Malkavian Madness Network
Other Systems => Digimon: Digital Adventures => Topic started by: MrParaduo on August 11, 2022, 11:15:26 PM
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The storm would not relent. After moving both Hookmon and Hi-VisionMonitamon to the SS Paradiso's brig, one of the Sailormon mutineers brought Al and co. a phonebook. Nearby the door -- so both Kyubimon and Gargoylemon could listen in, the group either stood nearby or sat on one of two folding chairs around a crate. They loomed over the book, reading by electric lamp as they skimmed from page to yellow page.
"Stop!" said #81, startling everyone around him. He jabbed his finger at one name just before his crewmate could turn it over. "There's MachGaogamon's phone number. Think your digivice'll work down here?"
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Having those two locked up helped ease some of his tension, but Alemana was still slightly on edge. Seeing Ike and Gazimon finally digivolve successfully helped raise his spirit.. but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong- but he couldn’t put a finger on why.
“Well I could try.” He would take his Digivice up and input the number.
-
Booop... booop... booop...
"++Hello, MachGaogomon's office, secretar--++"
The voice was cut off. Somewhere in the background, Al could make out MachGaogamon's voice, then the sound of fingers (paws) brushing up against the receiver.
"++Aloha!++" said the cyborg, "++Mach speaking! What's your emergency? Is anyone hurt?++"
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“Oh yes? Hello. This is Troopmon.. we met earlier today. I’m calling because we have uncovered information that reveals the truth about what happened at the Arena regarding the attempted terrorist attack.”
-
MachGaogamon listened as Alemana explained everything that had occurred that night aboard Hookmon's ship, barring details that would betray the tamers' secret of being human.
"++Well hot dang, cousin! You being busy tonight'd be the understatement of the year! I'll be over in less than five!++"
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Well that’s fast. Nonetheless he would nod. “See you then.”
-
Outside, Kyubimon would hear something over the din of thunder and heavy rain, a distant *BOOM* that followed neither lightning nor conflagration. Ears perked, her attention turned skyward, and there, like a shooting star, a cyborg raced against the wind. In awe, she watched him land, kneeling with mechanized fist pressed against the deck, startling the shit out of Gargoylemon.
"Aloha, friends!" said Mach with a smile, the cyborg shooting a finger gun at the two Champions as he winked. "Room for one more?"
-
And Alemana Wouk’s leave that room, and would approach, gently reaching out to stroke Kyubimon’s side as he passed her. “Hello, MachGaogamon. A lot has been going on tonight.”
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"That's what I've heard!" he said, walking over. "Any chance we can all squeeze inside? Can't be fun hanging out in this weather!"
"Preachin' to the choir, there!" said Gargoylemon. "But, uh, wings're impossible with these doors!"
"I'll be fine," said Kyubimon, nuzzling Al's hand. "As soon as you're done interrogating them, we can move someplace easier to get inside of."
"In that case, I'll be quick as lightning," said Mach. "This the brig?"
"WOULD YOU GUYS SHUT UP AND GET IN ALREADY?!!" yelled Ike from the open doorway. "You're letting the rain get in!"
Laughing, Mach stooped under the threshold, his rocket boosters retracting behind him to avoid catching.
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And he would give her head a quick hug once Machwas through the door. “Ladies first,” he said with a playful tone in his voice.
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A wry smile crossed her lips as she raised an eyebrow at Al. She cleared her throat as she pointed her nose at the sacred ropes that made up her harness, then pointed to the slender frame of the watertight door.
"Go on ahead," she mused. "I won't be far."
-
“Oh,” he then laughed a bit and after seeing that no one was looking would lift his mask so he could smile bashfully. “Sorry,”
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"I love you, too." The nine-tails chuckled, licking the tip of her tamer's nose.
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To say his face was red would’ve been an understatement. He gave a half intelligible response before putting his mask down.. and he gave hef one last pat before going inside.
-
Back inside and safe from the rain, Alemana found MachGaogamon standing with his arms folded in front of Hookmon's cell.
"I had to see it with my own eyes," said the cyborg. "You look only half as bad as the digimon you've hurt, Hookmon. And that's just in Cypher Bay alone."
"Spare me your moralizing," said the captain. "Or have you taken to gloating for the successes others have made where you have failed?"
"I'm not gloating. I'm telling you what needs to be said. You may not be involved with the bomb on my arena, but you're still a terrorist that profiteered on others' misery."
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As interesting as this rivalry was intriguing… Alemana would speak up “As guilty as he might be and as bad of a person he proved himself to be.. I think the fact that Varamon sent a goon to try to steal from him is pretty significant.” He said reasonably. “Especially since we- and by we I’m pretty confident I mean me and my compatriots- have no idea what that device was or how it worked. So Hookmon.. if you can take it from the top: what exactly was that thing and what did it do?”
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"Hmph. Why should I tell you anything?" asked Hookmon.
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“For one.. we own your ship right now,” the boy said reasonably. “The other.. well you hate Varamon, we want to stop Varamon. That alone should be good enough for a.. gentlemon of your tastes.”
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[Hmm... roll Persuasion]
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[Rolling: 5 1 5 + 6= 17]
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The pirate scoffed, turning his back on the group. But after sitting down on his cell's cot, the only funiture to be had besides a moth-eaten blanket - and an honest-to-Akua chamber pot - a sigh growled from his unseen lips.
"...The astrolabe is a device me and my predecessor came across while traveling the Net Ocean," he said. "Forged from solid digizoid, it alone is able to bridge the gap between the multitude of different Servers that comprise the Digital World. For decades, mayhap even centuries, we charted the stars for Terra Incognita, shores yet untouched by the boot-treds of others. Since the interference, however, the device has proven useless, as you cannot sale through the portal it creates without a ship, and the Paradiso remains landlocked."
"Wait, portal?!" echoed Ike, only to rub at the back of his head. "Does that mean you could - uh, travel to places outside the Digital World?"
At this, Hookmon gave an icy laugh, sharp and mirthless. "Don't be ridiculous. Were it so powerful, I would rule more than a simple enterprise such as what I've built here."
"Still an interesting point," reasoned Mach. "If Varamon and the Green Lady got their hands on something like this, it would spell trouble for more than just Waihona."
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That caused Alemana to pause.. and he would then take a few moments to then say “Well.. if someone else stole this device, at least it’s away from the Green Lady for now. We still have to find them , though. Right, MachGaogamon?”
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The cyborg nodded. "No doubt about it, cousin. This just hit top priority."
"Hey, wait a sec!" said Ike, shooting a finger at Al. "I just remembered!"
"Remembered what?" asked #81.
"Gesomon! He said Hookmon had something that belongs to him!"
"Pretty sure that he's not the only one with that kind of relationship."
"I'm talking about a Ki'i!"
Mach's golden eyes flashed as his ears perked. Al looked up at the cyborg's face to see how the canine was gritting his teeth as much as showing them, almost in a silent growl whose intensity could shake mountains.
"Hookmon," he said, clenching his mechanized fists. "Is this true?"
"And what if I have?" asked the captain. "Do you intend on deleting me over it?"
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That caused Alemana to grow just as tense.. and he too would would speak up “No.. but we do need it. Something is happening.. and that Ki’i are monumentally integral to what’s going on. More importantly.. it’s not meant for you!”
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"I acquired it through a legitimate business transaction," said the crook. "If you have qualms about it, you should take it up with Gesomon."
"A kahuna would never trade away something as sacred as a Ki'i," said Mach. "What would have that'd ever be worth it?"
"Take it up with Gesomon," Hookmon repeated. "I don't make a habit of giving out client confidential information, not that you would believe anything I told you regardless."
Mach turned to face #81. "Show me the vault," he said. "Now."
The Sailormon shrank under the intensity of the cyborg's gaze. "Can do," he said, gulping. "It uh, it's right this way."
Ike shared a look with Al before following the two back outside in the storm, leaving Hookmon and Hi-VisionMonitamon under the watchful eyes of the other Sailormon present. When Mach stepped out, Gargoylemon went up to approach the cyborg but closed his mouth shut when Mach continued storming after #81.
"(Always liked this mon,)" he whispered to Kyubimon. "(Now? I think I'm in love.)"
The nine-tails rolled her eyes at her fellow Champion, but she couldn't fool Al. She was not interested in competition, nor did she think of Gargoylemon as such.
-
This caught him off guard, and he wouldn’t even give Hookmon another glance as he would trot out after MachGaogamon, worry starting to weigh on him. That weight would be lifted to an extent, however, when he got outside.. and felt that strange sense of territoriality towards the Kahuna coming from Kyubimon, which surprised him almost as much as the revelation that Hookmon had a Ki’i in his posession.
(“It looks like I have some competition, huh? I don’t blame you- he’s definitely something else!”) he thought to her- teasingly.
-
("I... don't know what you're talking about,") thought Kyubimon, holding her head high with eyes closed, as she walked along with the others.
Down inside the lower decks, the Paradiso had hallways designed with Champion level digimon in mind, allowing Kyubimon to dry off the last of the rain as a sudden cloud of steam by way of controlled releasing of heat. Much to Gargoylemon's chagrin, as he hadn't the time to fan his wings dry if he wanted to keep up with the group. Upon reaching the vault, Al was reminded of the ones seen in banks, a giant crank at the center of a door that dominated the entire wall of a room twice the size of any others he'd seen aboard the Paradiso. Several Sailormon were standing nearby, but quickly moved out of the way upon seeing MachGaogamon. The vault door was already ajar, but with barely a tap from the cyborg, it was ripped clean off its hinges to reveal a treasure trove worthy of a cartoon billionaire. Gold and silver coins stacked up like hillocks, with gemstones dotting them like lustrous wildflowers. And while the Sailormon all stared at the now ruined, adjacent wall through which the door had been tossed through, the canine cyborg climbed inside the vault.
The interior was bedecked with shelves and pedestals showcasing strange works of art, relics, and curios that Al had no names for. Maps lay in cubbyholes or tubes made from fine leather, while primitive weapons were set up to dominate an entire corner of the vault just by themselves.
"You know how much my folks back home could pay off with all this?!" said Ike, the tamer grabbing fists full of gold.
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Alemana would gently rest a hand on one of her cords in a reassuring manner, though his teasing continued. (Kyubi and Mach, sitting in a tree-“)
———
Upon reaching the vault- and moving a fair bit away when he wrenched the door from its hinges.. he would look around in wonder at everything… but he would snap back to reality when he heard what Ike was saying.
“Do you think treasure here would be valuable back home, though..?” He quietly asked, his tone uncertain. But even as he asked that question.. he would slowly reach into one of his zipper pockets- pulling his digivice out. Perhaps the Ki’i inside would react to the presence of another.. if it was here that was.
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"Why wouldn't it?" asked the blond tamer, though the strength in his voice wavered. He contemplated the doubloon in his gloved hand, brushing it with his thumb as he turned it over.
Ignoring the commotion outside, Alemana and MachGaogamon worked in tandem as they explored the room. The cyborg sniffed at the metallic, stale air, eyes narrowing as he stepped deeper in. Yet Al's theory bore fruit of its own, the tamer's digivice thrumming in his hand. It was barely noticeable, like the brush of a breeze or feather against the skin. The fact he was still wearing his Troopmon Deluxe made such an observation all the more interesting.
"Well I'll be," mused Mach, a smile melting away his steely complexion. "You really are a tamer..."
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“I just don’t know if their stuff is the same as our stuff-“
Alemana almost jumped as he felt it, and he would point his Digivice this way and that, seeing if it would have a stronger reaction… but he then would stop as he looked up at MachGaogamon. “Well.. I guess I should come clean. You’re right, I’m a Tamer, and Kyubimon’s my partner. That Troopmon over there is also a Tamer-“ he said, pointing to Ike. And a moment later- he would lift up his mask to reveal his face. “My name is Alemana Sonson.. nice to properly meet you-!”
-
The cyborg's gaze lingered as he stared at Al, chuckling to himself.
"Right back at you, cousin!" he said, giving the tamer a thumbs up. "Between this whole mess with the bomb and now Hookmon, you guys're starting to look like legends."
"That mean we don't have to worry about--one sec," said Ike, the tamer pulling his own mask free to take a breath of fresh air. "Does that mean we don't have to worry about hiding our faces anymore?"
"I doubt it'll ever be that safe, but, as a kahuna, I'm willing to vouch for all of you. You made the grade in my book."
As the talked, Al noticed the thrumming of his digivice grow or weaken depending on which way he moved. Using it as a compass, he would manage to reach a lacquered box on a shelf at the same time as Mach did, the cyborg pulling his hand back before it could intercept the tamer's.
"Care to do the honors?" asked Mach.
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Alemana would give a somewhat embarrassed laugh at that praise, glancing away for a moment. “Well I don’t know about being a legend- it was the right thing to do is all. We’ve had a lot of help along the way.” He said as he then gave a sigh of relief. “And that means a lot, actually. You have no idea how stressful the past couple days have been,”
And once they both he and the Kahuna found the box, the boy nodded and gently set his digivice on the shelf before opening the box, holding his breath.
-
Upon opening the box, resting within a velvet-lined interior, rested an effigy of deepest blue larimar. Like Kānemon's, it glowed with an inner light, like gazing up at a blue sky from beneath water. The Ki'i depicted a man with a tall, concave crown, almost like the net of a lacrosse stick. Yet at the same time, the Ki'i resembled a giant squid, whose tentacles wrapped around to form a robe. The two longest of them stacked over the front of his head, with one covering the face, and the other filling in the crown's concave. It was the exact same size as the other Ki'i, but was cool to the touch. Al could swear it was wet, yet he found no signs of condensation on either his hand or the sacred relic itself...
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He gave a sigh of relief, and would look at MachGaogamon “It’s here.” He said as he held it.. but he then looked at Ike. “Hey.. you mind coming here?” He asked, before looking back up at that Kahuna. “Sorry about this.. we just have to make sure of something.”
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Ike furrowed his brow, glancing between Alemana and the Ki'i. Reaching out, he touched the relic.
"Is something supposed to happen?" he asked.
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“Well if I’m right.. it should respond to you.” He said as he carefully put it in Ike’s hand.
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Everyone's attention fell on the Ki'i, with Mach crouching down, up close. When Al handed the Ki'i to Ike, there was a moment where the object seemed to pulsate, pushing away the tamers' hands like a polarized magnet. Yet just as fast, the magic was gone, with both tamers grasping the effigy for fear of it falling to the floor.
