Digimon Story: Rainbow Traverse -- Chp 23

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Looking behind him, and then back to find BlackRenamon right in his face made him flinch and press into the wall.. a defiant glare on his face. That defiance was only skin deep; he felt vulnerable and even fearful alone with the creature. But he would hesitantly reach out.. touching her shoulder and pushing on it, hoping to convince her to back up- if only a little.

“You want to talk?” He asked, almost incredulously. There was a palpable malice about the creature.. but damningly he could feel genuine sincerity in her thoughts… it really seemed as if she didn’t actually want to hurt him. But he wasn’t certain that wouldn’t change in an instant if she felt like it.

“Well.. what do you want to talk about?”

Chuckling, Brena licked the side of his cheek, moving back as far as Al was willing to push. "Why, our future together, of course," she said, watching him with half-lidden eyes. "Can't exactly do that if we're getting interrupted. You see, I know what I said hurt you inside. We've worked so hard to save Waihona and the Big Isle, of course we have. Being the best means no rest, but you see, it's because of that very thing we should have the right to do what has to be done, without the moralizing pageantry. It hurts you, sweetie, and seeing you suffer hurts me too~"

("So why torture yourself more than you already do?") whispered her voice from behind Al's ear, again so strong an illusion as to make him second guess his senses.

She then spoke aloud. "What good will tiptoeing around issues do if those we swear to protect end up dead and gone? What worth is a code of conduct when the lives of thousands are on the line? The old me tried, and failed, to hold back so many times. Such hesitation can be deadly, yet here I am, forced to tell you why your guilt and fear is killing us."

He flinched as she licked his cheek, but when she started talking he listened.. and was alarmed by what she seemed to be suggesting. Not because he was shocked that any version of Renamon would suggest leaving their morality behind.. but because these were thoughts that he had contemplated, more than one occasion over the years before everything started going crazy.. and he was terrified of it. He remembered what sort of damage they could cause if they started acting with zero restraint: the fucking canyon he carved into Waihona’s face that was named in his honor was a perfect example.. how fragile would Hilo be in comparison if he started going full bore? But then he thought of how quickly they overpowered the creatures that menaced CODE’s little cyber base and ruined it beyond repair .. and he could see how effective they could be. CODE didn’t seem to have much that could stop them if they really wanted to clean house.. why not keep up the offensive until they found Lonomon?

He knew why: it would make Al and his friends enemies of the goddamn US of A.. they couldn’t fight an entire country!

Couldn’t they?

He shook those intrusive thoughts out of his mind and opened his mouth to speak.. only to gawk at her when she mentioned that his emotions were killing Renamon.

“I’m .. killing you..?”

The vulpine smiled, pressing her cheek into the palm of her hand. "You're our tamer," she said. "Through the digivice, the bond shared between human and digimon strengthens through emotions. What do you think happens when those emotions are self-destructive? It feeds into our data, destabilizing it." Sitting down beside Alemana, Brena propped her head against his, tracing a claw along his arm. "The transformation wrought by dark digivolution is agonizing," she said. "But only if you fight it. If I became your partner, you'd need never fear of hurting me or my other self. You'd never have to hide your pain away, bottling it like a grenade inside your heart."

("Let me set us free,") she whispered in his mind.

Those words felt like a knife being twisted between his ribs.. and he almost shied away from Brena as she sat beside him. He never wanted to hurt Renamon in such a way, never-ever.. and it made him feel even worse. But when BlackRenamon implored him to let her be his partner.. something occurred to him.

“..What happens to Renamon?” He asked quietly. “If I said yes… what would happen to her?”

"That depends on her, my love. But, if she truly cares - as I know she does - she'll step aside, and find a new destiny for herself, free to live a life unburdened by fear for you wellbeing." Brena raised a claw to Alemana's chin, guiding it till their eyes met again. "Isn't that what true love is?" she whispered. "To sacrifice in the name of that which you hold dear?"

“I see.. you are right about that.” Al said as he softly reached up to to pet her muzzle. “You love me too right?”

"More than anything in this world or the next," she said, bated breath teasing as she motioned for a tender kiss.

Al would lean in and softly kiss her.. gently massaging his fingers around her shoulders in a spot he knew Renamon absolutely loved. “So you’d accept if I chose her still..?” He softly asked… holding BlackRenamon close.

The vulpine froze, her body tensing up.

"But--but Aly," she said, a frail chuckle in her voice as she stroked the back of the teen's head. "We just went over this. Choosing her over me will hurt everyone more in the long run~!"

“I know you said that.. but I .. I don’t want to break her heart.. or your heart- or - or.. I don’t know what I mean..!”

"Of course! Of course!" she laughed, ruffling Al's hair as she smiled back at him. "You've been through so much today, you're tired! Here, why don't I give you some space? I'll make sure you're not disturbed, just stay put, m'kay?" Rising to her feet, the black vulpine took towards the sliding doors without a sound to her footsteps. As she parted the doors, she glanced over her shoulder back at the teen, a glint in her eye. "See you soon, lover boy~"

The doors slid shut behind her, and in silence, Alemana found himself alone.

“Where are you going—?” He asked, getting to his feet as she vanished into the darkness. With a concerned frown on his face he would wait a few minutes before approaching the screen.. attempting to slide it open

[Hmm... roll Perception.]

[Rolling: 4,2,4 + 9 = 19]