Digimon Story: Rainbow Traverse -- Chp 13

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"Oh, well, um, as you might be able to guess, it's a very rare form of digivolving that involves the blessing of the Guardian 'Akua, usually through rigorous trials or sacrifices made in their name."

"Eyyy, I was right!" cheered Kukuimon.

Renamon smiled, crouching down in front of Wormmon, "And where can someone learn about armor digivolution?" she asked. Alemana then felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Though his partner was nothing but warm and approachable, he felt a cold edge beneath the surface. "Did you work at a heiau?"

Wormmon looked back at her, blushing. "You learn all kinds of things in the jungle, Ms. Renamon," he mumbled.

The vixen gave him a lurid smile, resting her chin atop the back of her wrist. "I see...!"

“Oh? Well I mean if you think about it.. Oboromon probably was one heck of a trial. I don’t remember us making any sort of large sacrifices to the Akua..” he said.. then he felt the hairs on his neck stand.. almost like hackles. Renamon was tense.. and her emotions were affecting him as well.. and he could see her body language and he could feel his own heart beat a tick faster. Her expression.. it was unsettlingly similar to Magatsurimon’s  at this moment.

(“Renamon.. what’s wrong?”)

("Nothing yet,") she thought. ("I'll let you know when there is~")

Oblivious to the secret war within, the others in the group could only share looks with each other as they observed the bizarre exchange happening in front of them.

"Soooo... can Renamon armor-digivolve again or not?" asked Ike.

Wormmon didn't spare a second to snap his attention away from Renamon and face the blond tamer. "Hm? I don't see why not," he said. "Unless she's offended the 'Akua since the last time she did it, she should be able to shift in and out whenever she pleases."

That answer didn’t sit particularly right with him.. but the playfulness in her tone at least helped convince him that she wasn’t particularly worried,. And that was good enough for him. (Well.. good!”) and he would look at Wormon

“Yeah? Does she need to do anything special to make it work?”

"Honestly, I've never even heard of a tamed digimon being able to armor digivolve before, so I'm just as in the dark as you are."

“Ah.. we’ll that’s fair.. we hadn’t even heard of it until recently when we encountered..” he then paused.. his expression pained for a moment.

“An adversary who was able to use Armor Digivolution. He was one of the most dangerous threats we faced at that point.. and I regret that we had to fight. If I could change one thing.. I would’ve tried to help him understand that we didn’t have to fight. I’m sure that we could’ve actually been Allies.. maybe even friends.”

Kukuimon waddled up to Al. "You have a good 'uhane, cousin," he said, sitting down. "Sometimes, it takes the greatest of courage to offer peace in times of strife."

"I dunno about that," said Ike, looking away. "Forgiveness is one thing, but trusting a guy that tried to kill you not once, but twice? Sounds like a recipe for getting stabbed in the back."

For the first time, Wormmon regarded Ike, the caterpillar's attention lingering on him long after he'd finished saying his piece.

Vivi took her glasses, wiping them clean with a napkin as Eyesmon materialized one for her to use. "Maybe we should try practicing it," said the tamer. "If we're careful, we can avoid being seen while working out the details."

Al would smile at Kukuimon and gently rub one if his leafy ears. “Thanks, Kukui,” he said as he looked up at Ike. “So are you saying that we shouldn’t trust anyone who isn’t our group, show no mercy? I can’t do that.. I don’t wanna be like the Green Lady or Varamon. Sure.. maybe some digimon won’t change… but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least try to find common ground. Besides, there are lots of Digimon who are good. Look at Kuku, Chamelemon, Gotsumon, Mach.. look at Wormy here,” he said motioning to Wormon “He’s a good guy.”

He would then give Vivian a wave of acknowledgment as he turned away from Ike. “Yeah.. practice would be a good idea! Right, Renamon?”

"That's not what I'm getting at," sighed Ike.

"It's okay, Boss," said Gazimon. "I know what you're tryin'a say."

Meanwhile, Renamon would nod to her partner. "Always good to practice," she mused. "Let's find a clearing and get Eyesmon to make us some cover."
Finding an ideal place to practice proved trickier than expected. The best the group could do was a place with a creek splitting it evenly in half.