"Hmmm," said Mach, grubbing his chin. "I think I see what's going on." As the humans looked at him, he then pointed to the Ki'i. "Neither of you is worthy."
"Gee, thanks a lot," said Ike, eye twitching as he forced a smile on his face.
"Heh, don't take it the wrong way. Kanaloamon's hard to nail down when it comes to showing favor. He's gentle, though, so he won't smite you like Kūmon or Kānemon would for touching his stuff."
-
While there was a feeling of disappointment, he wasn’t entirely surprised. After all, they still had Malie to try. “Well that’s a given for me. It’s funny you mention Kanemon- I just so happen to..” he would then open Storage, and with some hesitation pull the Ki’i out and held it up for him to see it.
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Upon Al materializing the second Ki'i, MachGaogamon marveled at the sacred relic, his golden eyes shimmering like miniature suns as it glowed with heavenly light.
"That's the same light I saw back at the construction site!" he laughed. "I should've known you guys'd be involved!"
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“Wait, you saw the light?” Al asked, before glancing down at the glowing relic for a few moments. “I found this a few days ago. Well no, that’s not true. I was guided to it by Kanemon..”
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"I'm a kahuna! Of course I did! (Though I'm surprised it was Kānemon who chose you)," he said under his breath.
"What was that?" asked Ike.
"Ah nothing. You should be proud that the Akua have got your backs." The cyborg then closed Al's fist around the Ki'i, smiling to him. "Take good care of it," he said. "Not everyday you get an Akua on speed-dial."
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Not catching his musing for a moment.. he nodded before returning it to storage.. and he then looked at the blue Ki’i as well. “Well.. it definitely has been useful more than once! Hmm.. I guess we better go ask Gessomon if it would bd okay for us to borrow this one though.. doesn’t feel right to just take it.”
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Mach smiled. "You're a good kid, Alemana. Mind if I tag along? I need to ask him some questions of my own, like this business he had with Hookmon."
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“Heh.. I try to be.” And he then nodded. “Yeah, I don’t mind! But we do have to go get the third person in our group.. if Gessomon will let us keep the Ki’i I wanna see if it goes to her.”
-
"Lord Bucketmon, right?" chuckled the cyborg as he stood up. "No problem. Let's head on out then, while the storm's still young."
With no argument from anyone, the trio climbed back out of the vault to find the others watching the Sailormon work in vain to pull the wedged vault door from the nearby wall. Only #81 chose to leave alongside the group, despite the other crewmon ranting about the task at hand.
There was a lull in the typhoon winds. Al rode with Ike atop Kyubimon while Gargoylemon carried #81 through the night sky. Neither fox nor winged beast was as fast at MachGaogamon, despite the cyborg moving at a slower pace for them. To their collective luck, however, they made it to the site Sunny had mentioned back at the arena. Not far from the Peace Center's construction site, just before an overlook with a telescope built into the ground, they found the tidepools that marked Gesomon's territory. Waves crashed against the coast, spraying saltwater as far as the street. Signs poke-marked the area, warning against littering, loitering, and using the pools as toilets. A pier of wood and stone led further into the sea, but had no guardrails, or means of protection from the high tide crashing from all sides.
"This is it!" yelled Ike, having put his mask back on. "All you gotta do is jump over the far end of that pier!"
-
Clambering back on his partners back, he would reaffix his mask and would pat her neck. “Let’s go, hero work is never done.” He joked as they then followed Mach Gaogamon.
___
“Great, this should be easy then!” Alemana called out, holding tight on those cords.. looking at Kyubimon. “Ready to jump?”
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"If this is a joke, Iakopo, you and I'll have words," warned the nine-tails.
"Huh, first time someone's call me by that na-AAAAAA!!"
Kyubimon raced the wind as she charged forth, taking the two boys for the ride of their lives as the others followed suit! A moment's weightlessness... and the crash of water all around as the trio hit the water. Even with the light from Kyubimon's foxfire, darkness covered everything. Alemana could feel Ike's grip pushing back and forth as Kyubimon began to swim, he could hear something heavy break the surface behind them, and then another after that. But then there came a shift in the current, a pull to one side. As the group swam deeper, they soon realized what was happening: they were caught in a whirlpool!
[Roll Athletics]
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“Wait wait wait, we actually have to jump into the Wa-!” And they were in the water.. and Alemana held on as best he could!
[Rolling: 2 6 4+ 5= 17]
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Holding hard and fast, Alemana kept his grip on Kyubimon's harness, keeping both him and Ike from flying off the nine-tails as she swam along with the current's pull. Down they went into the abyss, down, down, down! The speed at which they raced brought them spinning, spiraling, falling!
Falling?
Screams filled Al's ears as he felt air rush past him. Kyubimon's body became incandescent white as she digivolved back to Renamon, illuminating the blue ground that was fast approaching. But the tamer felt something wrap around his waist. His vision blurred as he flipped over. Then felt a soft but sudden stop in momentum. Looking up, he saw Renamon's arm was wrapped around him, the other around Ike.
"That could have been ugly," she said, lowering the two down. Touching the floor, Al found it was glittering blue sand. Everyone then looked up upon hearing MachGaogamon's familiar jets firing off, the kahuna holding both#81 and Gazimon in his hands.
"Ugh, this sucks," groaned Gazimon. "Already back to normal."
"Shut up," said 81.
-
He closed his eyes.. but when he didn’t splat on the ground he would let a sigh of relief leave his lips “Thanks, Renamon.” He said as he looks around at the sandy environment. “How come you de-digivolved?”
-
Renamon inspected her paws. "I'm not sure."
"Here, I can explain," said Mach, easing his passengers onto the dune. "This is a Domain."
"What's that?" asked Gazimon, still busy squeezing the seawater from his ears.
"Domains are places where digimon have imbued some of their power into the land, giving them control over it. Having the power to force digimon back to their natural levels is a common effect of places sacred to the Akua. It helps prevent dark evolutions from endangering such places, but I suppose it's also a problem if you're partnered with a tamer, heheh."
-
“Huh.. well that’s odd. Anyway, let’s go find Gessomon!”
-
Despite the lack of light from above, the large cavern in which the group stood in was illuminated by a pair of lanterns made from living coral. The coral grew from the walls, flanking the only visible exit. And so the group marched on, with Ike and Gazimon leading the way.
"I'm curious to know," said Renamon to Mach. "Do heiau count as Domains? The one we found on the way here had no such restrictions, from what I can tell."
"Ah, a very good question!" mused the cyborg. "While a heiau should technically count, Domains require a digimon to create and maintain them. The heiau you guys visited along the Codec River's been abandoned for a heck of a long time."
"Did you know the kahuna?"
"Nah, that was way before my time. Not sure what happened to them. Heh, come to think of it, I haven't been outside the city in years."
Renamon nodded. "It's been chaos since the interference," she said. "Even before it hit, Varamon and his tribe have made it dangerous to stray near the riverways. I was lucky to live in the highland forests, though it was far from anything perfect."
"Kumon teaches us that life is a battle," said Mach. "Even during times of peace, there'll be challenges that come your way. The best you can do is be ready for them, and give it your all."
-
“I wonder what they were like.. I hope they were at least half as cool as you, MachGaogamon.” Alemana chimed in, staying close to Renamon’s side as the group traversed the cave, looking this way and that and admiring the oddly soothing shades of blue that surrounded them. “How long have you been Kahuna anyway?” He asked, before glancing at Renamon now.
“And you barely ever talk about your life before we met, so now I’m curious to hear more-!”
-
Renamon chuckled, ruffling her tamer's hair with a paw. "I'm sure you are," she mused.
"Oof," said Mach, throwing his head back. "Feels like forever. I wanna say it's been a couple millennia at least."
"Millennia?!" echoed Ike. "How long do digimon live for? We're lucky if we can get to be 90!"
"From what I hear, Digimon are different from anything you guys have in your world. The data that makes us up doesn't deteriorate as fast as... what's it called... Deenay?"
"DNA?"
"That's the one! But yeah, unless we're deleted, or starve, we can live almost indefinitely."
"I never considered how old I was," said Renamon. Tapping her chin, she looked past the floor, deep in thought. "But if I had to guess, I'd say I'm about... 14?"
-
Alemana was stunned, his brain struggling to comprehend living for that long. “I bet you’ve seen it all then, huh?” He asked lamely, unsure what else to even say in response. With Renamon though, his jaw almost dropped.
“You’re only two years older than me?!”
-
Renamon slowed to a stop as she looked at the boy. "Well, yes," she said. A lurid smile then crossed her face. "What did you think I was?"
-
His face would flush a little darker behind his mask- and he would look down while kicking his foot against a rock. “You act like you’re at least sixteen, maybe even older-“
-
The vulpine laughed. "That's the price of living with Kuku. Someone has to be the adult in the room." Her eyes then narrowed as she leaned forward, smiling. "Right, Alemana?"
-
And his eyes widened , her nose just inches from his mask. “C-come on, cut it out..!”
-
"Cut what out?" mused Renamon. "I'm just being honest~"
"When you guys're done bein' weird, remember to catch up!" called Gazimon, the rest of the group already leaving the pair behind.
At this, Renamon chuckled, winking at Al as she put a paw on his back to help him get moving again.
The path came to a halt as the passageway opened up to a wide open cavern, centered on a pool of crystalline water. Neither Gazimon, Ike, nor MachGaogamon flinched as something immense rose up from the surface, a monolithic tower of white that became flanked by the tentacles of a giant squid. On either side of the pillar, metal tubes linked to a toothy maw beneath grey markings.
"Gesomon!" said Mach, the cyborg waving up at the sea beast. "Aloha ahiahi! Thanks for letting us in here! Was worried we'd get caught in the rain!"
A deep, reverberating voice emanated from the squid, his words thick with a Hawaiian accent, but not of any language Al knew.
"Welcome, kahuna of mighty Kumon!" said a smaller, jovial voice. "You who have battled ten thousand rivals and seek ten thousand more!"
"Who said that?" asked #81.
Squinting, Al saw the source. Bouncing from the lip of Gesomon's pool was a giant clam of almost neon pink. When it stopped in its tracks, the shot open to reveal a green "bump" with yellow eyes and an almost cat-like face, and a pair of feathery antennae.
"Aloha!" they said. "I'm Syakomon! Kahuna Gesomon's interpreter! Nice to meet you!"
-
“Very funny!” He would then wait for them to go a little further before he pulled up his mask as he then gave her shiny nose a quick kiss. “Let’s go,”
____
While he had some inkling on what to expect from the Ki’i.. but he still clung to Renamon when he saw Gessomon for the first time.. though that budding fear was deadened considerably when the clam creature showed up.
“Well.. aloha! I’m - well.. you can kinda tell by my face but I’m a human-“
-
"Yep yep, we've been expecting you! Welcome, Alamana Sonson of Hilo, Hawaii!"
"Hilo?" echoed Mach.
"It's the town we're all from," said Ike, hands behind his head. "Pretty okay. Decent beach, nice weather, lots of parks."
Gesomon spoke again in its ancient tongue, his tentacles waving with a slow, alien grace.
"Long has it been since many walked these hallowed halls," said Syakomon. "Longer still the presence of not one but two Ki'i and kahuna! From actions made, a pattern forms, and, with such knowledge, prophecy." A big smile spread across the digimon's face. "Bear with me. The kahuna's been trying his hand at poetry."
The image of Gesomon with a massive ink brush and sitting behind a writing desk slipped its way into the collective imagination of the group.
-
“Have you heard of it, MachGaogamon?” Al asked, though he then stopped mid sentence to ask- “There’s a prophesy?”
He meant to sound more in awe- but the mental image now born into his head nearly made him start giggling.
-
"Gesomon makes all sorts of prophecies," said Mach. "They're more predictions based on information than mysticism, except when Kanaloamon gets involved."
As Gesomon continued to speak, Syakomon's eyes closed, his 'chin' held high. "Hear, listen, think and learn," he said. "In the depths of the Net Ocean, when darkness is all around you, one must feel the ebb and flow of the current, the pressure and fragility of all one touches. In time, these feelings become as second nature, and with knowledge, portentous of things such as the changing of the seasons, the coming of storms, and the presence of predator and prey. In summation, he's saying that with knowledge, he can predict what's coming."
-
“Ohhh. What did he see That’s coming?”
-
"Oh children from another shore, touched by gods and damned by kin, the death of peace brings forth the war, where sun and moon eclipse the pillars four. A kahuna shall rise, a kahuna shall dance! And with it bear the dragon's roar, a shadow's lament!"
-
Alemana listened.. and as he listened he glanced at Renamon in confusion. (“Well I’m kinda stumped.. what about you? I kinda have an idea about a couple pieces.. but others don’t really seem to make sense.”)
-
("We should ask kuku next time we see him,") reasoned the vulpine.
"Gesomon!" called Mach. "When you got a minute, you mind if we talk shop? There's something I gotta ask."
"You're going to ask about why we gave away Kanaloamon's Ki'i," translated Syokamon. "The answer is: because it was the Great Akua's will."
"WHAT?!!" exclaimed Mach. "Are you serious?!"
"I'm with cyberdog," said #81. "No good can come from givin' Hookmon more power than he's already got."
"The powers of a Ki'i are the Akua's to give and take," translated Syakomon. "Hookmon could never gain Kanaloamon's favor, and so the relic is to him as useful as a rock on the sea floor. Yet with its exchange, something more precious was taken from his grasp."
"More precious? Like what?"
"The life of a child and her digimon."
-
(“That’s a good idea. I wonder if he yells at us for what we did tonight though-“) he mused and would return his attention to the Kahunas.. and as he listened it was like a lightbulb went off in his head.
“You gave up the Ki’i to rescue Eyesmon and her kid! Their kid? I can’t tell what Eyesmon is-“
-
"Indeed we did!" said Syakomon. "They were cast adrift on nothing but a wooden palette, unable to navigate through an impenetrable fog. Uncertain of what the human portended, Gesomon watched from below, nudging the waves to guide them to Waihona's shore without revealing himself. That's when they were found by Hookmon, after being spotted by one of his crewmon. Only then did Gesomon surface, knowing Hookmon would likely take advantage of a Tamer's power if not deem them a threat and kill them."
