Old Ones Return (VII)

Taiyo: "What? Your help is always needed."

*She shakes her head.*

E"That isn't true. I left & you were just fine when I got back. Metal Greymon didn't even put a dent in that thing."

Th"So--if that is all, I think I'll be going to bed now."

*She heads off to start setting up whatever downed, mostly-uncharred branches she can find around a sapling, in the shape of a sort of tent. Binah starts to call after her, but her husband puts a hand on her shoulder & shakes his head. Meanwhile, the Chessmon begin to reassemble their formation &, speaking into her D-Power, Tsune & Gomamon make awkward small talk with her parents.*

A<So...you live under the water?>

G<I guess. Mostly I just lived, ah, under your noses.>

A<Oh...didn't you like it in the, uh, computer planet?>

G<Seriously? You've seen what it's like right now.>

Taiyo: "We almost didn't make it."

*Cameron goes to help Thiera gather branches*

Cameron:<I'll, uh, miss you. A lot...>

*Thiera vaguely grunts. Euryale hangs her head & her eyes start tearing up.*

E"Because I left you. Again."

*Suddenly, the floodgates are broken, & Euryale reaches up to wipe her eyes as her shoulders shake with each sob.*

E"I was so glad--I--finally--brought you--back--to--your--parents! I thought--I--made up--for--losing you--in--the--first place, but now--I--almost--did--it--again!"

*Time for everyone to stare dumbly at Euryale & make her feel even more self-conscious.*

Taiyo hugs her tighter.

Taiyo: "It wasn't your fault."

*Everyone looks away, hopefully minimizing the embarrassment Euryale experiences. Lunamon finally comes over and starts hugging Euryale's leg silently*

Cameron:<I...I think you're the most amazing...>

*Biyomon hits the back of his leg, causing him to stumble*

*Tsune, her parents, & the Rakshashis do not look away. Lunamon is going to be a while getting there, as it's not so easy to climb a giant cyborg T-Rex.*

E"Of--of course it is! I led you all into these b--battles! I didn't come f--find you!"

*Metal Greymon looks up towards them.*

A<Not this again. I thought we agreed we needed to stop Jupitermon. That it wouldn't do any good to bring her back if it meant dragging her into his civil war, & that it's okay to accept help from our friends.>

*Meanwhile, the Psyches have shifted their attention back to their own daughter, who is still ignoring them, clearing away any dead leaves. Bancho Leomon comes to bring her wool from a sheepmon. When Cameron looks up, he can see that it is being sheared at a tent by a Musyamon who turns to grin at him, revealing that it is Betsumon under the armor.*

*Cameron's eyes widen, then he grab's Biyomon's arm and whispers in his ear*

Cameron:<(Look over there! That...thing sheering the Sheepmon.>

Biyomon:<...That's a Muysamon, not a thing. What's with you?>

*Cameron looks from Betsumon to Biyomon, looking very nervous*

Taiyo: "You did what you thought was right."

*Betsumon tilts his head, not changing his expression or ceasing his shearing of the sheepmon. Euryale flinches, but starts to get the water works under control. As night quite abruptly washes over the region, Thiera arranges the wool into bedding in her makeshift tent & Metal Greymon glows before dropping down into the Champion level, looking about ready to pass out with fatigue.*

A<You girls might want to get off of my head soon.>

Taiyo lets go of Euryale and takes her hand. No idea how they plan on getting off of that noggin, they gonna slide 9ff or something?

*Cameron looks at Thiera*

Cameron:<...Biyomon and I better stay close to you. I swear one of those digimon...has been creeping on us.>

Th"As opposed to some human & his Digimon 'creeping on me,' as you put it?"

*Euryale holds on to Greymon's horn so they don't fly off as he falls to the ground. Once he's down, she helps Taiyo off, hopefully before the dinosaur shrinks back into Agumon.*

Mr. A<Unbelievable, how they change sizes like that.>

Ts"It's called Digivolving. Digital evolution. At least, I think that's what it stands for."

*Tsune scratches her head, disappearing deep into thought. Euryale reluctantly turns to the Monitamon & bows, a slight quaver in her voice.*

E"I--I am sorry--Mr. & Mrs. Shikasu. I--I should not have let Taiyo out of my sight--twice."

Loren: "As long as you're both okay, everything is fine."

