Old Ones Return (VI)

*Cherubimon adds chain lightning as Plesiomon uses an enhanced sonic scream that blows snow off of a nearby mountain. All together, they are able to make relatively short work out of the Gizumon. Euryale wheezes & eventually starts coughing as her struggles get weaker. Thiera stands up & dusts herself off. She looks down mournfully at the strands of golden hair on the ground, but shakes it off.*

Th"Thank you all for saving me. I believe that Kurata was using this data stream to transfer Gizumon until we assumed control over it. He will be working to regain it, though, so we should find some place safe to plan our next move...is my hair okay?"

*DemiDevimon uses her feet to pat some hair over a bald spot about half an inch in diameter somewhere behind her left ear.*

D<Yeah, it's fine. Looks amazing. Don't worry about it.>

*Pollen drops from Ceresmon, & soon after, Ceresmon Medium emerges from the ground.*

Ceresmon<I ought to show my appreciation, as well. I will do so by escorting you to one of the few lands untouched by humankind--the Village of Beginnings.>

Azuma: "How does such a place go untouched? Would we even be allowed in?"

*Dianamon sets Euryale and Koromon on the ground*

<Sorry about that, I was afraid I was going to drop you.>

*She looks over at Azuma, Hitomi, Taiyo, and their respective partners*

<We need to have a talk on the way over there.>

Ceresmon<It would be a trifle to take you there, but it resides deep within the Digital World amidst a torrent of ever-changing data, & so will be difficult for Kurata to locate.>

*Euryale does her best to catch her breath & stand up, holding her side.*

E"Nuh-uh, Koromon & I need to see Taiyo & Renamon!"

Th"No offense, but what has gotten into you? You're disorganized, impatient, excitable, inattentive to the seriousness of this situation, & overall nothing like your usual self."

<"Can we talk about all of this somewhere else?">

Hideki: "They're over there....?"

He has no idea what the hell is going on and is taking her meaning to see them far too literally, but he points towards them.

*Karatenmon and Cameron go over to Thiera and Co.*

Karatenmon:<Ah, Thiera and DemiDevimon! Good timing.>

Dianamon:<...Taiyo and Renamon were almost captured by Daemon. We, however, did end up with a prisoner.>

Th"Even so, with all due respect, you need to get it together. Kurata won't be kept at bay for long."

Medium<I concur. Please follow.>

*She enters the data stream as the giant bird passes overhead. It momentarily flashes green. Euryale looks around reluctantly before frantically blurting out that she won't go in without Taiyo.*

Angewomon and MagaAngemon let Taiyo and Renamon go who join Euryale, not at all sure what to say.

*Cameron and Karatenmon enter after Thiera, while Dianamon moves behind Taiyo and Euryale and starts shepherding them towards the data scream. Lyra and Kotemon enter as well*

*Euryale tightly embraces Taiyo & Renamon, probably squeezing at least Taiyo hard enough to hurt. She doesn't cry, but strangely doesn't even sound like she's trying to hold it back. Her breathing is stressed, but completely even. Thiera hadn't entered yet, but okay. I suppose Plesiomon brings up the rear, unless Angewomon & MagnaAngemon want to stick around & wait to greet Daemon.*
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*Once everyone is through, the data stream disappears. The other side looks pretty much exactly as the Primary Village does in Adventure, with "buildings" made of pastel foam blocks of various shapes & baby toys growing on trees, the fields dotted with Digi-Eggs & cradles. And much like in Adventure, Elecmon waddles up, though this time he doesn't attack.*

Elecmon<Lady Ceresmon?! What brings you all the way to my humble daycare?>

Medium<The Digidestined require shelter from Kurata.>

*Elecmon looks at them cynically from the corner of his eye, then looks back up to Ceresmon.*

Elecmon<You all look a bit big for a diaper change & a bottle. With all due respect, Lady Ceresmon, I don't see why I should allow them to stay here. They're a distraction at best, & at worst, they'll bring the human armies right to us. They have the power to permanently delete us, what if they can do the same to the village? It nearly happened before, without my spare seeds, we never would have gotten all of this back from the D-Reaper.>

Dianamon:<We wouldn't trouble you long. We just need to rest and regroup. Please allow us to stay here for a short time.>

*She bows awkwardly due to the fact she's still carrying the prisoner. Karatenmon regresses, then he and Cameron go to check out a cradle*

The two are hoping this doesn't play out like Of Mice & Men.

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Azuma: "We aren't the first humans to come and mean no harm, you know."

*Once they're sure everyone is safe, Plesiomon lands & regresses to Tsune & Gomamon, who lie on the ground.*

Ts"Ugh, just wake me when this argument is over."

G<Ditto.>

Elecmon<And just because you "mean no harm," that proves that it won't come anyway? As I understand it, that is how the armies came to the Domain of the Sovereign in the first place.>

Th"You need to focus on the overall picture. Kurata needed someone to lead him to the Sovereign, but it did not matter whom. It could have even been one of their messengers. Likewise, he will surely eventually pinpoint where the new Digimon come from."