"And the only thing you had that he couldn't buy elsewhere was the Ki'i," reasoned Mach.
"Precisely!"
-
That made him grin, and then he began laughing. “It really makes Hookmon look like he had no idea what he’s even doing. I guess it was the right thing to do after all, visiting him tonight.”
-
"Ha! Nice one!" laughed Mach, giving the boy a thumbs up.
"Since then, they have resided here," continued Syakomon. "Watching Cypher Bay from a distance, with Eyesmon her only means of learning more, beyond what we could provide."
"Where are they?" asked Renamon. "Can we speak with them?"
Gesomon gave a ponderous nod, his mantle bending forward and back. He gave a slow flourish of his longer tentacle, and to one side of the cavern, a strange series of runes appeared in radiant blue, as though refracting light from the surface of water. In the blink of an eye, the runes disappeared, along with the wall, revealing a secret passage like the one Al had seen outside Menehunemon's home. But what caught everyone off guard, save perhaps the giant squid, were the three figures that fell forward, flat on their bellies. Immediately Al recognized Malie and Kukuimon, but someone else was with them.
"Looks like someone's been eavesdroppin'," said Gazimon, the chimera following Ike as he headed over to others.
"Aloha~" said Malie, the girl waving despite keeping her face in the sand.
-
“Wait, they’re actually-“ he then gasped when the wall collapsed, and all three fell into the sand. “Oh gosh, are you okay Malie? Kukuimon?” He asked as he trotted over.. only to stop a few paces as he locked eyes on the third prone figure.
“You’re the one we’ve been looking for!” He then stopped, and then gave a small cough. “I-I mean- Aloha, cousin! It’s so nice to finally meet you, I’m Alemana!”
-
As the kid got up, they picked up a pair of round glasses, inspecting them before putting them back on. Her once cropped, dark red hair was combed to one side, yet bangs were beginning to grow to the sides of her face. When she turned to look at Al, her grey eyes hinted at a Euro-Asian heritage. Japanese?
"Hi there!" she said, waving with her arm stuck to her side. "I'm Vivi. I've heard so much about you!"
-
And Al would grin as he held out his hand to shake hers. “Hey there, Vivi! I gotta say, you won’t believe how much of a weight that’s off my shoulders now.” He then looked around for a moment. “I’m guessing Eyesmon told you huh? I hold it was all good!” He says with a laugh.
“Where is Eyesmon, anyway?”
-
The girl smiled, shaking the offered hand.
"That's a good question," said Renamon, the vixen scanning the room. In a sudden start, Vivi's shadow arched over her head from behind, a thousand violet-colored eyes blinking into existence as wicked claws and a dagger-toothed maw opened up mere inches from Renamon's face. The vulpine didn't even flinch. "Nice try."
"Oh come on!" whined Eyesmon, the shadow's arms flopping towards the ground. "I HAD you!"
"Better luck next time."
"Sorry," said Vivi. "She's a little stir-crazy after watching the fight. You guys were awesome!"
"She?" echoed Ike.
Malie chuckled. "Couldn't you tell?"
-
Alemana would turn his head to see Eyesmon and then gave a smile at Renamon’s cool demeanor before gently playing with those quill-like tufts of fur on her shoulder “Hey now, okay nice you two.” He said as he then playfully booped the tip of Eyesmon’s snout. “Glad I was right, you were a she!” He then would look back at Vivi, surprised. “You saw our fight?”
-
"Yeah," she said, pulling out a violet-colored digivice. "Eyesmon sends me live footage of what she sees onto my digivice."
"And we got to see it on the computer screen in Vivi's room!" said Kukuimon.
"If that's the case," said Renamon. "Why didn't you help us fight Hookmon or Hi-VisionMonitamon?"
"Well duh, I was BUSY!!" said Eyesmon, pulling her attention away from her recently booped snoot. "Scatter-mode requires a lot of focus, okay? We've been trying to get Gesomon's Ki'i for weeks now! Then these two chumps just unlock the vault like it's nothing? It's just not fair!"
-
“You can do that?” He asked, genuinely interested in learning new ways to use the Digivice. But when Renamon and Eyesmon started butting heads again he would gently get between them both. “Hey, it’s okay Eyesmon, Renamon. Gargoylemon was more than enough backup, and Sunny was no match for you, remember?” He asked with a smile as he looked at Eyesmon.
“They reminds me, we caught sight of a bunch of little shadows zooming around here and there, Is that your Scatter Mode thing? That’s different than what we saw in the boiler room!”
-
"Nope! Told you, two chumps were running around before - and then AFTER - Hi-Vision got inside the vault!"
Renamon exchanged looks with Alemana.
"What did they look like?" asked the vulpine. "Did you follow them?"
Eyesmon folded her arms, closing her eyes as she stretched her neck away from Renamon.
The vixen sighed.
"Please, Eyesmon?"
The shadow's neck only got longer.
"They were Gwappamon," said Vivi. And with just those words, Eyesmon's jaw dropped to the floor, eyes wide and pupils mere dots.
"VIVI!!" she whined, pulling at her barbs. "WHY DO YOU BETRAY MEEEEEE?!!"
But no matter how nightmarish the size of the digimon's maw became or how brown a note she made, all it brought to Vivi's face was a small smile.
"It's true," she went on. "I even got proof."
-
Alemana looked at Renamon, and though he didn’t do so publicly.. he would send her the mental image of him hugging her from behind, imagining the feel of hef fur and the steel-hard muscle beneath. (“Don’t let her get to you, she just doesn’t know how to interact with friends yet.”)
He would then respond to Vivi, a knowing smile on his face. “Gwappamon? I don’t know if we’ve seen those before. What do they look like?”
-
Gesturing for everyone to follow, Vivi led the group back into the secret tunnel, leading them to a room dominated by a computer set-up, surrounded by discarded drink bags, and a bed with blankets made from kelp and fishing nets.
"S'cuse the mess," she said, brushing aside loose slips of lined paper from her desk. Plugging her digivice in, she brought of several windows showing footage from different cameras. There was Renamon's fight on the weather deck, but the one Vivi started playing showcased two shadows skulking down an empty hallway. She then enhanced the image, revealing the digimon in better detail. They were a bizarre blend of stuffed animal and water fowl, looking like a bipedal green duck with webbed hands, yellow flippers and a turtle shell. Orange thread stitched a patch of beige to form their belly, though an "x" made of white tape marked where their bellybutton should be. But what drew the most attention was the CD that flattened the top of their heads, surrounded by orange dreadlocks.
"Those look like kappa," said Ike. "Don't look at me, they do!"
Vivi chuckled. "Right? That's what I said. And look, they totally stole the thing Hi-Vision was trying to nab, too!"
Sure enough, one of the strange digimon had the Astrolabe tucked under its arm, the two speeding out of sight before the footage stopped.
"They jumped off the ship after that," said Eyesmon. "I saw them make it back ashore, but they just dived down a monhole into the sewers."
"Probably thought it'd be easier than trying to swim in a storm," reasoned 81. "Though how much safer can the sewers be if they get flooded?"
-
He narrowed his eyes at the screen.. though a slight smile on his face. “They are kinda cute. Not as cute as Eyesmon, but cute!” He said as he then looked up at the dark dragon. “Could you lead us to that manhole cover later? But right now..” his smile widened.
“I want to know more about both of you! Like Eyesmon, what do you look like as a Rookie? And Vivi, what’s it been like living here for so long?”
-
"Anything for you, Aly-poo!" said Eyesmon, clasping her hands together as she batted infinite eyelashes at the boy.
Ike and Gazimon stifled a snicker.
A vision entered Al's mind of Renamon sitting crosslegged with him in her arms, nuzzling him while her tail rested on his lap. ("Just say the word,") thought the vulpine. ("Nobody would ever know where they all went.")
Vivi put her hands up, a pained smile now on her face. "Um, well, it's kind've a long story," she said, voice wavering. "I only got halfway done telling Malie when you guys showed up! B-but Eyesmon's Rookie form's super cute! She's like if a salamander and a camera had a baby!"
"VIVI!!" roared Eyesmon, once more taking the form of the destroyer. "CEASE AND DESIST IMMEDIATELY!!"
"I have pics~!"
"NOOOOOOOO!!"
And as the dark dragon raged, spasmed and coiled into a knot behind the girl, Vivi opened a new window on her computer. On display was a series of snapshots showcasing a little salamander critter with a happy smile and big eyes that look to have glass coverings over them, with spot-patterns that resemble camera lenses. One pic even showed it sticking a chameleon-like tongue out, having a camera lens of its own on the tip.
"Awww, she's so cute!" said Malie, only adding to the wailing of Eyesmon in the background.
"That's Lensmon for you~" mused Vivi.
-
Alemana would give an embarrassed chuckle as he then soothingly rubbed his hand along Renamon’s back, trying not to blush at her vision.
(“Easy.. easy Rena. No need to murder our new friends.. yet,”) he joked.
“Well we have a lot of time, you don’t have to start over right now.. it’s all good!” He said, though seeing Eyesmon’s sudden reaction to the mention of her Rookie stage AND pictures… Alemana felt a goofy smile cross his face. “I wanna see!”
And when he did- he almost melted “She’s adorable-!”
-
And at hearing this, Eyesmon, too, melted. Literally. The dark dragon shutting her eyes as she tied her elastic arms around her snout and sank into the floor like a pool of living ink.
"Wuss," said Gazimon, leaning over the puddle. "Try bein' In-trainin' again with Malie in the room, then we'll talk."
"Pagu says what?" said the bucket tamer
Gazimon turned to look, only to feel Malie's bucket slump onto his head, causing the entire room to fill with laughter. Especially from 81.
"Ahhh shaddap!" said the chimera, throwing the bucket at the Sailormon's face. "Like you're one to talk, anyway!" Gazimon then pounced on 81, the two wrestling and rolling back and forth over the now-blackened patch of floor.
("This is nice,") mused Renamon, the vixen folding her arms as she smiled to herself.
-
(“Yes it is,”) Al agreed, gently hugging his partner as he watched the chaos before he then remembered what he was wanting test in the first place.
“Oh! I nearly forgot!” He would then look at Vivi and Malie. “We have the Ki’i… we should see which one of you is worthy of using it!”
-
"Worthy?" echoed Vivi.
"Yeah," said Malie. "Remember what I told you?"
"Oh yeah, that bit about Menehunemon and the gate. You really think Kanaloamon's gonna pick either of us? I mean Al and Ike're the ones that got it out of the vault."
"Let's find out!"
-
“We got it out of the vault.. but we weren’t chosen to have it. Me, probably because I already have one.. Ike, well there are two others- ones definitely meant for him. Just haven’t found it yet.” He would then hold it out to the girls.
“Who’s first?”
-
Ike raised his eyebrow at Al. "What's that suppos--"
"Bap," said Malie, hand on the relic.
"That was fast," said Ike.
Malie's head tilted to one side as she watched the Ki'i. Then, just as before, the object pushed away from the touch of both tamers, only for Al to catch it from falling. "Hmm, no squid lord for me," she said, shrugging.
"Go ahead, Vivi," said Renamon. This was enough to spur Eyesmon from her self-imposed exile, the dark dragon slipping behind her tamer to peek over the human's shoulder.
A moment's hesitation. The light of the Ki'i reflected in the fourth tamer's eyes and glasses both. Her hand touched the relic, feeling over the grooves carved into its surface. The longer she did, the more certain it became. At last, another was chosen.
-
Holding his breath, Alemana would watch as Malie took it. When it was clear she wasn’t the one, he looked at Vivi. When that Ki’i reacted.. he would nod and grin. “One step closer for all of us to go home!”
-
An explosive cheer blasted out from Eyesmon as she threw her arms up, the living shadow proceeding to squeeze Vivi.
"That's my Vivi!" said the Champion, crushing her cheek against the side of the human's head. "Yesyesyesyes--I'M SO PROUD OF YOOOOUU!!"
Vivi remained stationary, her glasses now misaligned as she continued awing over the Ki'i.
"SUCK IT, furball!" snapped Eyesmon, pointing a claw at Renamon.
"Alemana and I already have a patron," said the vulpine.
Eyesmon wasn't listening. "Ooh-ooh-ooh!! What can we do with it? Can we wish for stuff?! LET'S WISH FOR SOMETHING!!"
-
“I don’t think they work like that.. they seem to do things randomly. Remember how we found you Eyesmon? That was because the Ki’i showed us where to go. If we can consciously use em.. I have no idea how.” He said as he hugged his partner a little tighter.. feeling how rigid she was.
(“It’s okay Renamon.. relax. I’m here with you.”)
-
The vulpine chuckled. ("I know, and you're very sweet.")
"I should go tell Gesomon," reasoned Vivi. "He'll wanna know before I go running off with it."
"Ask him if he's got any extra beds," said Ike. "Doubt we're leaving till the storm lets up, and sand ain't exactly sleep material."
"You never fell asleep buried in sand?" asked Malie.
"I don't see the problem," said Kukuimon.
"Sleeping on the beach, at night, is how you get sea lice, Kukui. It sucks."
-
He would smile, and give her another squeeze.
“Well I think someone should try to meet Kuku back at Gotsumon’s house.. let him know where everyone is and what’s happened.. unless we have a way to communicate down here and tell him to meet us here.”
-
"Computer," said Malie, pointing to Vivi's monitor. "We can call him like we did with Gotsumon's."
"Hemolele!" cheered Kukuimon. "Let's do it!"
[Roll Computer]
-
Alemana would grin, pumping his fist. “Yeah, let’s do that!” And he would get out his digivice, looking the computer over.
[Rolling: 2 6 5 + 8 = 21]
-
With Vivi's permission, Al set to work hooking up his digivice to the PC. At this point, he had gotten so much experience doing so that it had become almost second nature.
Booop... booop... booop...
"++Ugh, hello? Who is this?++"
("Sounds like he just woke up,") thought Renamon. ("Figures. Can sleep through a typhoon could wake him up, but a simple phone call will do.")
