harm or misunderstanding to the young boar.

He had been through something similar, though maybe not as extreme in his younger cycles. Though regardless he desired to seek them out and speak to them. Offer his own words and a few other treats as a sign of goodwill and to prove just how serious he was in this offer. Juniper was of course somewhere nearby but she was safe and at a distance should there be any stray gembounds wanting to pick fights with those who were just recently hatching from their chrysalis now.

So with his nerves of a safe Juniper handled and a bundle of treats in tow and a watchful eye he approached the last known standing ground of Deathmatch. Though even now the scent of blood was still heavy- the sand and terrain stained with battles passed. His ears flickered to the sudden but very loud cry- one that was familiar in the saddest of ways. His heart ached and for a moment he feared that perhaps someone had gotten here first to maim the boar. He did what he could do, calling out to them
as he picked up his pace, hoping if anyone was attempting to harm them, that perhaps his speech would scare them off.

"Porkchop!?"



"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

Maximus had come back for the whole day just to spend it next to Porkchop's chrysalis, nearly pulling his quills out from stress. They shifted constantly and paced, anxious, hoping and praying there were no scars or deformities to be seen on the little piglet.

For he was so young... he didn't deserve this, they should have been there, should have stopped him.

The chrysalis shattered as they were lost in their thoughts, startling them into jumping back. They stared for a moment as tears welled up, both for Porkchop and for the child they would probably never meet. A child they should have been there for, a child they shouldn't have left behind.

"Oh Porkchop," they breathed, rushing forward to scoop the piglet into their massive arms, holding him against their soft chest, "I'm here, it's okay. You're alright, sweetheart, it's okay."

Maximus hated Vargas again in that moment. Hatred wasn't an emotion they felt lightly, often mulling it over and realizing it was simply dislike or disdain. But they hated Vargas for threatening their little piglet, their son. Despite the guilt that hung over them like a dark cloud for the child left in that hellhole, they still wanted Porkchop, still wanted to raise him as best they could.

"I'm here," they soothed softly, running their fingers over his head, hoping their soft fur would help.

Another thing Vargas failed at. They were soft. And if their plans came out as they wanted, they'd be even softer once they figured out a way to chrysalize and mutate like they'd seen others do without Master help. They were greater than Vargas ever realized.

But they really just wanted to get rid of the wretched green glow of their eyes. They despised it.

But with all that inner turmoil out of the way, they could focus on the wailing piglet in their arms... and the intruder.

Max's quills raised and they bared their teeth in a snarl, head whipping to stare at Vicktor, recognition flashing in their toxic green eyes.

"You," they said, rage flaring up, "You... you did this! You put him in chrysalis! Why?!"

They were furious.

@Porkchop

Disoriented and intensely focused on screaming, Porkchop didn't even register who the massive, monstrous figure swooping toward him was. The feeling of their hug, though, was unmistakable. The piglet quieted almost instantly, the wailing squeals dying down to a quiet whimper as he shoved his snout into Maximus' fur. Something pricked at his cheek, and Porkchop wrinkled his nose, confused. It was just fur, wasn't it? Why was it so prickly?

"I know you're here," he mumbled, vaguely confused. Where else would Maximus be? That said, he was glad Maximus was here. Being hugged and pet was certainly a lot better than being cold and wet, sitting in a heap of sapphire shards and bawling his eyes out. Porkchop leaned against Maximus' chest again, blinking away the prickly feeling. Blinking... did that involve his cheek?

Porkchop blinked again. The vestigial eye on his left cheek blinked with the other two. "...'s'there something on my face?" he asked, then jerked as Maximus turned around to face Vicktor. There was a split second of shocked silence as he stared at the cat's face. A thousand images flashed through the piglet's mind, mostly freeze-frames of the Deathmatch and Vicktor sinking his fangs into his face. Then Porkchop screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" he squealed, wiggling frantically in Maximus' arms and flailing a hoof in Vicktor's direction. "IT'S HIM! HIM! MAXIMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!!! BEAT HIM UP! RUN AWAY! CHOP! HIS! PORK!" Sobbing, Porkchop wiggled around, trying to shove his face into Maximus' armpit. The further away he kept his skull from those fangs, the better.

