File Island

KageYuuki · Nov 27, 2017

Ravyn Cooper and Patamon
As they walked, Ravyn glanced at the group around her every so often. If they were to become an actual team of any kind, they were definitely somewhere between forming and storming. Forming, storming, norming, and performing... She mentally recalled. Why she even remembered that after reading it years ago was beyond her. Not like it was going to actually help get them working together in any fashion.

At least they weren't trying to kill each other at the moment for a change.

Then the kid and fox showed up. "Fuck, another one?" Ravyn muttered under her breath. Jupiter's clothing was bad enough for the situation they were in. Was this guy really wearing a onsie?? Patamon could only blink and tilt his head at the odd sight. The rest of the group wasted little time tearing into him.

Yep, definitely still storming.

"We really don't have to fight about this..." Patamon's plea fell on deaf ears.

Kieran's obliviousness to the situation was both cute and frustrating. Ravyn groaned and rubbed her eyes, "Otona-" She wasn't given the chance to finish her sentence as Darya lost it and stormed off. Rin wasn't helping either. It was so hard not to just tear into everyone right then and there.

As she went to speak once more, Amy broke off yelling at the group. Competent would be fucking nice for a change... Patamon shifter and looked over at her, concern clouding what should have been bright cerulean eyes. "Alright, look," She said after Kaiser's little tirade, "If you said your name then I missed it in-" Again, she found herself cut off as Rin went to pick a fight with Amy.

Ravyn let out a frustrated chuckled, Oh, I'm going to fucking kill someone in a minute... She folded her arms in front of her, waiting for everyone to stop talking for a moment. Again, there was another mention of some legend. She'd have to ask Gomamon more about them later since he seemed at least partially knowledgeable on the subject.

She never considered herself one for believing in prophecies. But here she was, apparently in a completely different dimension. It probably wouldn't hurt to start taking them into account.

Patamon hopped down from her shoulder, moving closer to Gomamon. "You aren't wrong..." He said quietly, careful that none of the humans heard them. The situation was bad enough, he didn't want to add to the tension. But he seemed to be the only one not from File Island, someone needed to know. "Violet Plains, where I'm from, it's all dried up. Dead. Hardly any digimon can live there..."

Letting out a loud sigh, Ravyn shook her head. "Alright, you guys done? Get that out of your systems? Great. Standing around trying to kill each other isn't going to help any of us. Don't know about you, but I'd rather not die out here."

Amber eyes moved towards Kaiser, "You must have just woke up or whatever so let me give you the bullet points: We're in some place called the Digital World, no we don't know why we're here. We can get hurt and there are things more than capable of killing a human here, this place is filled with monsters for Christ's sake! Our only lead's this place called Infinity Mountain that's far the fuck away."

She reached into her pocket, pulling out her digivice and holding it up. "You should have one of these. Do not lose it. Makes the digimon you're with stronger or something. I don't know, we're not really any better settled into this shit than you are."

"Uh... Ravyn?" Patamon shifted, speaking up to be heard. "I... don't think you're helping..."

She gave a dry laugh, turning away. "No, but someone needed to fill him in. Now we should really catch up to Darya before she does something stupid. Fuck if we haven't had enough of that already." Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she continued forward.

As Darya and Lopmon waited for the others, a low rustling could be heard moving through the underbrush around them. Flashes of red could be seen every now and then. It paused for a long moment as if studying them before scurrying away once more. Likely a curious digimon. Probably just one of many that had been watching the group since they'd left the village.

The rustling resumed once more, this time accompanied by a low buzzing. Finally, a large insect digimon would come into view. It looked like yet another human was walking alongside it.

QuirkyAngel · Nov 29, 2017

Rin listened to the green haired girl's response, observed her reaction to his opposition, without saying much of anything. Otonashi stepping between them didn't really distract him from his silent scrutiny of the abrasive girl, though Gomamon's explanation as to why they were brought into the Digital World did...briefly. A dark-haired girl then spoke up, deriding their argument, as if it were mere childish tantrums, before filling the new arrival in with certain details and walking off. Slipping a free black-nailed hand his pocket, Rin didn't so much as look at the black haired girl...the one the small pig-like digimon called Ravyn. It wasn't as if her opinion mattered much to him.