-
“Kuku, it’s me, Alemana! We got gesomon’s Ki’i! And met up with another kid! A bunch of stuff happened actually-“
-
"++Wait, WHAT?!! When did this happen?!++"
-
“Uh.. maybe over the course of the last two and a half hours?” Alemana then gave Renamon a look of ‘Here we go.’ before he then began explaining what happened: From meeting with Hookmon(Minus the part where he and Renamon went to the Paradiso by themselves), the subsequent fight with Hi-Vision Monitamon and Hookmon’s attempted back stab.. Gazimon’s out of the blue Evolution to Gargoylemon and his victorious duel with the captain, calling MachGaogamon and finding the stolen Ki’i.. ending with the meeting with Gesomon’s prophecy and the meeting with Vivi and Eyesmon. All in all it took him almost half an hour to go over everything- not counting interjections and (possible) flourishes from Gazimon and Ike during the parts about Hookmon- not to mention his own gushing about how amazing and strong Kyubimon was.
“And that’s everything I can think of so far. Like I said.. we kinda had a lot happen-!”
-
"++Hmm, all of this during a typhoon, huh? That's cutting it close, keiki. But at least you're all still in one piece++"
"So what does the prophecy mean?" asked Ike. "Anything to it or is Gesomon just messing with us?"
"++Gesomon is Kanaloamon's kahuna here on Waihona++" said the dwarf. "++Of the Great Akua, Kanaloamon is the most intuned with the flow of digital information. The fact that he's making it cryptic is likely a test in and of itself, meaning we gotta use our heads if we wanna figure it out++"
"Alright," said Renamon. "But what does it actually mean, kuku?"
"++I'm getting to that, apoleke! Don't rush me! First, let's go over the words he used. "'Oh children from another shore, touched by gods and damned by kin, the death of peace brings forth the war, where sun and moon eclipse the pillars four. A kahuna shall rise, a kahuna shall dance! And with it bear the dragon's roar, a shadow's lament!' The first part's easy. Children from another shore likely means you tamers, having come from your world to ours. You've already been touched by the Akua, so there's that. But then it gets interesting. 'Damned by kin'. It could mean anything from being punished by fellow humans, abandoned by society, or made to suffer because of somebody else's mistakes++"
"Perhaps it's referring to the old grudges some digimon hold against humanity, like with Stingmon."
"++The next part is pretty self-explanatory++" continued Kuku. "++The time of peace, or the Makahiki, is over, meaning war's upon us. Between who and why, I can't say for sure, though the Green Lady and Varamon against Waihona's a reasonable guess. Sun and moon eclipse the pillars four - that's a little easier. If I had to guess, the pillars are the Ki'i, meaning the eclipse has something to do with the gateway back to the human world. A kahuna dancing could meaning anything from literally dancing, to fighting. If the latter, it could mean fighting off a dragon digimon, or alongside one? And then there's a shadow's lament... that part's too vague++"
"Could it be referring to Eyesmon?" asked Vivi. "She IS a dragon, and also made of shadow."
"The only thing that would make me cry is you leaving me behind!" said Eyesmon. "Or teasing me... or embarrassing me... or betraying me... or stiffing me on food--"
As the shadow continued to go down the list, counting with her claws, the conversation continued without her.
""++Shadows can have any number of meanings++" said Kuku. "++From hidden evils to spirits of the dead and even secrets. We'll have to wait for things to unfold before we can get a clearer picture++"
-
As he listened, he could see what Kuku was saying: it all made a kind of sense when he thought about it. But while he got a chuckle from Eyesmon’s rambling, he would get a couple pieces of cheese from his Digivice and then plop them on the dragon’s snoot. “Well we will figure it out in time, I mean we’re all awesome.” He then paused as the Astrolabe came to mind.. and then a strange sense of foreboding tickled at the back of his thoughts.
“Kuku, why do you think Varamon wanted the Astrolabe, but didn’t tell Hi-Vision to look for the Ki’i? Hookmon said that he’s constantly getting hounded by Varamon.. and judging by how lax the Captain’s security was it would’ve been easy for a Mo’omon to spy on him.. there’s no way they didn’t know he had the relic. But it was just left in the vault..”
-
"Oi!" said 81, still on the floor with Gazimon. "What system were YOU lookin' at? The Paradiso's system only got compromised because of a freak typhoon, multiple high-level infiltrators an' Hookmon goin' berserk!"
"Why're you defendin' that ship?" asked Gazimon flatly.
"Because unlike you, I was part of security."
Menehunemon cleared his throat. "++It's a good question, keiki++" he said. "++It's possible the Green Lady's keeping secrets from him, not that the Ki'i would be of any use to him anyway, since I doubt Kanaloamon'd see him as worthy. Even so, I find it more unusual that Gwappamon were found on the scene. Not just that, but being able to outmaneuver everything else going on at the time. If they were Mo'omon in disguise, why not change into something more unassuming, like Sailormon? As for why anyone would need the Astrolabe... I'd rather not speculate on it until we know more++"
"Yeh," said Malie. "Tonight, we dine on turtle soup."
"Malie, please," said Kukuimon. "We can't go chasing them into the sewers. The trail'll have run cold by now."
"Ha!" said Gazimon, the chimera now standing with a foot on 81's back. "That's what YOU think! I know the streets of this city like the back of my paw! Both topside AND below!" With everyone's attention upon him, the Gazimon puffed out his chest, arms akimbo. "See, even with the construction work goin' on, I know that it ain't the sewers that're under the harbor. It's the access tunnels to the undercity, where all the plus-size and waterlocked digimon live. Since doors down there are locked tight against water during typhoons, those Gwappamon haven't got anywhere to go but through the flood tunnels!"
-
“I have an idea.. and frankly it scares me what they could be planning with it..” he said softly.
And he then looked at Gazimon “You really think you could track down those guys, then?”
-
"HA! What, was getting us outta the train station not enough? Don't worry, I know exactly how to catch up with these goons."
"Get off my back," said 81.
"No."
"What about you, Eyes?" asked Vivi. "I mean we've scoped the undercity a couple of times."
"Those tunnels are boring," said the dark dragon. "Not enough foot traffic or security footage. Casing them all would take weeks, even for me!"
Snickering Gazimon tapped a claw against his temple. "Good thing you got me then, eh?"
-
“Yeah I mean.. you’ve been working alone all this time until now. With all of us, it’ll be a breeze!”
-
"Damn right!" said Ike. "Gaz's like a freakin' compass, he always knows where he's going!"
"That's a first," grumbled 81.
"Would you stop with that?" asked Gazimon. "You're killin' the mood here."
"Right, I'm sorry, it's almost like I got a mangey runt crushin' my spine or somethin'."
"Hey, them's fightin' words!"
"Get back down here, ya dunderhead!"
As the wrestling resumed, Menehunemon chose then to reenter the conversation.
"++I still need to get the other Ki'i nearby. If you manage to track down our two friends, kupanaha. If not, no worries. We'll meet up with you back at Gotsumon's and work something out++"
-
“Hey, please stop fighting! I’m trying to hear Kuku!” He called.
“Sorry about that! Understood Kuku. We will try to find em.”
-
"++Good luck, keiki. One step at a time++"
The line disconnected, somehow making the noise from the two brawlers even louder.
"To hell with this," said 81, storming off. "Dunno why I bothered to come out here."
'Hey--we're not done over here!" chided Gazimon, chasing after him. "Don't you walk away!"
"Ah great," said Ike, sighing. "Now they're actually pissed. Wait for me!"
-
Alemana would say goodbye and then hang up.
“Gazimon- Sailormon wait..!” He then sighed as they all ran off. “Should we go after them, Renamon?”
-
"Let's leave them be," she said. "MachGaogamon and Gesomon will be there if anything breaks out."
"Yeah, cousin," said Kukuimon. "I feel like what's between them is deeply personal. Right now, they need to air out their grievances so they can begin the healing process of old wounds, and move on with their lives."
"Wow, Kukui," said Malie. "That's pretty deep!"
The piglet blushed, giggling up at his tamer.
-
While it didn’t feel right, he would nod and look down at his Digivice. “Well.. okay. In that case, what should we do then?”
-
"You guys hungry?" asked Vivi. "We've got snacks."
That one word drew the attention of all three digimon still present. Smiling, Vivi tapped on her violet-colored digivice, pulling from storage an number of yogurt drinks in a variety of flavors. Immediately, Eyesmon snatched a fistful away, gorging herself on them while her tamer handed out the rest to people.
"Is this really all you've been eating?" asked Malie.
"Pretty much. Sometimes Syakomon'll bring us sushi and stuff, but this's pretty much my diet for the past month."
-
Alemana would look at the collection of yogurts, and he would feel a pang sympathy. “Oh I see! What flavors do you have?”
-
"Let me see... we got cherry, strawberry, banana, and one mango."
A sidelong glance from Renamon did not escape Al, the vulpine smiling as Vivi held up the aforementioned bag.
-
“We’ll take some Mango, please.” He said with a smile, giving a knowing side glance at Renamon
-
Vivi glanced between the tamer and 'mon, unaware that the moment she tossed the bag over to them, a battle of epic proportions would begin. On point, Al shot his hand forth! Reaching out for the ambrosial mango! He would have gotten it, too, had Renamon not intercepted through sabotage. Gentle as can be, she shoved her paw up at an angle against her tamer's jaw, as she crouched down then turned to balance the treat on her outstretched ankle. But Alemana was wise to her wiles, and, wrapping himself around the vulpine's arm, pulled her backward, much to her amusement. Indeed! While the sudden weight did force her leg to lift the yogurt bag into the air, Renamon held herself up by her free paw pushing against the floor! Catching the bag with her foot! This had the effect of having it land between her legs, right dab in front of the impressionable youth! The sudden rush of blood from his brain to elsewhere distracted him long enough for Renamon to roll ontop of him, head between her thighs, as she shoved the lip of the bag -- when did she have time to open it? -- straight into his mouth.
"Next time, Al," she chuckled. "Next time."
An applause of "oohs" and "ahhs" soon filled the room in response.
-
At first he thought nothing of it, reaching for the bag as it flew towards his outstretched hand.. only to give a faux outraged huff when Renamon attempted to trick him as she caught it and held it just out of reach with her foot. “Very funny,” he said as he attempted to get her to relinquish the yogurt.. only to get tripped up by her skillful agility and acrobatic acumen.. and as the bag landed where it did- his face flushed a deep crimson from embarrassment- and sealed his fate. A moment later he was trapped, his face just inches from her crotch and he gave a small squeak- interrupted by the sudden taste of yogurt. Looking up at her, he was speechless.
(“S-so not fair….”)
What else could he really do.. or say for that matter? She had him right where she wanted him after all!
-
"Wait," said Kukuimon, somewhere out of view (like everyone else beside Renamon). "Who won that, exactly?"
"We all did, piggy," said Eyesmon. "We all did...!"
Straining his vision to see beyond his partner's towering presence, Al caught a certain violet-eye peeking over the horizon of Renamon's flank. Then another one on the opposite of her, then another, and another, till the vision of the vulpine was surrounded by a canvas of a many-eyed shadow.
"Eyesmon," said the vixen. "Personal space."
"YOU'RE one to talk!!" whined the dragon.
-
Alemana was too preoccupied with looking up at Renamon, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions that almost never filtered through his head.. but when he say Eyesmon staring at both of them so intently- his flush turned a deeper scarlet.
“W-what are you looking at-?”
-
"Nuthin~" she lied, giggling as her many eyes sparkled.
Renamon sighed. "And with that, the magic is gone," she said, releasing Al from her headlock. In one motion, she flowed to one side of the tamer, laying down with her arms behind her head. Much to the groaning of Eyesmon.
"Oh come on! It was just getting good!"
"Be nice, Eyes," said Vivi. "Give people their space."
-
He would give a sigh of relief, and he would rest his head on her chest, one arm around her stomach.”Are you okay Renamon?”
-
"Of course I am," she mused, laying a paw on the Al's head, combing through his hair. "You're here, aren't you?"
-
He would smile and nuzzle her chest ruff. “Good!” He said happily, offering her the yogurt bag now.
(“So what.. was that all about?”)
-
("What was what about~?") she asked, the vulpine smiling as she let Al feed the mangogurt into her mouth.
-
He would hide his blush in her fur (“You know what I’m talking about-!”)
-
Renamon chuckled. ("Perhaps,") she thought. ("Who knows? I might even tell you later.")
"Ohh," said Vivi, her voice pulling Al away from his shared thoughts. "Ike, Gaz and 81'll wanna eat, too. Should I hold onto these till they get back?"
-
(“Why you little-!”) before he could retaliate to her teasing with a tickle attack, he was distracted by Vivi’s question. “Oh. Well I’d save a couple for them, yeah. Granted knowing Ike- he’s probably got a bunch of snacks squared away.”
He then glanced at Eyesmon, and out of a sense of wanting payback on her for being mean to Renamon- he gave a rather foxlike smile.
“Hey Renamon.. you should let us see what Lensmon would be like in person!”
-
A literal vulpine smile crossed Renamon's visage. "You know, I think you may be right."
"What d'you guys mean by that?" asked Eyesmon. No sooner had she, though, than Renamon's form begin to burn alight with phantom flame! Burning away to reveal a certain salamander the size of a small dog.
Eyesmon's namesake became as wide as saucers, even as her pupils became as needle pricks therein.
"Hiiii~!" said Renamon, rolling onto her belly as she stretched her tongue out. "Can I has tummy rubs~?"
Vivian spat out her yogurt as she began gasping between fits of laughter! The air suddenly flooded with profanities too terrible to contemplate. But as Eyesmon began chanting words of betrayal and sobbing her eyes out, a new doom fell upon the naughty duo. A shadow more terrible than the dragon's looming over the prone figure that was faux-Lensmon.
"Mine," said Malie.
And so began the loudest fit of laughter Renamon had ever projected, the vulpine weeping as fingers jabbed at her belly and sides.
-
Alemana had thought he knew what to expect- but he was wrong. He would start laughing as well.. giving his partner several belly rubs before Malie appeared, tickling the faux-salamander.
“Easy, she might pass out!” He said as he then looked at Eyesmon, coming up and gently petting the sobbing dark dragon. “Hey hey hey.. don’t cry Eyesmon, it’s all in good fun!”
-
"S-so not fair," she blubbered.
"You know we love you," said Vivi, the smiling tamer joining in petting the sad shadow.
-
“You’re awesome!” And he looked at Renamon
“Are you okay?”
-
"Not as okay as she's gonna be," said Malie, a wicked grin on her face as she continued her dastardly work.
It wasn't long before both Eyesmon and Renamon were exhausted, spread across the floor, listless from overstimulation.
