Backdated to right after [Quest] Requisite Stuff (June 12)

Yellow had lived in Eridanus for so long without venturing outside that the glow of Polaris seemed fresh and strange to them, and the buzz of magic almost uncomfortable. But it was on the way to Gemini, whose rift they wanted to visit and whose Hive node they wanted to check on, so they were here despite the way the Spire's crackling made their skin crawl.

Also, they had their gun with them. Just in case. Because what had happened the last time they visited Polaris and Gemini hadn't exactly been peaceful.

It was a shame that Polaris seemed to reject Mother's presence, they thought as they crept along a riverbank dotted with crystal outcrops and glowing mosses. A shame that it could not be made safe and Orderly like the other rooms. Because it was beautiful, when they could get over the sinister feeling that kept prickling at them. Almost like the scenes of rainbow fractals viewed through their kaleidoscope. Yellow tried to imagine what it might be like if Polaris too was made a safe haven of Order. What kind of symmetrical pattern would the Crystal River meander in? What kind of branching fractal arrangement would the crystals-

Oh. Oh no. What was this? A messy tumble of rocks and scratched-up earth and moss, like someone had barged through and flipped them over without a care in the world. Why could people not take care of the caves and pick up after themselves? Without even thinking about it, Yellow bounded over and began rearranging the mess of crystals, setting them down one by one in a careful, radially symmetric pattern, and smoothing over the disturbed soil with their small palms. It would only take them a moment to fix this, they thought, and then they could continue.

guess who forgot they paid real life magicka for a second posting table almost exactly four years ago! anyway here's its debut. enjoy it, because yellow certainly won't

Fourteen still hadn't technically earned the right to roam freely, yet, but it figured that if it just so happened to linger a bit in its journey back from Canis, nobody would even notice. Or care if it did, honestly. It wasn't like Fourteen was particularly noteworthy in any regard, aside from its parentage.

Polaris was fascinating, and just being in the cave energized Fourteen in a strange, almost intoxicating way. The room was bright too, in a way it found a bit exposing. It was used to stalking prey in the shadows before striking, after all, and that was hard to do if there were no shadows.

And, speaking of prey...

It noticed Yellow a couple yards off, hunches over some dirt and fidgeting frantically with something. It has been taught, among other things, some of the warning signs of Mother's infection. It was the duty of the Chaos Forge to fight against Order's influence in the nest, after all. It was hard to tell at a distance what exactly they were obsessing over, but it was a tad suspicious, regardless.

But what really intrigued it the most was that strange, angular object that they carried with them. It had never seen anything like it, and it had no idea what it's purpose could possibly be.

It had MEANT to wrap the darkness tighter around itself, so it could sneak up closer to the sifaka and observe their strange behavior more closely. But what REALLY ended up happening is a brief blinding beam of light emitted from the valkhound, briefly stunning it and almost certainly drawing the attention of whoever may be nearby.

@Yellow

Suddenly, light flashed from the corner of their eye, bright enough that it might've blinded Yellow if they'd been looking directly at it. They whirled around, and were greeted with the sight of a-

"VALKHOUND!" Yellow shrieked with sudden, potent rage. It was unmistakable. They knew it at first sight: those neon-tipped spikes, that purple color. That FACE, THE FACE OF A MONSTER WHO HAD BURNED THEIR HOME. THEY WOULD NEVER FORGET. Its own memories of Draconua in Eridanus mixed with a memory seen through the eyes of a dozen siblings of similar-looking beasts that had hurt them and maimed them and wanted to kill them. And now Yellow was out in the open, without trees or cover to run into and climb. There was no doubt in their mind that the valkhound had meant to use some kind of magic on them, to hurt them or to scare them or to kill them. Its vicious features looked built for murder, its form big enough to crush Yellow under a single claw. They probably were barely big enough to get stuck in the valkhound's teeth.

Their small body trembled violently, their eyes locked onto that plated face and those neon eyes and those massive jaws, but- they weren't the same small, helpless sifaka they had been before. They had magic, and they had Mother and their family, and they had--

A gun. Their small hands seized the cool metal weapon and they pointed it right up at that despicable, glowing face. Their fingers pulled the trigger with a vicious determination.