"Deceptive Illusion!!" cried Eyesmon, conjuring ivy-choked boulders in the direction of the canyon. Even if only one third as durable as the real thing, an obstruction was still an obstruction.

"Thanks, Eyes," said Vivi, the tamer stroking her partner's back. "It's just about perfect."

The living shadow made no effort to hide the pride in her smile, raising her chin high above the group.

“I know.. sorry.” He then sighed as he looked at Renamon

“Let’s see how this thing works, yeah?”

———
And a shocking twenty minutes after the cover was created —!

“Agggh! Why can’t this thing work?!”

.. Alemana couldn’t figure out how to trigger the Armor Digivolution… and  they had tried some silly things. From having Renamon pump herself up with a number of “super hero” poses, to trying “imagine “ the armor materializing.. to numerous phrases. That was what he was trying now, holding the Digivice high over his head.

“Digi Armor, ACTIVATE!”

Nope.

“Armor Digivolution, power UP!” Complete with another pose for good measure.

Nada

“Uh.. uh.. Renamon, Henshin!”

Nothing.

“What the heck?! We just did it last night..!” He whined.. and in the back of his mind he felt that Ike was probably enjoying this WAY too much.

[...Gain +1 Inspiration]

"Perhaps we should try a different approach," reasoned Renamon, the vulpine doing a hand-stand atop a stack of rocks as she arched her back and tail into the shape of a crescent moon.

"Nah, I think you're really onto something here," said Ike, the nonchalant tamer laying on his side atop the picnic blanket with the others. "Maybe if you guys do it a little to the left, really synchronize with each other."

"And I thought I was the sadist," mused Malie.

The blond rubbed his knuckles against his shirt. "Hey, it took me and Gaz forever just to digivolve. Now Al and Renamon are falling ass backwards into a new digivolution? Better believe I'm taking this in while it lasts."

"If digimon had to go through this level of effort just to Armor Digivolve, it's no wonder the 'Akua discontinued it," said Vivi. "How did Stingmon manage to do it so fast and in the middle of a fight?"

"Maybe it's like a prayer," offered Kukuimon. "Or a ha'a."

"What's a ha'a?" asked Eyesmon.

"Hm? Oh, it's like a traditional battle cry or war dance."

Alemana would take a proper moment to appreciate the pose Renamon was doing.. and he took a picture.

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up while you can Pretty Boy” Al said with a small smirk as he came over to Vivi and Malie, curious as to what they were talking about.

“Oh, do you mean like those Maori war dance things?” He asked.. glancing over at Renamon. “And I don’t know how Stingmon did it.. didn’t exactly get the chance to ask him..”

As the group fell quiet, Wormmon craned his neck as he glanced down the spectator's row.

"...Actually, Mr. Alemana," he said. "If I may be so bold, when Renamon normally digivolves, what's the process like?"

He looked back at Wormon, his expression one of surprised confusion.

“Huh? Well bits.. huh, I’ve never had to describe it before.” He then turned to properly face the caterpillar as he knelt down to be more eye level.

“I don’t know .. I guess if I had to put it into words.. “ he glanced at Renamon before looking back at Wormon. “It starts as this feeling of trust. No.. that’s not quite right. It’s more than just trust, it’s like this utter faith that Renamon can do anything if we work together. Like the whole world could be against us and as long as I believe in her, give her my all… then we can take on the whole damn world and win. And then.. bam- she starts changing… and I can feel the power. It’s not just a feeling then.. it’s like that sense that we can take on the world? It’s like it becomes reality.” As he said this, his eyes again were drawn to Renamon.. staring right in her eyes.

“There’s more stuff too.. but it’s .. private. You understand right, Wormon?” He asked, reluctantly looking away from his partner

"Uh, private?" echoed Vivi, at which point Eyesmon's thousand eyes started to sparkle in the daylight.

Wormmon tapped a claw against his mandibles, contemplating the ground. "Well, if Armor Digivolution involves the 'Akua's approval," he reasoned. "Perhaps all you need is to do is use the same method but apply it with the 'Akua."