"This is nice," mused Kukuimon, the green piglet sitting there the whole time.
"So where should I start?" asked Vivi. "You guys still wanna know about me and Eyes' here?"
-
And Alemana would pick up the not- Salamander and held her in his arms.
“Well.. let’s start where all stories do- the beginning!”
-
"A very good place to start! Alright, so, about a month ago, I was out late at night taking pics of the old, abandoned warehouse just off the road from Lehia Beach Park. Was doing it on a dare, but it's not like the place was haunted or anything."
"Or was it~?" snickered Malie.
"Eh, it was alright. I think the hobos were using it as a place to stash their stuff. More importantly, right when I was ready to leave, something came up behind me. I turned around but didn't see anything -- so I tried lighting the place with my phone. I ended up dropping it, but as soon as I picked it back up, everything went black. Next thing I knew, I was swimming up to the surface of the ocean, my phone was a digivice, and Lensmon was outcold on the raft I found a few minutes after. It was crazy!"
-
Alemana listened with rapt attention.
“That sounds kinda like what happened to me- minus waking up in the ocean.”
-
"Wait, seriously? What happened to you?"
-
“I was walking home from a basketball practice at school and was listening to creepy internet stories when this small cat- at least I think it was a cat- looking thing darted out of the bushes, and suddenly I heard this loud screeching behind me. I turned around, saw this light rushing towards me- and woke up on a bed of leaves here in the digital world.”
-
"I heard noise outside my window," said Malie. "I couldn't sleep anyway, so I decided to check it out. Took my phone with me since I could find a flashlight, ended up following something towards an old tree in the backyard. Think I fell down a hole or something. Then I woke up in a cage surrounded by Mo'omon."
Kukuimon's ears drooped. "You and me both, Malie. They were gonna eat me and the others if you hadn't broken us out of their larder."
"What about Ike?" asked Vivi. "Did he say?"
-
“Huh.. so we all had our attention taken by something before we all suddenly arrived.. and no, Ike never talks about how he got here.” He then looked down at Renamon. “That reminds me, what were you doing before I appeared in the digital world?”
-
When Al turned to his partner, he saw only her Lensmon façade quietly moaning into his arms.
"Oops," said Malie. "Guess I overdid it."
-
He would then hug her “poor thing.”
-
"To be pololei," said Kukuimon. "A few days before I met Malie, I had a dream about her."
"Really?" asked Eyesmon, the shadow popping her head out of the floor like a gopher.
"In my dream, I was trapped under the roots of a dead tree, surrounded by wildfire. Then, all of a sudden, a great flower bud rose up from the ground, glowing light like the coming sunrise. All the fires went out, and the dead tree disappeared."
"That's beautiful, Kukuimon!" said Vivi.
The piglet smiled. "Yeh, since then, Malie's been my pua moe, my dream flower."
A gentle snore began emanating from Malie.
"M-Malie?"
"Just kidding," mused the tamer, the girl picking up Kukuimon to rest him on her lap. "My little pignut."
The piglet's face struggled to maintain a smile upon hearing his new pet name.
-
Alemana would listen to that story, a soft smile on his face. “That’s so adorable..” and he would gently pet the top of Renamon’s head. He wondered what her life was life.. before all of this was like.
-
Time passed. The trio of tamers and digimon began playing board games Vivi had stored in her digivice when the absence of Ike and Gazimon became too hard to ignore. Having been the one to initially voice going after them, Al was sent to investigate, with Renamon tagging along as her head cleared.
Outside Vivi's room, the duo found no sign of Gesomon, the surface of the kahuna's pool still as a mirror. Syakomon and MachGaogamon were standing with their backs to the pair, their attention fixed on Ike, Gaz, and 81 as the trio stood near the pool's edge. The Sailormon was staring into the pool, talking with Gazimon, though Al couldn't make out what was being said.
-
He would feel a sense of relief as he saw them, though he was curious- what were they talking about? Drawing closer, he’d then call to them, Renamon trotting after him with those little legs
“Hey, what are you guys doing?”
-
Mach would turn to face the tamer, smiling as the cyborg put a finger to his canine snout. "Seeing if Hookmon kept his end of the bargain," he said.
Staring on, they all watched as 81 raised his hands up to his bandana. He fiddled with the knot, untying it. There was a gravity to it, as if the motions were too heavy to be done any faster. As he pulled the blue fabric away, his body faded to white, flickering as 1s and 0s spiraled all around him. In a flash, he was gone, and in his place, another digimon stood. A Gazimon nearly a foot taller than the one Al and Ike had known for so long. He stared down at his claws, his #81 bandana resting upon them. A chuckle shook his shoulders, then a quiet snicker, to an almost manic laugh as he let his arms hang against his sides.
"Free," he said, voice wavering. "I'm finally fuckin' free...!"
The two Gazimon would share in each other's embrace, tears pouring down their faces.
-
Alemana would gasp.. and then suddenly he would hug both of the Gazimon
“He was telling the truth!”
-
When it came to the hug, Ike proved - for once - faster than Al, though both tamers found plenty of room to spare.
"Alright alright, back it up!" laughed the shorter Gaz. "Guys, meet my neighbor. Used to ride the coolest scooter back home."
"I still miss that bloody thing," sighed taller Gaz. "Had this brilliant skull motif between the handlebars."
"Oh hey, you still got that accent."
"And you're still short, but tomorrow, I'll... eh, might keep the accent, honestly."
"That actually brings up a question I got," said Ike. "What do we call you?"
"Gazimon."
"Well, right, but what do you guys call each other when there's more than one Gazimon?"
"Gazimon," the chimeras snickered.
"This lad for real?" asked tall Gaz.
"Totally," said small Gaz, chin high. "Wouldn't trade 'em for the world."
"They're just messing with you, Ike," mused Renamon, shapeshifting back into her true form.
"Call me Shades," said tall Gaz. "Once I get outta here, I'm gonna buy me a pair. 'Summing I can afford anything, now that I'm unemployed."
"Say no more," said Mach. The group turned as the cyborg reached into one of his belt's pockets, pulling out a pair of sunglasses. "With your permission, I'd like to hire you on as the newest member of my watchdogs."
Both Gazimon gawked as they lurched forward.
"R-really?" asked Shades. "Just like that?"
"Hey, you said you worked on the Paradiso's security team. As long as you're willing to run with the pack, I'd say you're more than qualified, cousin."
-
Chuckling at their antics, he would look at Renamon and smiled “Well at least that’s one happy ending. What do you think we should do now?”
-
"I'd say... get some rest. If we're lucky, and the storm dies down, we'll have a busy day tomorrow."
"That's what the kahuna expected you to do!" chimed in Syakomon. "Don't worry about breakfast, I'll have fishy treats for everyone!"
("I haven't forgotten either,") thought Renamon. ("If you still want to know more about that day, I'll gladly share.")
-
“Well.. that sounds like a plan,” he would then yawn, and wave. “Well goodnight.. I’m exhausted. C’mon Renamon!” And he would start walking back.
(“I’d love to hear it.”) he silently said, giving her a hug as they walked.
-
The vulpine chuckled, holding Al close as she kissed him on the head. ("It all started with a typical morning run through the canopy, followed by gymnastics and shadow boxing. I was on my way to my favorite spot for meditation when I felt something. It was like a cool pressure pulling at my chest. Then a strange sense of light-headedness. I thought that maybe I had overdid with my workout, but, then came a rush of adrenaline, and a voice, calling out to me...") Renamon paused, her eyes looking into the middle-distance. ("I don't remember what it said to me, or even if it was real. All I know is, after that, I heard your voice... and knew exactly who you were...")
-
He listened with rapt attention, looking up at her in awe. And as she spoke about her day and the moment when the two of them became connected forever, and he gave her nose a kiss. (“I’m not surprised.. you’re just as cool as ever no matter what you’re doing huh?”) and he would smile up at her. (“And who am I, Rena?”)
-
("Mhmmmm, I know you're name is Alemana Sonson,") she mused. ("That you're a wonderful human being who was all alone in a strange new world, and needed me to stay out of trouble. That you are my tamer, and I am your partner, and no matter what, we would be unstoppable together, as equals.")
-
That caused his heart to flutter, and he would grin at her response. (“I can’t argue with an answer like that even a little!”)
-
("Was never in doubt.")
Dawn broke through the clouded sky, the ocean air carried on a warm breeze that mingled with the petrichor of last night's rain. The group reappeared on the stone pier, stepping out from a veil of mist conjured up by Gesomon. Knowing time was of the essence to catch up with the Gwappamon thieves, they had all made their goodbyes to MachGaogamon and the others, who had their own work cut out for them. It was at Gazimon's suggestion that they all descended into the nearest "monhole" to begin the hunt, and so they climbed into the dark of Cypher Bay's underbelly.
"Aight!" said Gazimon. "First thing's first! We gotta figure out a marchin' order!"
"Makes sense," said Vivi, the girl watching as the last of the group climbed down the ladder. "Kind've like your classic dungeon crawl."
"No worries," said Ike, a smug look on his face. "Me and Gaz? We're know everything there is about moving underground."
-
And as they climbed into the sewers, he would then give Renamon an apologetic look. (“I promise to give you a long bath after we’re done.”)
“Well that’s simple! We have the scout - Gazimon and Ike- up front to check for traps, the heavy hitter - me and Renamon- behind then. The healer- Kukuimon and Malie- in the middle, and some extra eyes- Vivian and and Eyesmon- to watch the rear and offer support fire!”
He then laughed “if we have to digivolve I don’t know what the order would be then.”
-
"Works for me," said Malie.
("Don't worry,") thought Renamon. ("Like Gazimon said, this level of the undercity is above the sewer system. What we're walking through seems more for rain water and ground runoff.")
The group scanned their surroundings as they got into formation. The tunnels were lit with florescent lamps at regular intervals of - if Al had to guess - five meters. Grooved concrete kept anyone from slipping on otherwise slippery floors, while the sound of rushing water seemed omnipresent.
"I still can't believe how much graffiti's down here," said Eyesmon. "How do you get those with so much water passing through?"
"Some of 'em're gang markers," said Gazimon. "Others're to help out digimon who get lost down here, since most of the signs just get washed away or stolen."
"Stolen?" echoed Renamon.
"Yeah, stolen. Digimon get bored or maybe just got an obsession with it."
"I know a couple guys like that back in Hilo," said Ike. "Like stealing signs even means anything."
-
(“You’ll still get pretty dirty. Besides… it gives me an excuse to run my hands through your fur-“) he mused as he looked around at the grafiti
“Well hopefully they leave us alone.”
-
[Hmm... alright, need you to roll me Navigation]
-
[Rolling: 1 6 3 + 6 = 16]
-
("Alemana, please,") thought the vulpine, turning away with a paw on her cheek. ("It isn't nice to tease a lady. And so early in the morning, too~")
Work navigating the tunnels proved straightforward, but more than once the group needed to take a detour because of a path being blocked off, or the canals overflowing and at too strong a downward current. Without Gazimon to lead, or Eyesmon to double-back, they would have been lost beyond hope. When frustrations mounted and people risked blowing up on each other, Kukuimon took to singing his Gentle Song to maintain morale, while Renamon smashed through false dead-ends and similar barricades.
"Are we there yet?" asked Eyesmon.
"No," said Gazimon.
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"Stop-"
"Are we there yet?"
"Wh-"
"There?"
"I-"
"Yet?"
"KNOCK IT OFF!!"
"How long have we been down here, anyway?" asked Malie.
Ike pulled out his digivice. "Says two and a half hours?"
"Are we being misdirected again?" asked Renamon. "There seem to be more and more of those fakeout dead-ends than before."
-
(“That sounds like a double standard, Rena,”) he shot back.. though he gently gave her hand a squeeze as they walked.
____
Every time Eyesmon asked her question, he threw her a piece of granola over his shoulder.. which may or may not have been the reason she had the incentive to repeatedly ask. Alemana could feel his own frustrations simmer slightly as they reached another such dead end. “I don’t know.. but I think we have a way to find out. Being trapped down here as long as we have been has to be more than enough to justify using it..” he said softly as he opened his storage, finger hovering over the Ki’i option.
-
("Wait!") thought Renamon. ("I hear something.")
[Roll Perception!]
-
Alemana would close the storage immediately, looking around in confusion, trying to listen.
[Rolling: 3 4 3 + 5= 15]
-
The boy's ears caught what heard like the beat of... music? It was coming from behind the walls, but Al knew what he heard, and it was music!
"Hey," said Gazimon. "Anyone else hear tha-?"
Renamon shushed the chimera, sharp and fast, her ears twitching as she glanced back at her partner.
-
Al would look even more confused.. and then he would then sigh
“..is that Ska music?” He dead panned
-
Renamon could wait no longer. Without a roundhouse kick, she sent a fake section of wall flying backward, revealing the source of the sounds.
"GWAPPAMON?!!" everyone cried aloud. And indeed, within an adjacent tunnel, there were two of the strange kappa-like digimon. Both shot looks at the group as they stopped mid-step. One of them was holding the Astrolabe. The other? A pair of headphones around their neck.
"GET 'EM!!" exclaimed Malie. The sudden voice of impending doom was enough to snap the thieves out of their trance, the two running circles around each other before zipping off in the direction they were initially going in!
-
Alemana was just as befuddled as the two Gwappamon were.. one eye twitching at the ska music that was blaring from the head phones. But when Malie yelled to get them, and their oddly hilarious panic attack before they went zooming away, Al would point after them
“Don’t let ‘em get away! Hey you little punks, bring that back!” He shouted before running after them.
-
[Roll Athletics with a -2 from terrain! >8D ]
-
Rolling: 2 4 5 + 6= 17!]
-
The sense of deja vu was not lost on Al as everyone began chasing their quarry through the tunnels. Both he and Renamon quickly outpaced the others - with Eyesmon too busy carrying Malie and Kukuimon, and Vivi barely gaining on Ike and Gazimon. Renamon's sense of hearing proved invaluable in keeping up with the Gwappamon, the vulpine able to direct the others whenever visual contact was lost. Issues sprang up when the two thieves split in different directions. At first, it was simple: chase the one that was carrying the Astrolabe. The strange digimon likely thought that using the one playing Skaa would act as a decoy for the other, or, having made the tamers so used to following the music, confuse the group by making them concentrate between visual and audial cues. It worked on Ike and Gazimon, splitting the party as they attempted to chase both Gwappamon. Any attempt to regroup or belay the tactic risked giving the thieves more time to escape.
