Open to: all SoS, all awakening Hydra trial chars, and anyone who doesn't mind getting their asses kicked for trespassing

He'd been running Beatris through flexibility tests today. The last week or so had been tests with food, digestion; it had been Doctor's idea to see how both food and ambient temperature affected things.

Vargas hadn't noticed much difference in outcomes, bar that she seemed a tad hungrier in the cold--but she was growing sicker, and sicker, and required Doctor's magical attentions more and more.

The cave was unkind to Beatris. She didn't, Vargas surmised, have much time left.

Today, though, the Trial survivors were due to begin hatching. Though the Sentinels stood alert throughout and outside of Tunnel P, he was irritated, irked, at the timing of it. If only he had known that Lord Dhracia would come-... He could hardly afford this distraction.

He lifted Beatris' arm up again.

"Tell me again; how variable is the flexibility among your species?" he asked, turning his mind back to his work.

Garnet-Delta continued to sweep endlessly back and forth from the Hydra to Canis, swapping patrols with its Commander or its hatchmatches on the regular. It hadn't gotten much sleep regardless of whether it was on patrol or not, but that didn't bother it much.

It steered clear of Two, for good reasons. Ever since its magic backfired on the humanoid-hybrid, the cat got the creeps just looking at it. Better to keep its nose out of what Vargas was doing. It didn't need to screw up anything further.

Thankfully no one had really caught on to what had happen. Garnet-Delta swept back toward the entrance to Hydra, where several chrysalis stood like graves. They were bound to hatch any day now, so Garnet-Delta slowed its flight as it circled over them, keeping a careful eye on them.

Swearing

Her eyes snapped open and pupils narrowed before a clawed hand snapped out and crushed the side of her chrysalis, fingers flaring out before closing and retreating. She rustled within before slamming her body into the wall and tumbling out in a splash of gross, wet fluids and new body parts. She lay still for a few moments, panting, gasping for air that she hadn't needed in so long.

Morgan slowly stood up, shaking as she suddenly let out an enraged roar, anger not forgotten, "WHERE IS HE?!"

Her eyes glanced about, hackles raised and eyes pale as they reflected light off of them. She seemed to relax as she realized that the Merchant was gone, and swallowed, jaw clenching. She wiped her eyes with the back of a paw and sat down, shoulders hunched as she turned to wait. She remembered waiting ever so patiently for the youngest of their group to hatch. Oren, Sora, Pumpkin, Simon-

It stung to think of who she thought as her little boy. The tiny little nope-rope she'd carried around everywhere because he needed the warmth, and then the comfort. Tears welled up and she lay down close to the familiar chrysali, setting her head on her paws. She grieved quietly, tears slowly falling down her face as she sniffled and whimpered.

Bitterly, she ignored Vargas. The bastard didn't deserve her attention, not when he'd left them to die in the darkness, when he could have helped. He could live a thousand lives full of suffering and ass-cramps and it still wouldn't sate her hatred towards him. Towards everyone that could have helped and didn't.

Sora had been semi-conscious for... well, she wasn't sure. Time wasn't real inside the Chrysalis -- she already knew that. She'd been in one before. But as she stirred, kicking out lamely at the chrysoberyl cage and shattering it with minimal effort, she realized that her body was... very, very different. Her wonderful, dark fur was all frosty-white like she'd never seen, and she was hyper-aware of her surroundings. Her ears were longer, and she had whiskers on her face. Even when she closed her eyes, she could almost see what was around her as long as she was making noise.

The only real problem was the fact that her left side was weaker in this ability, and it quickly became apparent why -- there was a massive honking chunk of chrysoberyl sticking out of her left ear. "Oh, come on," she grumbled, picking her head up with great effort and having to adjust for the weight of it. She was certain she was going to get a crick in her neck. Sora winced at how much more sensory information speaking gave her.

Meanwhile, she had taken notice of the massive creature from the Trial and another presence entirely. It was smaller, and bipedal, though Sora could tell it was weak, even from here. She squinted, noticing that even her eyes seemed to be glowing. Great. Now she stuck out like a sore thumb anywhere. She pointedly ignored Vargas and Beatris before going to make sure her siblings emerged okay.

Quartz awoke. The familiar semi opaque shell of their rose quartz tinted everything in shades of pink. Oddly calming. That was, until they heard the screaming from outside the chrysalis. It did not take long for the memories of the trial to invade their mind. A wicked, cruel thing. They kicked out at the chrysalis, with hooves(and a strange appendage they could not place) and the shell shattered. They were left in a rapidly draining puddle of fluid. They shook, their coat glistening with the fluid. Ru was back in tunnel P. Ru was safe. Until the next trial.

