Equinox lumbered through the entrance of draco, near-destroyed claws scraping the walls. some were snapped directly in half, jagged like thorns, some looked as if they were filed down, each one stained with a different smear of color, as was the scales and fur around his hands.

he was tired, to say the least. nothing much had changed since the last time equinox had been, well. awake. he had helped with the garden best he could but upon noticing its destruction one morning he decided maybe, just maybe, it would be a bad idea to risk the garden becoming more trampled than it already was, and so came here instead.

The chaotic, violent whispers in his head had been getting worse, as if every second spent in draco had increased their volume by 10 percent. every painting on a pegasus wall had since been destroyed in aggressive outbursts, and left equinox feeling empty, and tired, but atleast they were quiet. as of right now, with freshly destroyed claws and a heaving chest, they were clear minded enough to speak to his master.

he needed an outlet. he couldn't risk the garden being destroyed again. oh, what would poor zoisite think, if after the garden was so painstakingly repaired, it was destroyed again? because this hulking beast could not contain even the slightest bit of chaos?

he needed help. he needed a new job.

he cleared his throat, attempting to call out, voice raspy and breaking from misuse. he tried again.

"Master Vargas?.....i wish to speak to you, if you are here!" he called, voice finishing with a pained growl. he had to drink water soon, it'd been one or two days, distracted completely (or asleep), and his throat hurt like hell.

"what has happened to me...?" the beast wondered idly, remembering when it was content, something that seemed a far cry from now.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

At first, Vargas didn't recognize the voice. They were calling him by his title and his name, so it was likely one of the Forge, but-...

He left what he was doing and strode out to meet it, head tilting a little to one side. And upon catching sight of the smear of distant blue, memory ticked into place. Ahhh. Equinox, he remembered.

This was a creature Maximus had brought to the Forge, a little while before their own departure. A creature that had chosen to guard and work the farms. As he drew closer, he noted the shattered claws, the violent heaves of its chest. Did something happen? Vargas wondered, and then--the farm! Zoisite-

He hadn't expected to feel a spike of fear at the idea that something might have happened to his grandchild-spawn, but here it was, and he choked it down before it could show. "Has something happened at the farm?" he demanded--and his tone was not controlling but Creator was it urgent. He had tensed, visibly, his stride quickening and it was clear that if Equinox told him now that the farm were under attack, Vargas would bolt for Pegasus in a heartbeat.

@Equinox

Equinox was expecting anything, really, but definitely not the tone of voice vargas had used, asking of the farm.

"No, Master vargas... i have not seen it since this morning... i saw it in disrepair and decided it wasn't... best for me to be there. i am too... too big. i fear i would destroy the already sensitive crops.. i have not seen zoisite, either, though i imagine that they would know more should it be attacked. have... have you spoken to it recently..? is there something that made you.. you ask?" he replied, a slight twinge of his own concern in his voice.

the concern for zoisite was shared, but for different reasons. equinox has simply not seen it in a while, and the garden had been destroyed. had something happened to his friend...?

"It has not spoken to me in... in a while. i have not been here enough to.. to speak to them again. that is part of why i wish to speak to you."

He truly hoped zoisite was alright, that if it was harmed it was healing. what could have done so much damage to the farm so quickly...?

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas relaxed, just a little, a faint heave of breath escaping in an exhale. Likely, Equinox meant the changes that had been wrought when the Orthoclase had... visited.

It had been awhile, and he could only hope that the blue beast had simply been unaware, but--that begged the question: where had it been? If it had been at the farm at any point in the last few cycles, this would not have been new to it. It mentioned, even, not having been here. And the shattered claws-... Something's wrong with it, Vargas realized.

That's why it was here.

I was not aware of its absence, he realized--and then further realized that for future endeavors like this, with groups working toward a common goal, he'd need to appoint a leader. A temporary Overseer, to report to him if someone simply disappeared.

Well-... Lesson learned.

"You look as though you have been battling, Equinox," he explained. "And as you are assigned as a defender at the farm, I thought someone had attacked. Speak, then," he rumbled, agreeably.

He would let it report, and speak--and he added, simply to clarify: "I have time."

@Equinox

Equinox thought that made sense. they were supposed to protect the farm (why didn't he?) and he comes in battered. of course that would raise alarm.

"Apologies, master vargas. n-no as far as i know, it.. it is fine."

he shifted slightly, looking ashamed but not cowering.

"I do not believe it is wise for me to continue working at the farm." he said, then moving to clarify after a labored breath.

"When i got here, i had struggled with the power you had said was a gift from.. from our creator. and it settled here, for a time. but now i.. i struggle going by day to day without feeling the need to destroy, or break, or hurt.... it is why i have been gone, Master Vargas. i.." he paused, looking to his claws.

"...i have taken to painting the walls in pegasus, near our farm, using the flowers that grow in the cave. but i cannot finish a single one without... without destroying it. my claws end broken and i am tired."

"i do not.. i would be upset if.. i do not wish to harm the forge," he settled on, struggling to find the words to express why this bothers them. "by destroying the farm, if this should.. should occur while i am working. i do not wish to upset the zoisite, i do not think it would be happy to.. to see it ruined again."

he was quiet again, for a moment, almost surprised with himself at how much he was talking, even if he struggled. he gulped, hoping the drool would coat his aching throat and will him to talk again.