@Vicktor

When they had arrived there was already another embracing the tiny boar. And from the evident looks of it, comforting and keeping them safe. Vicktor was glad to see it, he had been concerned with the possibility that Porkchop might be in danger the moment he left their chrysalis. But the reaction and well 'greeting' from both Porkchop and well the one he assumed to be Maximus, if Porkchop's scream was anything to go by was a bit less enthused than one might expect. But he truth be told he at least expected this. He had attacked them in the arena, unknown as to why or how his mind had slipped the days before when bloodshed had painted the very sand they walked upon.

He stood there, calmly, care packages and a treaty still neatly nestled inside the satchels that rested along either side of his flanks.

"I am not here to fight...nor to harm...but to apologize."

He watched them, sitting down before them; still giving space in hopes Porkchop would eventually calm down.

"I do not understand why or- how I lost myself...in the arena...but know it was never my intention to cause a child harm, I too have a child...She is the light of my life. And I have returned...to ensure Porkchop's safety and to offer my explanation and sincere apology- even though there is hardly one that would suffice."

He still knew not why his mind had turned on him the days before. Bloodthirsty and craving violence, something that had left his life so many cycles ago. He seemed, perhaps a bit distraught, more than disappointed in himself...Especially now as he watched the child writhe and cry in the arms of one of their assumed loved ones. He felt pain in his heart, the desire to care for and protect others ever-growing in his chest.

"Do not take my words- to be ill or cruel...but I am glad to have just seen him crystallized...when the monster they used in between rounds would have surely killed him...let alone the others Nemean would of no doubt placed him against."

He stops then, his mind wandering for a moment.

"I planned to leave- to forfeit when I was placed against you Porkchop- but I don't know what happened...something crawled inside my very throat and with a hunger I had not known- I was not myself and I attacked...and for that I am sorry..."

He knew it wasn't enough, but it was a start and he hoped they would give him a moment to talk rather than fight...he had a promise to keep after all.



"Clover Speech"
"Vicktor Speech"

@Maximus

Maximus focused on Porkchop first, turning so that if Vicktor should leap, he'd meet a faceful of sharp quills. They stroked his back and cooed to him, his wet nose running over the piglet's body to feel for any abnormalities. It was the most sensitive touch-wise, and he quickly found something.

"Oh dear," they mumbled, peering at the new eye and frowning, "Your chrysalis seems to have given you a new eye. Blind, I think."

But his two regular ones seemed to be fine, so it couldn't be that much of a problem.

Maximus reacted to Porkchop's wailing with a snarl directed towards Vicktor, their child's terror making their instincts go wild. They wanted to hurt him, to bite him like he'd bitten their son, but they snapped their jaws shut and just held the piglet close, rocking him back and forth.

"... There were those of chaos in the audience," they mumbled, "Many can use their abilities to affect the mind. I don't doubt one of them did that to you when they saw your hesitation."

They hunched over their piglet and hissed low under their breath, angry at Vargas and his so-called Creator for harming their precious son. Of course this would be their fault.

"You're right, Draconua would have killed you both, but you still hurt him. If chrysali didn't exist I don't doubt that he'd have... you know," they said, reluctant to talk about Porkchop's potential death in front of him.

Maximus nosed the top of Porkchop's head thoughtfully and looked down at his piglet, rubbing his back with a clawed finger, though said claws were carefully held away.

"It's up to him," they said slowly, "If Porkchop wants me to chase you off, then I will. If he wants to hear your apology, then he will. If Porkchop tells me to kill you..."

They leveled Vicktor with a stare that promised death.

@Porkchop