Elecmon<Perhaps because you have brought one of them right to our doorstep!>

*As if on cue, Malkuth groans & begins to stir.*

Azuma: "Don't pin that one on all of us."

Cameron:<Azuma, are you trying to get Elecmon to kick us out?>

*Dianamon looks down at Malkuth then back at Elecmon*

<We wouldn't have come- or brought him -here if we had a choice. But don't worry, this one isn't going anywhere anytime soon.>

*Dianamon sets the ice block on the ground*

<We should probably blindfold him though. Can we borrow someone's jacket?>

Th"We allowed them to bring Malkuth here. We need to take responsibility for our decisions as a group."

*DemiDevimon spits a fucking dart into its claw & chucks it at Malkuth so it stabs into his neck.*

D<Blindness Dart, HYAA!>

Malkuth<OW!>

Elecmon<Take responsibility by leaving.>

Th"To go where?"

Elecmon<Not my problem.>

Th"Yes it is! You will not be safe unless Kurata is defeated, & whether you like it or not, Malkuth is our best source of information on him."

*A Motimon begins crying. Reluctantly, Elecmon hops over to pick it up & start rocking it.*

Elecmon<...I don't feel very safe now, but I suppose there's no point in fighting in front of the babies. But if you're going to stay, I expect you all to pull your weight.>

Th"I think you'll find that you now have many more hands to help you."

*Ceresmon takes this opportunity to fly to the outskirts of the village & settle down like an actual mountain. Euryale looks back, but does not let go of Taiyo & Renamon.*

E"Taiyo & I need to take our partners somewhere to recover! Koromon still hasn't regained consciousness!"

They have no idea what's going on except it's probably going to get weird as Euryale is goddamn nuts.

Azuma: "That'd probably be best."

*Dianamon bows to Elecmon*

<Thank you. We will not betray your trust.>

*She rises and hoists Malkuth over one shoulder*

<We should probably unfreeze him and tie him up. MagnaAngemon, Angewomon, maybe one of you could help Koromon and Renamon?>

Elecmon<I don't have any rope, are you crazy?! The babies could strangle themselves!>

Th"Go over to see Ceresmon, she should be able to help you with her plants."

G<What are you going to do?>

Th"I think I'm going to see if I can establish communication with one of our allies."

Cameron:<We'll come with you...if that's alright.>

*He looks kind of embarrassed as he speaks. Dianamon nods and walks off in the direction of Ceresmon. Lyra sticks her hands in her pockets and walks off to find a cute baby digimon to make her feel better*

Unless someone wants an arrow in them, Angewomon isn't going to be helpful, so MagnaAngemon being a man has to do everything because Digimon is all about chauvinism.

Th"Uh, sure."

*Thiera heads off towards a forested stream for some reason. Lyra can just take her pick from any of the cradles.*
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*It takes a while to walk to Ceresmon, as she's pretty far away.*
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*Meanwhile, MagnaAngemon presumably accompanies Taiyurle & Partners in the opposite direction. Euryale keeps looking over her shoulder & generally all around, jumping at every little noise.*

Hideki is presumably alone with Monodramon as he has no idea what's happening. With his luck, Lyra is probably going to attempt something despite his total oblivion towards her advances and ignorance of her fantasies.

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I figured MagnaAngemon would have just healed them, but apparently he has to join them on their walk of fear and loathing in Las Vegas.

Taiyo: "We're safe here. You don't have to be afraid."

*Cameron and Karatenmon follow, the later regressing to Biyomon*
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*Dianamon sets Malkuth down when she arrives*

<Lady Ceresmon, could you help us bind the prisoner?>
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*Lyra checks out the nearest cradle to see what's inside. Hopefully it's something cute*

*Without looking, Ceresmon releases vines from the ground to tie him head to toe. Malkuth seems to have fallen back asleep. The refugee Digimon make a point of getting out of there as quickly as possible.*
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D<What are we going down here for?>

Th"Those."

*She points to a bunch of data packets floating in the streams.*

Th"As the data packets behave like tumbleweeds, I assumed that they would tend to fall down the hill & become swept up in the stream's current. Without a data stream, those will be our best chance to potentially send a message."

D<And I guess I'm the one who's gonna have to fish them out. Why couldn't you just make Gomamon do it?>
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OOC: It's not like they can be healed in 2 seconds flat.

*Euryale stops walking & lets go of them.*

"I know that, but I just can't stop. In every shadow or bush, behind every corner, I see another enemy. Usually Daemon or Myotismon."

*She looks up.*

"Sometimes I see a shape in the clouds & think that Jupitermon somehow survived & came back for revenge."

*Next she looks over in Ceresmon's general direction.*

"And I just know that Malkuth is going to try something, but I don't know if I'm fit to do anything about it. Something has changed. I'm not myself anymore. I feel...broken."

*She looks down. Befitting her last statement, her affect remains flat the whole time, neither her tone nor her facial expression changing.*

"Maybe that's why Koromon won't wake up."