[Follows /showthread.php?tid=11676&pid=104750 ]

Doru tread on golden-clawed feet to the crevice that Archimedes had indicated. He did not know if the other followed him, but he assumed such to be the case.

Once, his parents had made four children, three of which were magically linked to Erasmus and three of which were Alek’s. Only the two which overlapped as both Doru’s and Erasmus’s hatched, however.

Yet, Doru and Bez were not what their parents had wanted, he was sure. He had seem the way Erasmus had at first frantically checked on the other chrysalis that Erasmus had made before giving up.

Doru had always had a feeling that perhaps they were extras, and the stone had been meant to be the one to hatch, really, for all that his parents were decent enough caretakers to the ones that did hatch.

This child would not have extras, and this child would have a caretaker even if it was not Doru.

He attempted to give life to the stone. It easily took, as if the stone had been waiting for magic. Perhaps it had.

Doru placed the stone down, soon a chrysalis of teal tourmaline would grow.

He watched it for a moment, then turned his back on it.

”Is there any knowledge you need from me before I leave, Archimedes? I should likely tell you about the venom it might possess, at least,” Doru asked, and then he stated.

@Archimedes

The Golden Charger was a few meters behind, and to the side. Its head was up, tongue flicking, and Archimedes still perched atop the very back of its neck as he watched. It seemed that the rat was waiting a respectful distance back.

At Doru's words he glanced up. "It worked?" he asked, curious. He supposed he'd see soon enough, if he stayed, but best to ask now. And then he was asked about the venom, and the like. He tipped his head in an acknowledging nod. "A good idea. Good to be aware of what a child might do lashing out, but moreso to teach them what abilities they hold." He paused, thinking. "And if there is anything else that you would like them to know... Or not know..?"

Beady dark eyes scrutinized Doru, not accusingly or the like, or even curious, but... intent. Would Doru wish this child to know its parent? Or would he wish it not to know, or did he not care?

@Doru

"Yes, it worked," Doru acknowledged. He felt odd, almost tempted to glance back at the stone to check it was growing into the chrysalis he knew it would. But there was no need. His magic had leapt from him to the stone with ease, and he knew it worked.

Perhaps it was some instinctual desire to wish to view what he created, but he was above such instincts. He had to be, because he would be a poor parent. There was still a burn on his side from when he had attacked a fresh calf gembound due to wounded pride. Without the innate ability to attach himself to it with affection, he would risk harming his creation.

And he wanted this one to grow up. "It is not a killing venom, it is meant to convince prey to relax, I suppose. From what I can tell, it creates a strong effect of euphoria, one that is likely addictive, from what I have observed. My parent who gave me this venom can only gain sustenance from blood, and if they catch and then release the same prey a few times, give or take, the prey starts willingly coming to them."

"I am an omnivore, but this child might be a carnivore, an herbivore, or like that parent of mine that consumes blood only, instead of some combination thereof. It could have gills, as well as glowing markings. It could have wings, or not. It may walk on four legs or two, have hooves or paws and feet of varying kinds or whatever. It may have fins, for all I know. Hopefully, it has lungs that can breathe air," Doru shrugged, hoping that covered the most of it.

"My magic is based on the mind and willing things to be, I believe, as I inherited it from Erasmus, who uses it in such ways. But I am not a magic user, so much. It may not be either."

He paused. "I would prefer you not outright lie to the child, and you may answer its questions as you like, within that parameter. Not that I will be there to stop you, regardless, I suppose. But you seem a gembound of your word."

It was so tempting to look back the more he stayed. "Any further questions?" He inquired, some tension in his form.

@Archimedes

Archimedes hadn't thought to ask Doru's element, and internally, he made a note to do so in the future, should a similar situation ever present itself again. He himself hardly used magic, and so it hadn't even been a consideration. "That's good to know. All of it," he clarified. He sat upright on the serpent's neck, thinking, and briefly groomed his own face again. It seemed more an 'I'm thinking for a moment' gesture than distraction, and when he sat back down he shook his head.

"That seems very thorough. I won't lie to them." And... 'Erasmus,' he noted, jotting that name down into his memory in case it ever came up for any reason.

Aloud, he attempted to list off the few things Doru had said, to fully commit them to memory. Tiny fingers with little translucent claws lifted to tick the things off one by one. "A possibility of addictive, euphoric venom," (and wasn't that interesting) "a few possible diets... I will try to prepare options for all of those; possibly gills, multiple possible locomotion types..." Archimedes sighed aloud as he realized the dangers posed if the child did not have lungs. Not that he was particularly knowledgeable on anatomy, but he understood, at least, that gills meant water and lungs meant air. "I will need to get some water here in case it doesn't have lungs. Hmm. I have time." He blinked off at the stone. It was a lot of "maybes," and quite a few "possibles," but there was no need to reiterate that. He'd need some preparations just in case, though.

As for further questions... he shook his head, eventually, looking back at Doru. "I have no questions I can think of, for now. Do you?" he added, tilting his head a little.

@Doru

Doru had tried to be thorough, and he was glad that Archimedes thought he had been so. It was far better to be thorough than not. It appealed to his pride, to be called such.

But it also appealed to something else, something that wanted this child cared for even if he could not do such a task himself. It was simply not within him, such a thing.

"About a cycle of time, if it hatches on time. It should. It felt like it took to life strongly," there was an odd note of emotion to Doru's voice that even he could not decipher.

"It will probably be air-breathing capable, but preparation for an alternative does not hurt. ...I am, glad, I think. That it will have you, when you give such consideration for practicalities," he admitted, turning away from Archimedes as well as the chrysalis as he spoke.

It was probably also good that the child was already a 'them' to Archimedes. It likely said something that the child was still an 'it' to Doru.

"If you have no further questions, I will leave now." Doru had a million questions and none, all at the same time, but they were not answerable questions, not really.

Better to leave, before foolishness took him over.

[Exit Doru, unless stopped]

@Archimedes

"Farewell," Archimedes answered, barely more than a murmur.

He watched Doru leave. He waited several long minutes.

Then, he turned, hopping down at last from his serpent to give the chrysalis a once-over. He sniffed it, touched it with his paws--yes, it seemed to be taking. That was good. "Now then, little one. Let us hope you will be useful." His voice was very quiet, his mind running over possibilities.

It was possible it was a trap, but he could ask the others to be here for its hatching. It shouldn't be difficult, really. Doru was right in that if it happened to inherit all those qualities, it would be a very useful child indeed. But if it didn't-? Archimedes was certain they could make use of it nonetheless, but he also knew that Doru was exceedingly overconfident in the likelihood of it inheriting all those traits. They'd be lucky if it did.

But he'd need to be prepared.

exit Archimedes