The bugs had gotten infuriating. Several times over the past cycles, wallcrawlers had fallen on Rue, hitting them on their head or back. Others climbed up their legs, attracted by the gleam of their oiled stone. And they'd heard other members of the Forge complaining about them too.

Eventually, someone higher up had put their foot down and said they needed to be culled. And as much as Rue was the rebellious sort, the permission to tear things apart (even little millipedes) was all the encouragement needed.

"Come here, buggybuggybuggy," they chitter, clambering over a rock to look up at a wall covered in the pests. Some start to skitter away, spooked, but others - the larger ones, clad in black, not green - turn towards Rue.

The kornerupine glares at them all, and their magic lashes. The wall cracks a part, shattering into dark fragments. A bunch of the wallcrawlers loose purchase, and some are crushed under the rubble. The hybrid grins, watching them writhe.

open thread themed around dealing with the wallcrawler infestation in Draco

He wasn't entirely sure where he had found himself during his travels, but he fucking hated it more than anything. There were so many little creepy crawlers moving around his feet every time he walked, and while he was no where near a squeamish individual, that didn't mean he particularly enjoyed dealing with them either.

He scowled and lifted his paw to try and squash them, only to hear a loud crack sound not far away. He raised an eyebrow, instantly on alert as he moved closer, moving past a nearby wall, lifting his head as he noticed another, seeming to enjoy killing the same little creepy motherfuckers he was already hating.

A small smirk crossed his lips for a moment as he watched, not announcing himself but also not going out of his way to hide his presence either.

There are still a lot of the millipedes, scuttling every which way. Rue's eyes follow, darting between them, following a couple skittering together. "Stop running!" they hiss, as if the wallcrawlers could even comprehend orders, let alone follow them.

They'd urge their magic forward, but it flares up in green and violet sparks. And then one of Rue's forelimbs metamorphoses into a writhing, boneless tendril. Landing face first on the floor. Rue's left flailing, their own limb smacking them over and over.

If they'd look up, they were right in front of Rajani. The hybrid, though, is a bit too preoccupied to do so.

@Rajani

This creature before him was clearly off in their own little world, not really paying much attention to the things around them that weren't the little critters they were clearly trying to exterminate. He raised an eyebrow, the blatant idiocy doing nothing but acerbate his annoyance. Guards or not, there was no reason someone should be so out of it that someone could be right up in front of them like this.

Woah there. He said simply, not bothering to take a step back, simply raising an eyebrow as he watched them. Pay attention. He said simply, flicking his gaze over their form curiously for a moment before glancing over at the little creepy crawlies that scurried around them, trying to survive the massacre this creature was bringing upon them.

Rajani's voice gives Rue reason finally to look up, and their face immediately blanches to the realization that someone is watching them flail about. "Oh," they blurt, aware they very much have let their focus slip.

Sure, this was some stranger - I don't think they're a part of the Forge - but if this was Vargas or any of his Proven, Rue would likely be getting an earful.

The tendril formed from their wild magic slaps them in their face again, and they take that as a queue to do something about it. Forcing their magic into it, they manage to at least gain control, forcing it to move the way they want it to. It'll take a while for it to return to completely normal, but this'll do.

Rue roll over, standing back up, in the attention stance drilled into them. "Rue, designation V-Kornerupine-One, yesyes," they declare, missing everything but the salute.

@Rajani

He blinked slightly in confusion, taking in their body language and the way they spoke, it certainly was.... odd. But who was he to question it? At least not at this exact moment. Right... Rue.... Because there was no way in hell he was going to say all of that. What doing here? His tone was deep and low Russian accent, his words a bit choppy like he was still learning the language. It wasn't the language he hatched with, which had seemed rather counter productive, but he was a fast learner, so he was getting there.

He flicked his gaze over to the critters they had been attacking, only to glance down at his paws as one started to crawl towards him and he growled softly to himself, picking up his paw and pulling away, wanting nothing to do with it.

They also take note of Rajani's voice - but they don't pay it any further mind beyond that. Rue had met plenty of Gembounds, with plenty of distinct voices. And... well, it was one to talk when it came to forming coherent sentences, especially with the corruption whispering in their ears.

"You are not of the Forge," they'd state, finally feeling confident to clock their observations as fact. "This is grounds of the Chaos Forge. Me, one of them." Their explanation would probably justify the guards Rajani had to pass, for one.

They'd turn to the insect skittering closer when Rajani inches away. They'd try to do something with their magic, to rip away at what was in the wallcrawler... but nothing would happen. To Rajani, the hybrid would just be death glaring at a millipede that doesn't care. Stupid bug.

Turning back to Rajani with a huff, Rue would continue. "Those are pests. Keep causing trouble. Was assigned dealing with them, as my business." If only it was going better.

@Rajani

He nodded slightly at their words, flicking his gaze over his shoulder at the guards that he had passed. Turning his attention back to them, he raised an eyebrow as he saw them just..... staring. Gonna glare it to death? He mused, a mild look of amusement on his face.

However at their words, he would flick his gaze back down to the bug. Could help for price. He offered, not bothering to add what said price would be. Not yet at least. No, first he wanted to see if it was something they would even consider. It was no skin off his back if they didn't, he didn't have a reason to help if he didn't get something out of it anyway.

]

Their magic doing Absolutely Nothing is already infuriating, and Rue is not exactly a fan of having a live audience commentating on that. "If you want to try, be my guest!" they sputter in defiance, crossing their forelegs (one still a inky tendril).

But of course, Rajani won't do it for free. Great. Just great. They half want to somehow smack that smug grin off his face, but then Vargas would be mad at them and it would be a whole thing and it'd be a pain. With a frustrated huff, they turn their head away.

Rue cannot speak for the Forge, cannot promise anything from Proven. But then they get an idea. It can't give anything but from themself. But maybe they can offer something.

With a nudge of magic, one that thankfully actually happens, a gleaming banana pops into existence between the two Gembound. Rue would then gesture to it, offering. "It is tasty. Can make a few more."

@Rajani

He snorted softly at how annoyed their got, but made no move to help them. Not yet. Like he said. Payment.

However he certainly didn't think said payment was going to be in the form of this... fruit. He raised an eyebrow and lowered his head to sniff at it, cocking his head to the side for a moment. What the hell was this?

It didn't seem to be poisoned by scent, and they said it was tasty, so he figured why the hell not. If nothing else, he could at least cut them before he died if he started to feel woozy.

With a flick of a glance up at them, a warning that this better not be a trick, he would picked up the item and ate it in just a few bites, thinking for a moment. Yes, this could work. Whatever this was was rather good, he could use more of them. Very well.

He would glance over at the bugs that they had been previously fighting, walking over to the wall that was covered with them. While he didn't have any flashy magics like they did, he did have his massive paws and would lift himself up on his back legs, slamming his large paws onto the wall, crushing a bunch while sending others falling to the ground and scrambling from the force.

His paws were much bigger than hers, even with his younger age, but it was a start. Little by little he would continued to do this, crushing them with his paws. What do they do anyway?