BANG. Yellow shrieked in shock. It was like something had suddenly shoved their arms. They were thrown back by a powerful, sudden force, their ears ringing. They scrambled back to their feet, clutching their gun, which was smoking slightly and giving off an acrid odor. Had it worked? Had they hit that monster!?

ROUND 1/?

100%

ATTEMPT: gun.
DEFENSE: none
INJURIES: none

@V-Chaos-Fourteen

Fourteen was still reeling from embarrassment [and having all six of its eyes blinded] when a shrill shriek pierced its ears. Even with its eyes blinded it could still sense Yellow's heat signature, although it lacked the precise detail of sight. It could see them tremble in fright as it began to close the distance. Then they held up the strange metal object- a sharp cold shape in the surrounding warmth. Fourteen tensed, unsure what the little lemur was planning. Then-

BANG!

Heat. Smoke. Pain.

Fourteen is too startled by the gunshot to have any time to dodge the bullet. The bullet lodges in its chest, just narrowly missing anything vitally important. Toxic green blood spurts out of the wound in time with its rapidly humming heart. It pressed one clawed hand to the wound, its breathing rasping as it just stares at where the lemur had landed.

What the fuck was that? It definitely wasn't magic, but how could something mundane be so powerful? And how could it possibly dodge something that struck so quickly?

Hiveminded or not, it had to kill this creature. It had to figure out whatever that object was. It had to get revenge- Fourteen would look like a fool if it got defeated by such a small, pitiful thing, no matter the power they wielded. It lurched into movement, the hand that had been pressed against it's wound leaving a vivid green handprint. Blood splattered readily across the ground now that nothing was stemming the flow of blood. It was still reeling from shock and pain- if Yellow ran now, it was doubtful that it would catch up to them.

Or, of course, they could finish what they started, and make sure this monster never hurt anyone ever again.

ROUND 1/?

ATTEMPT: dodge gun.
DEFENSE: Quills.
INJURIES: Shot in the heart (and you're to blame)

@Yellow

Yellow stood there frozen, staring with a mixture of shock and fascination at the neon green blood that spurted from the wound on the Valkhound's chest. It worked...? Of course, it was supposed to work. That was what they'd asked the Collector for, something that would for sure work without the uncertainty of magic. Still, it was stunning to see such a small weapon inflict this injury on something so big, so quickly.

Then the monster removed its hand from its wound and lurched toward them, and Yellow snapped out of it. They couldn't believe it was still trying to fight after that. Didn't that prove just how mindless and dangerous Valkhounds were? That it was still trying to hurt or kill them when they'd just been minding their own business and defending themselves? Their hands shook and their heart raced. They couldn't get a good aim on it while it was moving like this and they only had 11 more bullets. They needed to buy some time.

Amber eyes locked onto the rocky ground beneath the Valkhound's next steps. Yellow pushed pressure magic into that patch of ground, gasping a little as they felt the surge of magic through them. As soon as its foot landed, it would be held down by the triggered trap, and they could have a moment to breathe, aim, and fire again.

@V-Chaos-Fourteen

ROUND 2/?

100%

ATTEMPT: hold Fourteen down with a trap
DEFENSE: trying to create one rn
INJURIES: none

Fourteen was breathing hard, jaws slightly parted as it sucked in each painful breath. Ending this would be so easy- it often killed lesser prey larger and more formidable than this tiny yellow thing.

Suddenly they're shoved to the ground by a unseen force. The impact knocks the breath out of their lungs and sends a searing jolt of pain through their chest wound. They're blinking spots out of their vision and gasping for breath, scrabbling uselessly against the trap like an insect.

Their magic lashes out, chaotic and desperate. Fourteen feels something take, feels the magic sink back into it's core and spark, but there is no noticeable effect. It does not feel stronger, nor does it wound begin to heal, nor does anything beneficial or even benign happen. In a couple days, after the disease finishes incubating, it will find out exactly what it just did to itself. If it's lucky, it might be able to infect Yellow and have a partner in its suffering.

The gravity pinning to the ground weakens and Fourteen staggers to its feet. Its less far confident than before. It considers cutting its losses, but cowardice isn't befitting of a valkhound. One way or another, it will finish this.