"I would still wish to help, to... to guard the forge. but i.. i am afraid of what might happen if i hurt the farm, or... or someone here. i don't know what to do, and... and so i seek your orders. what do i do..?"

he finished, voice broken. unlike others in the forge, equinox did not have an aversion to emotion, or a fearful urge to hold it back, confusing and sudden as it often was, tears visibly forming in the corners of his eyes in horrible distress. he did best to stand tall, however, and not whimper. he needed help, and he would not get it by sobbing in front of his boss. if you asked equinox, he probably wouldn't even say he was sad. he was frustrated.

if it was worth anything, he was still trying to be useful, atleast.

so, with inky tears threatening to coat and stain the fur below his eyes, he waited for his master to speak.

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Ahh, this poor bastard.

Some of them, Vargas knew, struggled with controlling Chaos. And for good reason! Chaos did not want to be controlled. It wasn't intended, it had never been intended, to submit itself beneath control.

And there was something particularly miserable about Equinox. The beast was a huge brute, powerful and shaggy, but its moroseness was obvious and its great size only lent it an even more miserable aspect.

Well, he could work with it; he'd see what he could do.

"Very well," he began, thinking. "Have you been stabilizing yourself, first of all?" he asked. First things first; they could get that out of the way, if it needed to be done. Logically, he knew it had been--it'd be dead if it hadn't, but--"How long has it been?"

@Equinox

Equinox thought, with a rumbling sniffle, of the last time they stabilized.

"i.. i believe it was... it was earlier this cycle, master vargas. i-i think..?" he said, unsure. he knows he's been distracted and that he hasn't been here alot, but.. but he could've sworn that he has.

"If you advice i do so again, i.. i can.." he said

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

"It would be wise to begin with that," Vargas confirmed, and he seemed easygoing enough. He turned, nodding toward the Black Spire. "Come, and as we walk, tell me if there is something else you might wish to do."

Vargas started off that way at a slow and unhurried pace.

He'd see, first, if the blue beast had any requests. And if it didn't? Well, he'd have to think about it. Violence could be an outlet, yes; but it could also drive the chaotic urges higher, like feeding kindling to a flame.

Many Valkhounds, he knew--the Corrupted variety, at least--held such battles within themselves. As a creature born of Light, Vargas had no real firsthand experience--but plenty of observational.

I should ask Draconua for advice, he thought, amused--if only to see what her screaming answer would be.
Not to expect anything useful, no. Draconua didn't strike him as the sort who'd ever, once in her long life, tried to actually control her urges.

As an afterthought, Vargas glanced to Equinox, and asked: "What magic do you know? -This may be relevant." Chaos, he knew, manifested itself in different ways; and each facet held different drawbacks and effects.

@Equinox

Equinox nodded and followed, and if he was listening vargas might be able to hear several joints pop. ouch.

"... i had an idea a few cycles ago, but... but it was not relevant till now. i will attempt to explain it..? hm."

he coughed, readying to speak.

"..i still wish to protect the forge, but.. i see that more of us have been wandering outside of this cave, and... often alone. i thought, maybe, that... that it would possibly be a good idea for he ones with more.. vulnerable jobs. messengers, spies, assassins, to have protection." he spoke as they moved to the altar.

"Most of them are small. this is not a flaw. but others in the caves, ones that might be of interest, are often... not. they are usually big. not as big as you and me, but... bigger than someone like overseer cain, or the new v-chaos-eight. if something were to go wrong, while they are both incredibly strong, if they were overpowered by sheer size, it would be.. problematic." he spoke, hoping he made sense.

"this is not a slight to the overseer's abilities, they are just an example of the smaller ones." he clarified, nervous.

"If i were to be nearbye, if something were to go wrong, then.. then perhaps we could lessen the chance of incidents such as that ending in ways that would hinder the forge massively."

he coughed, hacking. his throat was so DRY.

"... if you do not mind, master vargas, i will need to drink water when we are finished talking. it seems it slipped my mind the past day or so.."

"as for the magic i.. i do not know. i think its... fire..? im not sure."

@Vargas

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas listened, quiet.

It wasn't a bad idea, as far as ideas went. He wasn't sure if it would do much to stifle Equinox's chaotic urges, but they could see. "It may be worth consideration; but I would need to be able to trust you to obey them. If that means they tell you to stay back, so as not to compromise their mission, you could not decide--on your own--to follow. And so forth," he went on. "I also will not command Overseer Cain to bring you if it does not wish to. I trust it enough to decide whether protection would be welcome or a burden to it."

The mention of thirst had him wondering, and he paused, searching for a divot in the floor. I do not suppose you're willing to help one of your beasts, for a moment, he thought, the words directed as if in prayer to the Creator. He felt a trickle of magic, of entirely the wrong variety, and sighed--moving on, then.

He stopped before the Black Spire. "Drink, when we are done here, of course." Draco wasn't exactly full of water; the creature would need, he thought, to go back to Pegasus for that. Unless--"There may be water stored near those structures, over there," he added, nodding off toward the half-built buildings against the back wall.

Fire-... Hmm. He didn't think it affected much; those he knew with chaotic flames ranged from tightly-controlled (like Esther) to absolute shitting lunatics (see: Draconua and Chaos-One). "I see," was all he murmured, thoughtful.

@Equinox