"I see," Rin replied neutrally to the green haired girl."Glad to hear you have no plans of leading us. "

Then, moving past the abrasive green hair, Rin continued where he left off before she had spoken--down the path towards Infinity Mountain. She'd answered his inquiry. The danger she spoke of was illness and injury. Her stance was that a larger group made things easier--decreased individual burdens. It was true...so long as everyone in the group agreed to take on their share. Rin didn't have very much faith in people. If he got injured or ill in this unknown world, it would be on him. He didn't expect a friend to carry his burden, much less a stranger. That's what they all were. Strangers caught in the same surreal situation. That didn't necessarily make them allies. In fact, those who prioritized survival, often did so by cutting off weak links.

He continued talking.

"Darya, the one who went ahead, clearly had her own agendas. Her own priorities. There’s nothing wrong with that. People should do what they want. However, a group with different priorities and goals will only add to each others burdens if forced to stick together." He glanced back at Gomamon...then the green haired girl. "The goal of being hero and the goal of survival for example. One will eventually oppose the other. If you deny that fact, then you're more of an optimist than you appear."

Whether his words were necessary to the group or not; Whether she wanted to hear them or not; Whether they were even true or not, those were his thoughts, and Rin wasn’t going to silence them for anyone’s sake.

The sack at the end of his stick shook, reminding him of Gumimon’s presence. "What's an optimist?"

Peering at the baby digimon tucked in with his things, Rin finally noticed the crumbs on its cheeks. He rolled his eyes and redirected his gaze straight ahead as he walked. "Someone with a positive outlook on life."

"So the opposite of you?"

Rin shrugged. He'd heard about Ogremon from the baby monsters in the village. He'd seen Leomon and Goblimon. It wasn't as if he wasn't aware that there were other, bigger, possibly more dangerous monsters out there in the Digital World. However, unlike the purple dragon or Otonashi, he didn't have any intention of fighting them. Not unless they opposed his own goals.

“But, you know, if Gomamon’s right about the legends, and he’s usually is since he was the smartest digimon in the village—besides Sorcerermon of course—then you and the other humans were brought here to be heroes! Saving two worlds…that’s a big responsibility.”

“Get your ears checked, Mochi. He said our arrival means that the worlds are on the verge of collapse. That when humans are called to your world it’s always in times of great peril. Who’s to say we aren’t the cause of that? That our being brought here is a curse and it’ll only doom both worlds the longer we stay.”

“…geez, Rin. Why are you so depressing? Is it because you wear a lot of black?”

“The only thing I want to do is to return to my world.”

“You will,” Gumimon promised. “I said I’ll help you. I may not be very big right now, but I’m sure with the holy Eye-Phone Seven, I’ll grow up as big as everyone here. Bigger than Renamon and Leomon even. Then I’ll carry you home. You’ll see. I won’t let you die like she said.”

Rin didn’t reply. Pushing a branch aside, he continued along the trail without looking back. Whether he was with the group or not with the group didn’t matter to him. He didn’t move because anyone told him to. Nor did he intend to stay because anyone told him to. Rin would only do what he wanted, whether it meant striking out on his own or not.

“But you know, sticking together like she said has its benefits too.” The green baby digimon in his bindle continued to chatter away, heedless of any tension that might be going on between the humans. Or whether or not Rin responded (he didn’t). “You’ll make some friends. And it’s more fun with more people to talk to. No offense, Rin, but you’re not very fun to talk to. You should tell me more about yourself. Don’t you and the other humans live in the same home? What’s it look like? I can’t help find it if I don’t know what it looks like, you know.”

Kimiwriter · Nov 29, 2017

Darya De Lucia
Lopmon

Darya wouldn't allow herself to cry. She'd done enough of that already and it hadn't gotten her anywhere. Wandering ahead of the group was stupid and dangerous, so waiting for them was the best option, even if all she wanted to do was keep walking ahead until she couldn't see the path in front of her. It wasn't practical. There was safety in numbers and she wasn't sure what she could handle out here on her own. But she dreaded having to apologize for her behavior; not like anyone else was acting much better.