ROUND 2/?

ATTEMPT: ANYTHING
DEFENSE: Quills.
INJURIES: Shot in the chest, secret disease

@Yellow

The valkhound slammed against the ground, struggling like an overturned bug. Yellow grabbed their gun with both hands and lifted it up again. Maybe a past version of them would have taken the opportunity to flee, to hide, to just save themselves and get out of there. But they knew that that wouldn't save them. It wouldn't stop them from dying and it wouldn't stop their family from dying. They had to fight! That was the ultimate goal that Mother guided them all toward: united, they could fight the impossible monsters and win.

Yellow didn't know where the valkhound's vital spots were, so they just aimed for the biggest target, their torso. If the quills were any indication, at least, that wasn't a spot they'd want to get hit in. BANG! They were prepared for the gun's recoil this time, and just stumbled back several steps instead of falling, ears ringing and arms stinging from the sudden lash of force backward but furious eyes still fixated on the valkhound. The gritty smoke rising from the weapon scraped their throat as their breath heaved.

@V-Chaos-Fourteen

ROUND 3/?

100%

ATTEMPT: gun!
DEFENSE: none
INJURIES: none

It can recognize when the lemur is about to attack, now. It sees them fiddling with the gun, then raising it up, and Fourteen lurches forward to dodge the attack. Not fast enough. Pain blooms in its shoulder, causing it to stumble and falter. Its gait shifts into a pathetic limp, staggering as its blood patters a steady rhythm against the floor. Its odds of winning are steadily, infuriatingly decreasing. If this turns into a chase, there's no way it will be able catch up.

Its so incredibly mad, but fear is beginning to creep in. Even in ordinary circumstances being forced into chrysalis was an awful ordeal, but now it simply didn't have the time for it. It had to complete the collector's contract, to get involved in Nemean's stupid musical. If Yellow shot at it again, all of that was over- it would sleep straight through the deadline and awaken to the Collector looking for his dues.

"If.. If... this ends up chrystalizing me..." It rasps, "I will hunt you and tear your gem from your fragile little skull."

ROUND 3/?

ATTEMPT: Dodge Gun
DEFENSE: Quills.
INJURIES: Shot in the chest + shoulder, secret disease

@Yellow

The Valkhound's threat got to them. A bolt of instinctive fear tore through the sifaka at its hissed words, images of their own body crumpled in its jaws flashing past their eyes. Involuntarily, their heart skipped and their ears began ringing. Yellow screamed, incensed beyond what they thought they could feel by this betrayal of their own mind and body.

"I HATE YOU!!!!!" they screeched in a burst of rage. How DARE it threaten them like that? How DARE it hunt them like a helpless prey animal who could do nothing but give up and die? HOW DARE IT REMIND THEM OF HOW EASY IT WOULD BE!?

"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Each syllable exploded out of their mouth, amplified a hundredfold by magic. "YOU SHOULD DIE!"

@V-Chaos-Fourteen

ROUND 4/?

ATTEMPT: sonic boom that hatred right in 14's face
DEFENSE: none
INJURIES: none

It feels a deep satisfaction at how viscerally its threat effects them. Their scream of terror, the trembling and the wide, wildly fearful eyes, so much like a cornered wind hopper. Even if it loses this fight, it will at least be able to savor this tiny victory. Although is it much of a victory at all, for prey to fear predator? Isn't that just nature?

And then, that fear turns into rage. Deafening, eardrum-bursting rage, shouted so loud it can barely even decipher the words. It growls- it can't hear it, but it can feel the rumble mimic it's simmering anger- and after a stunned moment it lunges forward.

Its ears are ringing, but it doesn't need to hear to tear them to shreds.

Its magic is uncooperative, and the bloodloss and pain is dragging it down quicker than it'd like. Its looming over Yellow, ready to tear her apart, with or without magic. But there's still a moment to act, to fight or flee, before those jaws come crashing down on her head.

ROUND 4/?

ATTEMPT: Stab with bones
DEFENSE: Quills.
INJURIES: Shot in the chest + shoulder, secret disease, deafened

@Yellow