And then came the next big hurdle.
("They're back together already?") thought Renamon, both she and Alemana seeing their target toss the Astrolabe to another Gwappamon as the thieves ran past each other. There was no sign of Ike and Gaz, however.
-
“These little guys are surprisingly fast, what the heck!” Alemana said as they chased after Gwappamon- the annoying Ska music being infuriatingly fitting for the situation at hand. When the paths recombined, He then gasped as he saw them pass the Astrolabe. “Renamon, you go after that one who just took it, this one’s mine!”
-
"Understood!"
[Roll Athletics again with a -3 penalty! >8D]
-
He nodded as he ran after the other, shouting at the Digimon to stop “You’re making it worse when we get you! I’m gonna scratch all your CDs!”
[Rollibg: 2 6 5 + 3 = 16]
-
His threat only made the thief run even faster, as Al and Renamon split up and maintained pursuit. Again and again, the tamer narrowly dodged falling for the digimon's feints, his time in the Digital World having heightened his sense for trickery. That was, until he turned the corner and saw two Gwappamon, both wearing headphones and carrying Astrolabes. The two gawped at each other, glancing down at their cargo and every possible direction to run in, only to about face as they saw Alemana come up behind them.
-
And Alemana would sprint straight towards them, fist over fist as he then held both arms out, aiming to clothesline both kappa’s “AAAAA-“
-
[Alright, roll to attack x'D ]
-
Rolling: 4 5 5 2 1= 2 suxx!]
-
In stereo, the digimon screamed, battling Al's own warcry for supremacy over the airwaves long before the tamer reached the pair. And as the terrified kappa came face-to-face with him, they were suddenly silenced as arms met jugulars and flippers took flight!
-
And once done, Alemana would then try to belly flop on both of them to keep the screaming Gwappamon from escaping!
-
[Roll again!]
-
Rolling: 3 5 4 6 1= 2!]
-
Despite the odds, Alemana managed to defeat not one but TWO digimon on his own, holding them down with his weight as the Gwappamon fell stunned on their turtle shelled backs.
-
Alemana was almost as surprised as the Gwappamon, but he would keep them down.
“Alright, start talking! Why were you guys on the Paradiso?!” He demanded “Who wants the gadget you stole?!”
(“Renamon! I got both of em!”)
-
("You did?") thought Renamon. Looking over his shoulder, Al saw Renamon step into view, carrying a Gwappamon by the lip of their shell in one paw, and an Astrolabe in the other. "Because that would make two of us," she said aloud.
-
(“What?”) he looked back at Renamon, then the two Gwappamon that he was using as a futon, then back to her. “Okay.. this complicates things.”
-
Without ceremony, or reverence, Renamon dropped her captured Gwappamon, the turtle-duck squeaking like a chew toy as they hit the floor.
"Hookmon said the Astrolabe is made of digizoid," said the vulpine, gazing at the device in her paw. It took less than a second for her to crush it. "Which one of you has the real one?"
The thieves swallowed hard, avoiding eye contact with tamer and digimon alike.
-
“You better tell us. Because if you don’t..” he pointed to one of the Gwappamon’s CDs on their heads, and then to Renamon- specifically her sharp black claws. “Capishe?”
-
[Roll Persuade with a +1 ;) ]
-
[Rolling: 3 5 3 + 5 + 1= 17!]
-
"Okay okay, it was the Green Lady!" said one of the two under Al, their voice almost musical. "Don't hate us cuz we're beautiful!"
-
“The Green Lady?” His tone grew colder, and he would poke at Gwappamon’s CD
“Did you guys give it to her yet?”
-
The Gwappamon's face blanched at the approaching finger. In unison, the two beneath Al began rolling about on their shelled backs, threatening to shake the tamer off as he struggled to keep his center of balance.
[Roll Athletics. Then roll Feats of Strength. If you rolled under 15 with Athletics, apply a -3 penalty.]
-
[Rolling: 5 4 4+ 6= 19
Rolling: 4 1 2+ 6= 13]
-
Any sense of threat the Gwappamon may have once had died under the prowess of Alemana Sonson, the athlete conquering the power of turtle-based counter-grappling without being thrown off in the least. Granted, wrestling two digimon was still a challenge - especially for a human - he still kept his improvised throne, earning a thumbs up and a warm smile from Renamon, as she leaned against the nearby wall. Her own Gwappamon knew better than to flee.
"This sucks, mon!" sobbed one of the trio.
"Lady's gonna be so upset we got caught!" wept another.
"Ruuude," moaned the third.
-
Alemana would rub his finger on the dirty floor and inch his finger closer to one of the CDs “which one of you has the real doohickey?”
-
"HE DOES," two of them said in unison, only to groan when the third Gwappamon said "It's already been delivered!"
"What was that?" asked Renamon, edge creeping into her voice.
"It-it's true! We were sent here as decoys!"
"Dude! Shut your beak!"
"We're Team Skaa! Y-you want Team Reggae! Not us!"
-
“.. and where is team Reggae?” He asked.. finger almost touching now.
-
"Th-they're still at the waystation! Up ahead! Where the river meets the city--MERCY!!"
-
“Is that right? Well then..” he would then get back up “I guess we’re done! You better not go running off to warn your buddies, you hear me?”
-
The Gwappamon looked at each other. "You're letting us go? Just like that?"
-
“Yeah. I’m not like the Green Lady who hurts people to get what she wants. But you better not try to double cross us, or Renamon will make sure those CDs will never play anything but creepy garble gook from now on!”
-
"Garble gook indeed," said the vulpine.
Flinching, the trio scrambled back onto their webbed feet before racing each other into the darkness of the tunnels. Al's digivice chose then to start ringing.
"++Hey, we've been duped++" said Ike.
Suddenly, another call was coming in.
"++Hey++" said Vivi. "++Uh, you guys know anything about Malie being a master interrogator? Also, we're being messed with down here++"
-
Watching them leave, he would then give Renamon a hug
“Whoever says you’re just a pretty face is a liar.” He teased… though he would pick up the phone to answer.
“Hey, don’t feel bad, I just figured out wh-“ then he answered Vivi. “That’s just Malie, you’ll get use to it! And I know.. but I know where we need to go next. Follow our arrow, we’re heading to a waystation up ahead: the guys who have the real thing might still be there!”
-
Renamon returned the embrace, chuckling as she did so. She went quiet when both of them heard talking in the background.
"++Gaz says the only waystation in your direction leads to an access tunnel outside of town++" said Ike. "++Something about it being used for sending overflow when the undercity floods in the wrong direction++"
"Wrong direction?" echoed Renamon.
"++Yeah++" said Gazimon. "++Y'know, when the water's comin' in from the sea instead of a flooded river?++"
"++Any chance it's a trap?++" asked Vivi.
-
“Well there’s only one way to find out. We will let you know.” He then looked at Renamon. “Feel like taking a dip?” He half joked.
-
"If I'm getting wet, you're coming with me," mused the vixen. With her foot, she then brushed aside one of the fake astrolabes as she walked side-by-side with her tamer, her tail curling around his calf.
Following instructions from Gazimon as well as their own keen eyes, Alemana and Renamon navigated the tunnels till they reached what could only have been their destination. It had to be. The tunnels stopped and an endless expanse of water began. The two stood on a stone dock of sorts, more akin to a balcony when one thought on how the cavernous room was flooded. Nearby floodlights revealed pillars of concrete in the distance, spaced out evenly and far between. It was eerily quiet.
"It's too dark for me to see anything beyond the light," said the vulpine. "I'm tempted to use Withering Storm to trace the distance, but that'll risk exposing us if anyone's waiting for us."
-
His face would grow red at her choice of words, and he would take hold of her hand as they walked. "Very funny..!" he quipped back, though he couldn't help but look down at her tail, and his face grew even more red.
------
To say it was dark was a bit of an understatement. if it weren't for the flood lights, Alemana likely would've walked right off of the dock and into the water. "No kidding.. should we wait for the others then?"
-
"We might have to. Too many blind spots to work with. Even if I digivolved and jumped between pillars, we'd be going in blind, especially if someone broke the lights the minute we were far enough in."
-
"Yeah.. you're right. Well.. what should we do while we're waiting for everyone? Not much to see from this pier..."
-
"Stay alert," reasoned Renamon. "I'll watch the water if you keep an eye on the tunnel."
What time they had alone was short lived, however, as Al already heard the sound of others coming this way. A quick glance at his digivice confirmed it was the rest of the group, with Gazimon once again in the lead.
"Auwe," said Kukuimon. "This place is huge! I never would have imagined something like this under the city!"
"Kinda reminds me of the tunnels under Tokyo," said Vivi.
-
"Right, i just hope that the others come here soo-" And just as he said that he could hear the others in the tunnels behind them, and he would smile in relief. "Thank goodness, you're all here. But yeah.. this place is massive.. how are we supposed to get across all this water?" he asked, though he then glanced at Eyesmon, remembering something Kuku said.
"Hey, Eyesmon. You can make stuff out of data, right?"
-
"Hm? Yep yep!" chirped the many-eyed shadow. "If I've seen it, I can make an exact copy!"
"Duplicates are technically weaker than the real thing, though."
"VIVI!! WHY MUST YOU SPREAD WEAKNESS?!!"
"Don't have to yell!" said Ike, shielding his ears.
"Even if Eyes made a tank," said Vivi. "It'd be roughly one third the durability of a real one, meaning it wouldn't do much against heavy weapons fire."
"Did you actually test that?" asked Malie.
"Mmmaybe."
"Wicked."
"You guys don't see it," said Gazimon. "But those columns out there got platforms for walkin' on. There're also air-tight rollup-doors on the room's left n' right walls. Each leads to shared hallway leadin' back to service tunnels, though going through any'd be a mistake if they've been boobytrapped."
-
"Hmm... well if its a third as strong as the genuine article..." Alemana muttered to himself as he thought about what the best course of action should be. "Two doors on either side of the room, hmm..." he then looked at the others. "Well theres only one thing we can do.. we gotta check the whole room."
-
Kukuimon tilted his head to one side. "How do you mean, cousin?"
-
"We boat around, checking all the pillars for anyone who might be trying to get the drop on us. And if somethings in the water.. can you make bombs, Eyesmon?"
-
"BOMBS?!" exclaimed the dragon.
"Won't that risk collapsing the room?" asked Ike.
"I mean, if we really need a boat," said Malie. "Kukui can turn into Pua'amon."
"Pua'amon can swim?" asked Renamon.
"Ae," said the piglet. "I float!"
"Are we just gonna ignore Al's idea of using depth-charges?" asked Ike, eye twitching.
"Ah-ah," countered Vivi. "One third of a depth-charge. Though honestly, we've never tried making explosives before."
"Hey boss," said Gazimon. "What if I digivolve into Gargoylemon? Eh? I can fly AND see in the dark!"
Ike frowned. "That's great and all, Gaz, but if something else's up there with you, what'll happen if you get knocked out and hit the water?"
-
"I'm just saying, who knows what could be swimming around in there right now. little charges could give us an edge. especially if we are gonna be swimming around on Pua'amon." he then looked at Ike "Well.. if Pua'amon floats, we can just float on over to Gargoylemon if he falls in."
-
Vivi shrugged. "Okay, but no promises. Push comes to shove, we'd still effectively have paperweights to throw at people."
Groaning, Ike threw his head back. "Guess we're doing this either way," he said, pulling out his digivice. "Alright, let's get this party started."
In an instant, the blonde's digivice glowed an indigo-blue and brooding grey as fiery rings of said-colors enveloped Gazimon. Each were inscribed with symbols likes those found on all of the tamers' digivices, and, like the others before him, Gazimon's body began to warp and grow at an alarming rate, the intensity of the flames growing till he couldn't be seen!
"GAZIMON DIGIVOLVE TO--GARGOYLEMON!!"
And so repeated the same instance with Malie and Kukuimon, with coral-orange and amber-brown light engulfing the green piglet.
"KUKUIMON DIGIVOLVE TO--PUA'AMON!!"
"Suddenly, it got very cramped in here," said Malie, stepping back as Pua'amon slid onto the water.
"Haaa--feel like a million Bits!!" said Gargoylemon, the digimon stretching wide his wings as he flexed out his body.
"Ready to go, Al?" asked Renamon, smiling.
-
Alemana would watch them both digivolve with wonder, and he would look over at Renamon
"Shall we do the same?"
-
"Let's."
Once more, Al's digivice glowed with reseda-green and pink as rings encircled his partner, Renamon warping into a fox made of living fire! Her tail split into nine; a harness of sacred rope and bells emerging from it all!
"RENAMON DIGIVOLVE TO--KYUBIMON!!"
Eyesmon then turned to face Vivi. "Uh, should I devolve back to Lensmon, then back into Eyesmon?"
"I don't that's necessary," the spectacled tamer chuckled.
"All aboard~!" chortled Pua'amon, the giant boar leaning closer to the pier as Malie began climbing onto his back.
"Guess I'll ride with you guys," said Ike. "Give a shout if you see anything, Gar."
"Hell yeah," said the living statue, pushing off the ground. Suddenly, it was a lot more spacious on the pier again.
-
Al would grin as he hopped onto Kyubimon's back as she climbed atop Pua'amon, using her tails as torches to help light their way as he swam. "So.. anyone know any good sea shanties?" he joked.
-
"I don't know about sea shanties," said the boar. "But I might know a song or two."
"Sing it, Pua."
Pua'amon coughed. "M-Malie? I mean-! Uh, right!" Clearing his throat, the pig-made-ship began to sing.
"Ho'olohe mai, e nā mamo, hele i ka huaka'i me ka Hōkūle'a,
E maliu mai, e nā kamali'i, hele i ka holokai me ka Hōkūle'a~"
The tune echoed across the water, yet was as soft as the glow from Kyubimon's many flames. A surprise, given Pua'amon's size and timbre. True, it wasn't as magical as Kukuimon's Gentle Song, some echo of his rookie-form's power remained, it seemed. Or perhaps the digimon was just that good of a singer.