*Cameron crosses is arms, looking very upset*

Cameron:<I..I'm just trying to be there for you...>

*Biyomon starts to drag him away*

Biyomon:<Thiera, we'll be here if you need us.>

*Euryale tries to smile, but it looks like she's forgotten how. Thiera is non-responsive as she climbs into the bed she has made..*

Yamaki<Riley, Tally, & I will spend the night working on the data stream. Perhaps the rest of you should get some rest. We will maintain a communication line with the Digital World, so we will know if there are any problems before morning.>

*Lunamon and Kylie go over to get some wool for their own bed, followed at a distance by Cameron and Biyomon. Lyra and Kotemon eventually head over as well*

Presumably they all gather some makeshift bedding to sleep in a thing that's being called a tent.

OOC: If their bond is strong, Renamon & Taiyo may or may not have the same dream. Cameron may or may not endure a similar effect, in which case he's probably having nightmares about the late DemiDevimon. The rest of them can just do whatever.

<You have to confess your love by name in order to cross.>

Taiyo<That's easy! Euryale Rakshashi!>

"Aww, I love you too, honey."

*In her dream, Euryale relives drifting down the stream in Taiyo's embrace, towards the forested temple, pink petals drifting on the breeze. However, as she leans in for a kiss, she stops to look around--the petals have been replaced by bits of ash. Hearing a batlike screech that soon becomes a bloodcurdling scream, she whips her neck to look at the forest, which is now ablaze. She can hear bombs dropping, shouting, & gunfire, & briefly catches sight of Venusmon burning, before she is distracted by the sound of Taiyo slipping off of the flower & sinking into the stream. She tries to dive after her, but someone grabs her arm.*

King Drasil<You could save her if you were stronger! With my help, you could have saved them all! Now they're gone forever, & it's all your fault! Was your hurt pride worth it, human?!>

E"Let go! Can't you see she's drowning?!"

*She looks anxiously back to Taiyo, whose eyes are wide with panic. No matter how desperately she swims, she only sinks further, & the bubbles are growing weaker. When she looks back to King Drasil, Daemon has taken his place.*

Daemon<He lied, you know. You can't save any of them. I told you I would destroy you, & your bat friend was only the beginning. No one can help you now.>

*She whips out her D-Power, only to see in the flickering screen that Agumon is apparently in Lilithmon's grasp, the Bio-Hybrid licking her lips. When she stabs with the Nazer Nail, the screen goes black & the D-Power turns to ash & crumbles away. Daemon's face & body then follow suit, revealing Senthose Rasheverek underneath.*

S<Now you see it, don't you? Now matter how many of us you claim to have "defeated," there will always be more. Devas, D-Reaper, Kurata, mercenaries...the names change, but it always means the same thing: Pain, sorrow, & loss. The battles, the struggles, the sacrifices, none of it matters. None of you matter.>

*He points with his free hand to Taiyo, unconscious in the water.*

S<That's the only way out. She doesn't have a worry in the world anymore. You might as well just jump in after her. So go ahead....>

*The dead mercenary lets go of Euryale before bones burst free from his flesh. SkullGreymon emerges from his body & roars with the combined voices of itself, Gevurah, King Drasil, Helen Barbatos, Senthose Rasheverek, & Professor Kurata.*

SG<Give in! Join us! Don't prolong the inevitable!>

*Faced between a river with no way out but a burning forest & being devoured by a monster, all Euryale can do is close her eyes & scream, a sound which rips through the encampment in the waking world as Euryale begins thrashing in her sleep, hair slicked down by cold sweat.*

Ts"What the Hell is going on!?"

G<Is it another attack?!>

*Tsune & Gomamon emerge from a dwelling made out of dried mud & scooped out earth that Gomamon constructed on the river bank, Tsune's hair a mess. Thiera is sitting outside of her own dwelling, looking as though she's been up for hours, staring blankly at nothing. She points to Euryale, visible to all, as she had insisted on sleeping in the open air, refusing to stay in any place confined. Her partner has regressed to Koromon, & doesn't look so hot either. It is still dark.*

*Crusadermon flies towards Daemon, however they move as if through honey. To make matters worse, Daemon and the Sorensons appear to be moving farther away. Crusadermon watches as LadyDevimon jumps in front of the humans and parishes*

???:<I hope he was worth it.>

*Crusadermon turns their head to see Wizardmon floating beside them*

Wizardmon:<This is all your fault, you know. If you had stayed with Kylie and Cameron, none of this would have happened. I would still be alive.>

*Crusadermon tries to avert their eyes, but is unable to. Hideki suddenly appears and walks forward*

Hideki:<How could I ever find you attractive? In fact, I've done my best to stay away from you. You just can't seem to get the message.>

Wizardmon:<Every time you see Thiera sitting there, a shadow of her former self, remember who could have prevented all of this. You're pathetic.>