They recognized the pig and the hybrid from the trial. The pig had a hunk of their gem sticking out from them. The chrysalizing process had been rough on them. But they had survived. Ru had survived. Ru's gaze swept over the area. Their eyes caught the blur of a creature, flying above them. Ru squinted. It reminded them of a champion. Ru couldn't be sure of which, but the resemblance was there.

"Designation?" Ru asked them, idly. No matter what they answered, the spawn of champions was assured to survive for a while. Those who'd entered the trial, however...

Many were dead. Missing from the collection of crystals. Many more were still to hatch. Ru's ears flicked back. And that's when Ru noticed they had ears. Ru frowned. They would have to investigate themselves when they next got the chance. They did not think to speak to the pair, Sora and Morganite. They didn't exactly seem like good--or calm company. At least, not yet. The champion spawn was probably not watching for them. Ru was a champion--their loyalty was assured. They were not a risk. Observing the others, perhaps? They seemed....inclined to cause issues.

Ru gave them a quick glance, expression unreadable, before they left the pair there. Ru's legs felt stiff, and the trot did not come naturally. It felt like learning to walk again, after so long without chrysalizing. They had found a cozy spot in Monoceros that they wanted to get back to. As they moved further down the cave, a familiar massive purple monster was there. Ru stopped, hoof lifted. They had not expected the Overseer to remain, waiting for them. They were there with... a strange, thin skinned creature. Ru couldn't help but think something so flimsy looking was poorly fit for survival. But then why was it here....? With Overseer Vargas, no less.

"Overseer Vargas," The Champion said. Ru dipped their head in a short bow. Their brow held the same furrow as before. They had much to wonder. Much to ask. "You are...here."

pumpkin, slowly, regained his consciousness.

stronger, this time, he pecked his way out, falling onto the floor, padding out, atleast feeling.. refreshed, if anything else. his eyes were better, but stung still. he hopped over to morganite, looking up at them.

"can... i go.. explore? ....please?" he asked

Vargas turned as the first of the stones began to crack; and after that, perhaps a cascade of magic woke them all in rapid succession.

One of them shrieked--a leftover stray thought, Vargas guessed, from before the chrysalis and then--ahh, Quartz Five-Two-Four had awoken. It addressed him, and he grunted.

"Master Vargas," he corrected, but it was with utter indifference, tone mild. "It is good to see surviving Champions, after a feeding. I was surprised you chose to enter. -You have proven yourself many times over," he added.

Despite its odd shape.

Vargas still hadn't thought of much use for this one, but the claws were an improvement, and the ears were-... interesting? He paced forward, unhurried--ignoring the others--and briefly reached out to hold one of the ears, to test its thickness. He then dropped the hand and stepped back. "Interesting new assets," he observed; "I never know what he'll do next." The Merchant, perhaps.

Vargas looked around at the rest of the awakening.

"If the stones of your dead companions are still in Hydra they may yet be retrievable. I'd suggest you wake up properly before barging in there or you'll die," he added, bluntly, uncaring. "You can't stay here. We're busy." A quick glance reassured him that Two and Beatris weren't so far that any of these creatures could reach them before he could; and he looked to Delta. "Make sure they leave. Get me if there's trouble."

Yet... he didn't seem to mean Quartz, at least not now. He looked back at it, head tilting. "Tell me, Quartz. You had to have known what that was. Why did you choose to enter? And how," Vargas added, curious, "did you survive?"

@Garnet-Delta

They were hatching. Garnet-Delta swept down its wings, falling into a steady rhythm to remain hovering over the hatching chrysalis. The first, an ugly, small furry creature with horns-- and then the next, slightly stouter and stunningly white, with stone burst across its face. Garnet-Delta observed them closely from its high sweep above them, almost missing the third that hatched: a proven Champion, familiar but also a stranger to the Sentinel.

The amphious, deer-bodied creature squinted up at it, asking for its designation. With a cock of its head, it swept down to land before the Quartz, fur prickling at the long scythed claws that had replaced their hooves. Between that and the nasty stinger at the end of its tail, it didn't want to get too close to the Quartz that had survived several Trials.