"Lele i lalo i Rarotonga, lele i Tahiti, lele paha, i Nukuhiwa,
E hāhai ana i nā po'e kūpuna~"
-
Alemana would look out on the water as they traversed the room, one hand gently scratching one of her ears. ("With this lighting, this could almost seem romantic- if you ignore the boar boat,") the boy joked.
-
("You've such a way with words, Alemana,") mused the fox as she glanced at him from over her shoulder.
"'Au i ka moana uliuli, 'au i ke kai, ke kai kuakea,
nānā i nā hōkū i ka lewa, nā Makali'i o ka lani ākea~"
Even on high alert as they were, the tamers found it hard not to smile to the song, Malie laying flat on her belly as she put her ear to Pua'amon's mantle; Ike, content to watch the ceiling for signs of Gargoylemon; Vivi, holding Eyesmon's head on her lap as they watched the shore disappear behind them.
"A laila,
E a'o mai i nā makani, mai hea mai e pā mai ana,
E a'o mai i nā 'au moana, mai hea mai e holo mai ana,
E a'o mai i nā mokupuni, 'āina kahiko o nā po'e kūpuna
I hele mai ai i Hawai'i nei,
Me ka na'au'ao, me ka wiwo'ole,
Me ka 'ike a me ka mana loa~"
-
("I have a pretty influence in my life, I'll introduce you to her.") He teased as he rest his head against her neck, listening to her heart. "You guys see anything yet?"
-
"Huh? No," said Ike, still watching the ceiling.
"All good on the rear," said Vivi.
"Heheh, 'rear'," said Eyesmon.
"Ho'olohe mai, e nā mamo, hele i ka holokai me ka Hōkūle'a,
Lele, lele e nā manu, lele, lele Hōkūle'a,
Lele, lele, Hawai'i Loa, lele, lele Makali'i,
Lele, lele, e lele lele, lele lele, e lele lele, lele lele, e lele lele e~"
"PLAY SOMETHING ELSE!!" barked a voice in the dark.
Everyone snapped from their reverie. No sooner had Pua'amon stopped singing did the glint of something in the distance speed right past Al's cheek. Turning, he heard a hard *THWCK* as whatever narrowly missed him bounced off a nearby pillar, skipping across the water.
"BOGIES DEAD AHEAD!!" hollered Gargoylemon, "Gwappamon comin' in hot on rafts!"
"DJ SHOOTER!!" shouted a sing-song voice. That's when Al realized what was coming at them: CD-projectiles.
[Roll Dodge for me real quick.]
-
Alemana would almost lose himself to the serenity, when he narrowly avoided the disc. turning around to see the Gwappamon "Pirates!"
[rolling 3 5 6 6= 3 suxx]
-
Not needing further prompting, Kyubimon dodged the incoming CDs, the sound of rocksteady music following in their wake.
"Pirates?!" exclaimed one of the turtle-ducks. "Raw nerve! Our tunes're the real deal! No bootlegging on our watch! Hoo ha!"
Looking up, Al saw more of the discs flying at the platforms built into the columns, trying to hit Gargoylemon.
"How many are there?!" asked Ike. "Anyone know?!"
"None behind us!" said Eyesmon. "They're coming from the sides and dead ahead!"
"That's what I said!" called out Gargoylemon.
"Al," said Malie. "Pua'amon can't attack while he's swimming! He needs help!"
-
"I got it, I got it!" Al looked at Kyubimon "aim for their rafts, this must be team Reggae- hold on."
"HEY! ARE YOU GUYS TEAM REGGAE?!" he called to the Gwappamon.
-
"NO! WE'RE TEAM ROCKSTEADY!!"
-
"WHERE THE HECK IS TEAM REGGAE AND THE THING YOU GUYS STOLE FROM HOOKMON?!"
He then looked at Kyubimon "Fire a warning shot across their noses to show we mean business,"
Kyubimon nodded, her tails spreading out. "Wailing Inferno!" she cried as nine fireballs flew towards the lead raft.
{Rolling: 5 2 3 6 1 5 6 2 3 1= 4 suxx]
-
The kappa-creatures jumped back as the flames hit the water mere inches from the raft.
"Gck! They're returning fire!!"
"LET 'EM HAVE IT!!"
"DJ SHOOTER!!"
In sync, three Gwappamon did a beatbox motion with their arms before rolling their upperbodies around by the hips, heads far back as they then reached for their scalps, swiping at them as they came back around! And from this dance were the discs on their heads sent flying towards the group!
[Rolling: 6 5 4, 3 5 4 = 3 suxx
4 3 5, 1 4 6 = 2 suxx
3 1 2, 1 3 2 = Miss]
-
[ Rolling dodge: 5 1 1 5 3 6 4 5= 4, miss
2 3 5 6 1 3 1= 2 suxx, miss
4 2 2 6 1 5= 2 suxx= miss]
miraculously, all three shots missed, and Alemana would glare at the Gwappamon "REALLY?! LET EM HAVE IT! BOMBING RUN GAR!"
Kyubimon once again would fire another volley, aiming for the raft this time."Wailing Inferno!"
[Rolling: 5 4 2 1 4 6 5 5 3 6= 5 suxx!]
-
Unable to move out of the way, the Gwappa-raft was hit on every side and corner by Kyubimon's foxfire, sending the turtle-ducks scrambling to stamp it out. The attempt was quickly abandoned, however, in favor of diving into the water, as all three of the digimon saw the incoming wrath of Gargoylemon.
"STATUE BOMBER!!" he roared, turning to solid stone as he smashed dead center atop the raft. What Gwappamon didn't making off were sent flying, Gar shifting back and following suit before he could sink into the drink.
None of this stopped more CDs from ricocheting from off pillars and walls.
"Three more above and to the left!" cried Eyesmon. "Another raft directly to the right!"
"DJ SHOOTER!!" cried the new raft's Gwappamon.
"DECEPTIVE ILLUSION!!" countered the dragon, barbs up. The incoming barrage of CDs were suddenly blocked by a wall of blue light appearing in front of them, becoming a brick wall upon the light's darkening.
"We still have three swimming around," warned Kyubimon. "Watch out!"
-
Alemana would look down at Kyubimon, and then shouted “We need more hands, to repel the boarders!”
Kyubimon looked down at Pua’amon’s muddy back and shrugs, and four flames create the Fox Wives.
“Okay, Charlotte, Amy, Jennifer, Kirsten! Don’t let those ducks climb up on Pua’amon!”
Charlotte, the fox wife with a boyish mop of pink fire, took a spot to the north end of Pua. Amy, who had long bangs over one eye, went to the south. Jennifer and Kirsten, with matching- yet mirrored ponytails, took the East and West.
-
[Gain +1 Inspiration xD ]
"You named them?!" said Ike, watching the girls go to work. "And since when did they have hair?!"
"Not the time!" said Vivi, her digivice flashing with violet light. Al was suddenly reminded of how his digivice would glow despite Kyubimon already having digivolved. "Eyes! Get below us!"
The dark dragon nodded, diving backwards off of Pua'amon without breaking the surface.
"Gar!" called Ike. "Try freezing 'em!"
"Freeze?" echoed Malie.
Looking up, everyone saw the silhouette of the winged beast as he swooped towards the new raft. Crossing his arms over his chest, his body shimmered like crystal in the light of the living foxfires.
"FREEZING WING!!" he roared, unleashing a barrage of statues made of solid ice as he broke the arm-cross. On impact, the statues shattered into clouds of powdered snow, flash freezing everything that made contact with it.
"Yeah! Nailed 'em!" cheered Ike.
"I only see two of them," said Kyubimon. Indeed, on the raft-turned-iceberg, only two Gwappamon were frozen in place, their eyes still blinking as they struggled to break free. "Watch the water!"
[Roll Dodge for me]
-
[ Rolling: 2 4 1 6 4 1 1 5= 2 suxx]
-
*Rollz*
[...That's it. I'm getting science dice.]
Al caught the glint of movement beneath the water just as a Gwappamon broke through, arching in the air as they threw another CD towards the party! The attack was foiled, however, by "Jennifer" as she karate-chopped the disc in half. Still deadly with momentum, one shard impaled itself in the nearby pillar while the other shot in the black depths of the water.
"Kupanaha!" cheered Pua'amon. "That's the way!"
-
“Thanks Jennifer! We gotta round up a few of em so we can put the dirt to their CDs!”
Kyubimon would then fire another volley at another raft!
[Rolling: 4 2 6 1 3 3 6 2 5 4= 3 suxx]
-
And again the nine-tails struck true, a conflagration setting alight both raft and darkness like a Viking funeral. Yet more and more, the Gwappamon began to take to the water, leaping in and out of the water as they circled the group.
*Rollz*
Not counting those already struck down, Alemana could make out five turtle-ducks, the mad kaps trying to hide their numbers by dolphin jumping out of the water in different directions at different speeds.
"DJ SHOOTER!!" said three of them, firing off mid-jump towards the fox wives -- all to the rhythm of ambient rocksteady music!
[Rolling: 1 5 1, 2 2 5 = 3 suxx
5 1 6, 6 3 1 = 3 suxx
1 1 5, 4 6 6 = 3 suxx]
-
“Kyubimon’!”
[Rolling: 6 4 1 6 5 6 3 5= 5 suxx= miss
1 3 6 3 5 2 4= 2 suxx= hit
4 6 1 4 2 1 = 1 suxx= hit]
-
[9+1 = 10 DMG - Armor = 2 DMG
9+2 = 11 DMG - Armor = 3 DMG]
Charlotte Fox came in with a sweeping flame-kick against the first of the projectiles, but whilst the remaining two seemed to miss completely, Kyubimon was taken off guard when the CDs ricocheted off the columns to come racing back, catching her in the flank and just above the front elbow!
-
Alemana felt a flush of anger as Kyubimon got hit, and he would turn touch her shoulder “Are you okay, Kyubimon?”
-
"They actually hit me," she said, smirking. "I'd be mad if it weren't so cute."
Al could hear Gargoylemon dropping more statues of ice off in the distance as Kyubimon fanned her tails out. Pua'amon was gaining speed again, but the Gwappamon were doing laps around him. There was no sign of Eyesmon, though the sudden disappearance of a turtle-duck or two didn't go unnoticed.
"Are we winning?" asked Ike. "I can't tell how many're left!"
-
Alemana would then start chuckling as he stroked the fur on her neck. “Well then.. let’s show them what they won!”
Then Kyubimon’s eyes lit up, and she would turn her attention towards the closest cluster. ”Wailing Inferno!” and launched a barrage of fireballs at a group of Gwappamon.
[Rolling: 3 2 2 6 5 1 6 4 5 3= 4 suxx!]
“WHERE IS TEAM REGGAE YOU PIRATE RASCALS!?”
-
*Rollz*
Foxfire hit the water in a spray of steam and vapor, causing an outcry of panic among the targeted Gwappamon.
"You're too late, nerd!" spat one as it climbed onto what remained of a raft. "Those Gwaps are long gone by now! You'll never reach the top of the drain pipe in time to catch up!"
-
Alemana would look at Ike, then up at Gargoylemon before then turning towards the Gwap, giving him the stink eye and sticking his tongue at him. “Thanks for telling us where they are, losers! Ike, Gargoylemon! Go up the drainage pipe! You too, Eyesmon, Vivi! We can handle these doofuses and then meet back up with you!”
-
"On it!" said Ike, the tamer staring ahead as Gar swoop down behind him and wrap a powerful arm around his waist. The two were launching off again like it was second nature.
"Eyes," said Vivi, talking into her digivice. "You get all that? Let's go!"
A cloud of solid shadow surged from out of the water, engulfing the tamer as it sped after Gargoylemon into the distance.
One of the neighboring Gwappamon slapped the trash-talker among them across the back of the head.
"Uh, we're not just gonna wait here, are we?" asked Malie.
-
Alemana watched them leave, before giving Malie a smile “Of course not, we can’t let those two have all the fun. We’re just making sure these duck-billed bullies don’t make trouble for em. Once we round em up, we’re gonna follow those two!” He then gave Kyubimon’s neck a gentle pat.
“Isn’t that right, Kyubi?”
-
"Couldn't agree more," mused the nine-tails.
But as the group began gathering the Gwappamon -- two of which trembled in place no matter the amount of assurances their teammates gave them -- a stillness settled over the cavernous room. It was almost unnatural, given how lively things had gotten mere moments before. Gargoylemon's use of ice had also chilled the room, too, as everyone could see their own breath...
-
“Alright, if they get rowdy just threaten to kick the tops of their heads, your tongue is super sandpaper-y” he joked, pulling a fairly long, blunt stick from his digivice, gently poking at their weird duck toes every now and then as they got them all in a single place. But when he saw those two shivering gwaps, a faint feeling of concern came to him. “Hey.. you need a blanket or something?”
-
"Eyes," they said, not even looking in Al's direction. "S-s-so many eyes...!"
"Guess Malie's not the only one in our group with a talent for scaring digimon," said Kyubimon.
"Foxxo says what," said the longhaired tamer.
The mortified Gwappamon burst out laughing, "Eyes! So many eyes! Too many eyes! Eyes eyes eyes! Red eyes! Purple eyes! Yellow eyes!"
"Yellow?" echoed Pua'amon.
A low, hollow note sounded from across the water. In which direction, Al couldn't say, though it made all of the Gwappamon jump.
"Someone else is here," said Kyubimon, scanning the darkness. "Below us?"
Pua'amon froze in place. "B-below?!"
-
“I guess Eyesmon was having too much fu- yellow?” He would then take hold of her sacred ropes.
“Shine some light out on the water..”
-
Without saying a word, Kyubimon directed the fox-wives to spread out, lowering them as close to the water as possible. It didn't take long for Al to see what was dwelling beneath the surface. Even though marred by silt and mud, the tamer saw in the dimly lit depths what looked like not one, not two, but three lobster-like digimon, their heads were like plated helmets, and their jaws like that of a dragon's. Yellow eyes scowling back up at the group beneath barbed plates of red and black armor.
"Ebidramon...!" said one of the Gwaps.
-
Alemana world tighten his grip on Kyubimon’s sacred ropes, and he would look at all the Gwaps, and at the three Ebidramon.. raising his Digivice to scan one of them.
-
//Ebidramon
++//Level: Champion
++//Type: Crustacean
++//Attribute: Data
++//Family: Deep Savers
++//Attacks: Twin Scissors, Lobster Step, Water Wave
("Well, they aren't attacking us yet,") thought Kyubimon. ("Are they waiting for something?")