*Suddenly, it's Lyra and Kotemon about to be killed instead of DemiDevimon. As Daemon's arm comes down, Lyra snaps awake, drenched in sweat*
===
*Cameron sits in a white room with no doors or windows. Thiera is seated beside him in a plain white dress. Cameron opens his mouth to say something, but finds he is unable to speak. Thiera puts her finger to her lips and rises, disappearing into the emptiness. A moment later, she returns, followed by Biyomon and DemiDevimon. Both gesture at Cameron to follow them, so he rises and is about to follow before he hears a voice*

Thiera:<Cameron, Cameron help me please!>

*Cameron whirls around to find a tan door in where there was none before. He tries the handle, and the door opens to reveal Daemon standing, back turned to Cameron, with Thiera in one hand and Biyomon in the other. LadyDevimon lies on the floor in front of him. The hand holding Thiera squeezes her so tightly that she appears to pass out. Cameron reaches down to grab his digivice, only to find that he isn't wearing anything. Daemon suddenly turns around to reveal Betsumon's grinning face. The Thiera, Biyomon, and DemiDevimon from before suddenly grab Cameron's arms, and when he turns to look at them, they have all become Betsumon. The impersonators begin to drag Cameron into the darkness. Cameron and Biyomon wake up when everyone is woken up by Euryale*
===
*In contrast to the other two, Kylie's nightmares are less clear, consisting of fragmented memories of DemiDevimon before the fall of Hypnos. Just before she wakes up, however, Kylie again looks up at Daemon as he is about to kill her and Cameron. Lunamon nudges her awake when the commotion begins*
===
*Cameron jumps to his feet, followed by Biyomon. Kylie and Lunamon run over to Euryale, looking very worried. Lyra sits up as well, digging her nails into her hand*

Hideki being prone to night terrors prior to this adventure goes out to the woods or whatever they're in for air. Unfortunately for him it was one of those dreams that you still remember bits and pieces of after you wake up. A dream of loss, violence, and ridicule.

Azuma is in the woods as well, likely having not slept.

Azuma: "You had the same idea?"

Hideki: "Night terrors. Not that it matters to you. You'll just say I need to try again, so that others won't have the same problem. Just like why we should keep fighting and losing, so that maybe no one else have to share our pain."

Tsune: "You're pathetic."

Azuma: "We can't give up."

Hideki: "We can't win! Do you really think we can just look forward and continue on pretending we're soldiers? We're not. We're kids, damn it!"

Lyra: "What a loser."

Hideki: "It's unrealistic to think we have any chance of winning, but you don't see that. How many others have to die before you accept we can't just soldier on and maybe next time we'll succeed?"

Thiera: "Despicable."

Azuma: "We don't have a choice. Win or lose, this is the road we have to walk, no matter how many times we fall."

Hideki: "Do you ever fall?"

Azuma: "Everyday. Some days are...harder than others."

Azuma looks at his hand, the mark having faded long ago, but the memory with always remain.

=================================

While their bond is strong, their fears differ. Renamon seemingly not sleeping for long or at all would dream of being unable to protect Taiyo and those around her much like Monodramon would dream of being too weak to be a protector.

Unfortunately for Renamon, she gets to feel the fear Taiyo has about losing Euryale. Euryale's thrashing about waking Taiyo up who tries to help calm Euryale down, the only way she knows how, via hugging her.

*Euryale wakes with a jolt at something touching her, punching Taiyo right in the face. As Taiyo tastes blood, Euryale pins her down, wrapping her hands around her girlfriend's throat & squeezing, with a wild, unfocused look in her eyes. Tsune & Gomamon stare dumbly in shock & horror, but Koromon's eyes snap open. Having felt Euryale's fear & thus anticipated a need to be ready, he grows into an enormous dinosaur, effortlessly pulling her off of Taiyo. This does nothing to improve Euryale's mood, & she screams & thrashes harder.*

A<It's going to take a lot more than that to hurt me. I'm your friend, Yuri. Please try to remember.>

*They can vaguely hear mutterings from the other campers & Bancho Leomon shouting to go back to sleep, insisting that the Digidestined have everything under control.*

OOC: Eve isn't in this RP. JS.

*Kylie and Lunamon run over to check on Taiyo, Kylie offering her a hand up*

Kylie:<You're not hurt, right?! Do you need some water or...something?>

*Cameron and Biyomon come over, followed by Lyra and Kotemon. Both humans and Biyomon look very shaken up*

Taiyo pinches the bridge of her nose, coughing and trying to keep herself together. Renamon rushes in ready to crack a few skulls.

Taiyo: "It's not her fault."