"Garnet-Delta," it answered shortly, nodding in greeting. The Quartz then addressed Master Vargas (incorrectly, but the Master would be quick to correct them; the new title was still rather fresh, after all.) Garnet-Delta's attention moved swiftly toward the next one to hatch; a small bird that looked like a snack than something that could survive something like the Trial. Tail tip twitching, it watched the survivors interact, ears swiveling back as Vargas addressed it. Glancing back, it met its Master's chartreuse stare, and blinked as it rose from its haunches. Right, escort mission.

It seemed Master Vargas had more important things to do, after all, as he addressed Quartz. Stepping toward the gathered survivors, it spoke clearly, "When you are ready to go," a slight terseness in its voice suggested it would not be particularly patient, "I will take you to Canis. You heard my Master, you cannot stay here." They had too much going on. It was on edge, and while it would have liked to have venom ready to go in case something went south, its magic was being fickle again.

Hopefully it wouldn't need it.

@Morganite and the others pff

The massive hunk of obsidian cracked, weakened; the half-conscious horse inside struggled weakly to free himself.

Covered in scars, now, he was battered-looking--all the moreso with his new dapple grey coat. Instead of smashing free, crashing up and out in some magnificent show of power, he half-fell, half-pushed himself out after a few moments' flailing.

He stood. Took blinking stock of his surroundings. He stood trembling, memories shooting through his mind--a reminder of what he'd endured... of what they'd all endured.

His gaze swung to the others who had woken. It fixed on Sora--she was white, and that reminded him to look over himself. Gray, this time, he thought dully, trying not to think too much about the scars now raking his fur.

We were slaughtered, out there.

Phosphorescent eyes raised back to Sora--and narrowed. "You were with them, weren't you-? But you didn't help any of them." Accusation, yes, but... the Champions never helped one another, did they? Not really. Gatto had explained that, at least in part. They were all like this--and after a moment Warrior just shook his head rather than continue.

He fired half a glance at Vargas, uncaring, and turned to trot toward Hydra--he'd get Vee, and they'd take that damn trip.

Before he actually died, this time.

@Sora (for visibility)

Charles woke up around the same time as the others, eyes blinking open to see nothing but darkness, the mostly opaque shell of his chrysalis barring all light from entering his prison. It only took a second for the memories to come racing back and for the fear to take him over in a flash. He jerked and kicked out with both his feet and wings, trying to get out of that darkness, back into the light. Stay in the light, stay out of the darkness. Stay in the light, stay in the light!

The chrysalis broke as the bird forced his way out, breathing a little too fast, glowing eyes stretched wide with terror. He flopped on the ground, a rush of amniotic fluid following after him, but he could breath again and there was light. Light everywhere. He was safe, safe from that cold and cruel darkness.

But not all of them could say the same.

With the memories of the dark came memories of the ones they'd lost. And not just his own family, but the strangers that had died so needlessly. A sob tore through his body but he quickly cut himself off before he could break down completely - others were here.

He looked up at the creature, the one that had been with the Merchant, calling himself Master Vargas and intense hatred took up his body. The Merchant....where was he, anyways?! Head whipping around, he tried to find him, that cursed WRETCH. But the cloaked figure was gone, not a trace left in the tunnel.

So it looked like Vargas was going to get the brunt of his fury. And the instant he said "feeding", Charles snapped. "Feeding? FEEDING?! You mean we were FED TO THAT THING?! What the hell is going on in here?!" He squawked angrily as he scrambled to his feet, tripping over his new claws, which he paid no mind to for the moment, too ready to lash Vargas with his tongue. "Are you working with the Merchent? Did you conspire with him to raise children for the purpose of feeding that horrible creature? You knew what he was letting in there and you LET IT HAPPEN?! You didn't help or warn anyone? YOU DIDN'T STOP US?!" He flapped his wings furiously, hopping forward, apparently not caring in the slightest that Vargas was , well, at least 20 times his size.

"YOU'RE SICK! All of you! My siblings are dead and rotting in those marshes! They cried at the very end! The darkness made them scream! It hurt them, it took their voices and tormented the living! And you're okay with this?! You don't care?! You just throw a bunch of kids in there to suffer and die for no reason, and YOU DON'T CARE?!" It caught sight of Delta and the humans (which Charles did not acknowledge as particularly strange - he'd seen stranger.) "OH, but as long as the ones you actually CARE about don't go in there, HUH?! No, no, it's fine if a bunch of random strangers go in, even if they have lives of their own, even if they have dreams and purposes and people they love! No, no that's fine, just as long as YOUR family doesn't go in!" He spat with disgust. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

@Vargas lol