-
Alemana would look at the digivice and click his jaw in thought. (“Maybe we can get them to go away without violence… worth a try.”
“Uh.. hey there! Sorry to barge into your house and cause a ruckus, we just had a problem with these duck billed doofuses.. but it’s be taken care of! We’ll get out of your hair- whiskers- without a fuss!”
-
[Hmm... roll Persuade]
-
[Rolling: 4 2 5 + 6= 17]
-
If the trio were convinced, they showed no sign of it, staying motionless beneath the water as they continued to eye the group and Team Rocksteady.
"Pua," whispered Malie. "Start moving again, reaaaal slowly."
The giant boar nodded, motioning forward like driftwood on a phantom current, in spite of his size.
("Should we bring the Gwappamon with us?") asked Kyubimon. ("Or let them figure it out on their own?")
-
That last suggestion took Alemana by surprise, though he kept his eyes on the Ebiramon
(“You’re not suggesting we just leave them here with those things? I know we fought them but still..!”)
-
("I'm just kidding,") she mused, licking the boy's cheek. ("Though if I find the one that cut me, well...")
"How did we even miss those things when we were setting up the ambush?" asked one of the Gwaps.
"It's pitch-black in here, dummy," said his neighbor. "Of course we wouldn't see anything!"
-
(“I was just about to say-“) his cheeks turn reddened (“H-hey..!”)
“Hey, Gwaps.. where is the drain tunnel that Team Reggae went to?”
-
[Roll Persuade!]
-
[Rolling: 5 3 6 + 6= 20]
-
The turtle-ducks looked at each other, grumbling and mumbling amongst themselves.
"Up ahead and to your right," said one of them. "Not like it matters, you're still too late!" The Gwap shut up after he was elbowed in the arm by a teammate.
"Looks like we have our heading," said Kyubimon.
"Firstmate Pua'amon," said Malie as she raised her arm, the girl then thrusting it forward as she pointed towards the darkness beyond. "Set a course for freedom!"
"Ae, Kapena Bucketmon!"
"LORD Kapena Bucketmon!"
"She's not even wearing a bucket this time," chuckled Kyubimon.
Moving as best they could to avoid enraging the Ebidramon, the group followed the light of the nine-tails' fox wives as she sent Charlotte to scout for the promised exit. A collective sigh escaped them all when they spotted the pink hair-flamed familiar floating above a oval-shaped tunnel in the otherwise featureless wall.
"Those fox ladies are handy," said Malie. "And really pretty too."
The familiar raised its chin, reflecting the same look of quiet pride on Kyubimon's face as the group approached.
"Looks like it climbs at an angle," said Pua'amon, the great boar peering into the tunnel. "Can't see much else, though."
-
Alemana would give Kyubimon a pat.. and then look at the Gwaps with a small look of smug satisfaction. “I wouldn’t count your eggs before they hatched. This isn’t the first time we’ve beaten the odds.” He said as they swam towards the drain, Captain Lord Bucketmon making him chuckle.
When they reached the tunnel, he would give the fox wife a wave. “It’s amazing how much personality you can give them when you give them hair and names.” He said quietly as he looked at Kyubimon’s proud expression. (“You seem to be enjoying this.”) he teased.
Staring at the tunnel, he would then give a small hum in thought. “Do you think you can climb that incline, Kyubimon?”
-
("An artist always enjoys good approval,") thought the nine-tails. She then switched to speaking aloud upon hearing Al's question. "I can definitely try. If it's alright, I'd like to send one of my girls on ahead first. Assuming it's not another dead-end --" she gave a sidelong glance at the Gwappamon. "We'd still have to consider the climb getting steeper as we progressed, and whether Pua'amon would need to change back to Kukuimon to made the ascent."
As the group deliberated on their strategy, and while the Gwappamon nursed their wounds and bruised egos, none could tell what was going on beneath their feet. For in the depths of the storm water they rode upon, their watchers, the Ebidramon, ever brooding, ever looming, ever scheming and behooving, began to make their move.
"I'm not sure if the Gwappamon could all climb in their condition if it came to a chimney going straight up," reasoned Pua'amon.
"And Ike's the one with all the rope," said Malie.
Without pushing, or obstructing, without threatening or cajoling, the trio of crustaceans turned to face the back of the group, at the bottom of the flooded chamber bade. Surround them though they did, at these digi-tamer kids, Ebidramon trio bid, to eject them from their crib. Through the power... of Water Wave.
[Roll Athletics!]
-
“Huh.. this is more complicated than I thought it would be. So what do you think Ma— okay so uh.. those shrimp things followed us.” Al said as he looked back to talk to Malie. “Um.. hi there? What are you do-“
And then they got blasted up the tunnel with the water “Oh my Gooooooo-!”
[Rolling: 4 3 3 + 6= 16]
-
There was no time to be lost! Grabbing onto Kyubimon, Al braced himself as the three-pronged assault hit Pua'amon's rear at an angle, sending him and everyone aboard screaming up into the drain tunnel! The sudden pressure and speed was so intense, even Kyubimon was forced to her knees, the nine-tails digging her claws into Pua'amon's mantle as everyone held on for dear life! This must have been what it was like being inside a bottle of soda, or geyser! Screw it, this is what astronauts must feel like taking off into space! Right down to Al feeling the flesh on face stretch to every corner away from his nose! He could feel the current push along the wall in a spiral, spinning them around even as they maintained a course straight up! He could see a light at the end of the tunnel! HERE IT COMES!!
-
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!!” And Al held onto Kyubimon’s ropes for dear life!
-
A bone rattling *THOOM* exploded in Al's ears as his world became awash with light, eyes burning in the glare of the sun. Only by the grace of his grip upon Kyubimon's harness did he avoid flying off, his feet passing him on their way up as gravity called him back down to earth. He felt the nine-tails coil around him as Kyubimon repositioned herself, landing Al atop her back as they plummeted towards the forest below. As they reached the canopy, she aimed for the nearest tree, pushing off branch and trunk to stabilize momentum. Her paws would land in mud, sliding to a stop just in time to feel the earth shake that was Pua'amon behind her.
"WOOH!!" cheered Malie, the girl hanging by her collar in Kyubimon's mouth. "Let's go again!!"
Kyubimon sighed, her body drooping as she lowered the tamer onto a nearby boulder.
-
Al would hug Kyubimon’s neck , panting a bit
“Okay.. that was different..”
-
Kyubimon glanced over her shoulder at the boy. "Are you both alright?" she asked.
Malie began looking around. "Where's Pua--" she began, only to see the mountain of a pig flat on his belly. All around him, Gwappamon laid flat against the ground, and in shared anguish they all moaned with dizzied eyes. "Oup, nevermind."
"Pohihihi loa au," mumbled Pua'amon.
-
“Oh.. are you alright too, Kyubimon?” He asked.. checking her over.. and then he looked at those cd wounds “Do those hurt?”
-
"They sting," she said, looking at them. "But we've been through worse." The nine-tails then rubbed her neck up against the tamer, tilting her head to one side as she smiled. "And thank you for asking, I appreciate it."
-
And he would hug her neck, smiling. “Okay good. Well next up.. where are the others? Shouldn’t Gargoylemon be flying around?”
-
Malie pulled out her digivice. "It says they should be just up ahead."
Looking past the chaos in front of him, Al saw a waystation built into the rocky outcrop overlooking the storm-drain they had all just escaped from. It was a three-story building, shrinking as one got closer to the top, wherein a satellite dish and radio antenna pointed out.
-
“Ah, there it is! Good job Malie! Now then…” he turned his attention to the Gwaps
“You guys better not try anything funny, or we will have to beat you up again.”
-
[Roll Persuade with a +1]
-
[Rolling: 3 2 3 + 6= 14]
-
"You're... too... laerrrt" panted one of the Gwaps, struggling to stay conscious.
"Just shut up, mon," said another. "I'm tired!"
"Yeah," said the rest. The result was a froggy face from the humbled turtle-duck.
-
“Good, stay down. Welp, bye! Let’s go guys!” Al said cheerfully as he gave Kyubimon’s head a gently pat
-
Pua'amon would revert back to Kukuimon as the group made their way over, the piglet riding with Malie on Kyubimon's back. Passed a chain-link fence, they reached the waystation to see Gargoylemon standing sentinel as he shifted out of statue form. This came as a surprise to even Kyubimon, it was as if their eyes just had slid over the area Gargoylemon had chosen to perch over up until now. Ike showed up moments later, opening the door for them.
"Do I even wanna know what happened?" he asked.
"We'll explain later," said Kyubimon. "Where're Vivi and Eyesmon?"
"They're in the security room," he said, thumbing over his shoulder. "We couldn't find Team Reggae except for a straggler, he was too busy tying up with the one Hagurumon and Guardromon working here to notice us."
-
That would also catch Al off guard, and he then would gently slide off Kyubimon. “Has he talked?”
-
"Not exactly. He's not like the other Gwaps we've met. Pretty tight-lipped. Tight-beaked? Ah whatever. Point is, we got 'em, and Vivi's going over camera footage with Eyes."
"Tonight I dine on turtle soup," snickered Malie.
"Malie, don't made jokes like that," whimpered Kukui.
-
That answer made him frown, but he would gently reach up to pet Kukuimon “Hey it’s okay lil guy. Could you take a look at Kyubimon’s cuts for me?” He asked, hoping to distract him.
-
"Hm? Oh! 'Ae, cousin."
"We'll be out here if anything comes up," said Kyubimon. "Have to make sure Team Rocksteady doesn't get any ideas, after all."
With that, the tamers followed Ike into the building, walking past an open office space and supply closet before finding the security room Vivi was holed up in.
"Hey guys," she said, the spectacled tamer sitting at a desk in front of nine computer screens. "Wow that was fast."
What caught Al's attention even more was the Gwappamon sitting in the corner, tied up from neck to flipper in rope and a plastic bag.
-
“Give me a call if anything goes pear shaped, okay?” Al would gently pet Kyubi’s muzzle before then entering the security office, finding Vivi. “Hey. We had some.. unexpected help,” he said as he turn looked at the Gwappamon. “So I heard this guy was being difficult?”
-
"Yeah. Hasn't said a word."
As Vivi turned around on her chair to face the group, Al noticed the various screens were running multiple windows on their own, including a game of Gallagher that was using a very familiar sprite. Meanwhile, as Malie approached the Gwappamon, toy knife in hand, the would be interrogator took a step back as the turtle-duck thrust its head up, causing the disc on its scalp to pop off and land on the floor.
"Woah!" she said. "Nice try, fool! But it will take more than that to defeat Lord Kapena Bucketmon!" She then looked back at the Gwap. "Huh, already got another disc on his head... cool!"
"Wait," said Ike, picking up the disc. Inspecting it, he then showed it to Al, revealing a strange symbol marked with green ink on one side. "What do you think this is?"
-
“We have a tough mon, huh?” Alemana would see the little familiar sprite, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Vivi “Have you found anything?” He asked, one eye keeping an eye on Malie and Gwappamon. When Ike mentioned the marking on the disk, he mosied over. “A mark?”
-
On closer scrutiny, the marking appeared to be a stylized "Z" with antennae, with a cane to the right side. Now that he thought of it, the style didn't look out of place with that of the strange symbols on Al's digivice.
-
He looked at that, and then looked back at Gwappamon. “Hey, what does this mark mean? And where are your buddies?”
-
[Roll Persuade with a -3 penalty]
-
[Rolling: 6 4 3 + 3= 16]
-
The Gwappamon closed his eyes, turning his head to face away from the tamer.
"Think we should try putting it in the computer?" asked Vivi. "It is a CD. Maybe there's something useful on it."
"That or reggae music," said Ike, flatly.
-
Alemana would get his blunt stick out.. and start poking at his duck toes. “Might as well.. but if it’s reggae.. well it’s better than Ska-“
-
The Gwappamon struggled to hold back a powerful snort.
Vivi put the disc in the reader, watching the cursor turn into an hourglass at the computer loaded the new files. Suddenly, every screen went black, the symbol from before burning at the center of each.
"++Aloha, keiki++" said a synthesized voice. "++If you are listening to this recording, then you have either caught up with my subordinates, or have waited for the authorities to deliver it to you. In either case, know that I have been watching you closely. Your perseverance, your... tenacity. I know what it is you're looking for, more so than this pretty bauble you call an Astrolabe. You desire the last Ki'i, yes? Then come. Find me in the forests of this island. I've burnt coordinates into this disc that only your digivices will be able to read. I'll be waiting++"
-
Alemana would stop to listen.. and his expression would harden. Finally after all this time he could put a voice to the name.. and he felt his knuckles tighten in the Troopmon Deluxe. “So, she has the last one?” He then looked at the others, his expression uncharacteristically uncertain. “Do you have those Coordinates, Vivi?”
-
As the message ended, and the screen returned to normal, a new window popped up, drawing Vivi's attention.
"Yeah," she said, adjusting her glasses. "Oh wow, it's all in digicode."
"Digicode?" echoed Ike.
"One sec."
Putting her digivice up to the monitor, Vivi watched as her screen was filled with algorithms, perpetually scrolling down as decryption went underway.
"So yeah," she said. "Digicode's like the alphabet digimon use when writing stuff. Depending on what language they're using, though, it could mean anything, and sometimes the script changes to fit said-language. Wouldn't be surprised if it was using the Hawaiian abugida and language."
-
“You think so? Do you figure that the Digivices will be able to decode it?” He asked. His tone was an attempt to sound upbeat and helpful.. but Kyubimon could feel a wave of impatience from the boy. The finish line was now in sight, and he seemed fixated on it. There was also something else- anxiety.
-
As if to answer him, both the computer and Vivi's digivice opened a new window. It was a map of Waihona Island, a neon red dot centered north by north-west of Cypher Bay, roughly two-hundred miles away.
"So that's where she is," said Malie. "That's where we'll find the Green Lady..."
CHAPTER COMPLETED
Undercity Medley! +2 EXP + 2 DP
Pirate's Comeuppance! +1 Inspiration
The 4th Child! +1 EXP +1 Inspiration
Song Critic! +1 EXP +1 DP
Ultimate Defense! +1 EXP +1 DP +1 Inspiration
Total: 5 EXP, +4 DP, + 3 Inspiration!