She stood and paced the trail, following it a few feet before turning around and coming back to the rock she'd been resting on. Then back up the trail a few feet, turn around again, and walk back. Despite knowing she would only wear herself out, she couldn't sit still.

Lopmon watched her from the stone. "Maybe we should go back."

"No. There's no point when they're going to be coming this way anyway."

"Then should we keep going towards the mountain until they catch up?"

"We shouldn't get too far ahead of them, just in case. . ."

A nearby rustling reached Lopmon's ears. She pushed one up with her paw to hear better, turning her head ever so slightly towards the sound. It stopped. Lopmon frowned. "Darya-mon."

"But what the hell is taking them so long? It's not like there's anything to debate, we all are going the same way so why can't they get their ass's in gear?"

Another rustle and a flash of red.

Lopmon jumped down from the rock and pushed against Darya's legs. "Darya-mon, we need to go. Pick a direction and just walk; back towards the others or further up the trail, but we can't stay here."

"What do you mean?"

Looking around again, Lopmon tried to spot the eyes again but couldn't. "The longer we stay, the more digimon might see us. Not everyone is nice to Rookies like you and me."

Darya frowned and looked around. It seemed safe enough. No fireballs or little green monsters with clubs. Down the path, she could see the boy who wore all black-- had he introduced himself? Darya couldn't remember-- slowly approaching them. She gave him a half-hearted wave, more an acknowledgement than a greeting. "Is that who you heard?"

The little rabbit didn't answer, too busy trying to push her huge ears up with her paws so she could hear better.

Oswald_C_Cobblepot · Nov 29, 2017

Arthur S. Poe

That you can only see me because you are mad, does not mean that I do not really exist.

Thomas Mann, Doctor Faustus

Upon reaching the foot of the hill, the duo continued walking in silence. Arthur observed the environment around him. Everything seemed strange, different than ''his'' world, as the strange insect called it. The vegetation seemed more exotic, differently coloured, the sounds extraterrestrial, but the whole thing added up to a general image that suited ''this'' world, whatever it was. Arthur was still convinced he was dreaming, his mind couldn't process any other solution as viable, but he decided to go with the flow (or insect), as he deduced it was his subconscious mind trying to tell him something he could not comprehend that very moment.

''Do you know why all the plants are weird looking?'', the boy finally asked, cutting gently through the silence like a surgeon. ''They are not weird'', Tentomon replied firmly, as if annoyed by the mere stupidity of the question. ''They are normal to us, to the Digital World. Do not be so egocentric! I'm sure there are things in your world I'd consider weird, but you'd consider them completely normal'', the insect added. ''I'm sorry, I didn't know you were so sensitive'', the boy remarked, rolling his eyes. Tentomon sighed and continued walking. He was mostly annoyed by Arthur's insistence on this being a dream, the boy's stubbornness to realise that the world around him was real and not a fabrication of his mind. ''It's okay, I didn't mean it like that'', the insect said, continuing, ''It's just... you're so stubborn. You don't want to face the facts and I find that quite annoying, to be frank. It's like your mind's a narrow room with a few pictures on the walls and you just sit there, thinking there's nothing in the world beside what's on those pictures. But there is... there always is''. ''Are you implying I'm narrow-minded? Lacking creativity and imagination?'', Arthur smirked at the Digimon's remark. ''What's so funny about that?'', Tentomon asked. ''Oh, nothing... dear me, I'm quarreling with my own dream... just the fact that you're accusing the son of a piano player, an avid reader and amateur writer... an idealist in his essence... of being narrow-minded! I am not sure why my dream pretends not to know me and what it challenges me, but you are just being ridiculous! I would die for my ideals, as should everyone... otherwise, they are just complex phrases signifying nothing'', the boy replied firmly. Tentomon observed his flame.

''Ideals can be misguided'', the Digimon replied. ''Mine are not, I assure you'', Arthur said briefly. ''Well then, I guess we'll see if you're lying'', the Digimon replied once more. He then took a few stepd forward, but suddenly stopped and turned to Arthur, who froze with surprise, as his instinct reacted and suddenly reminded him of the fact that he had no idea what the insect was capable of. On the other hand, why was he suddenly afraid of his dream? And why was the feeling so authentic?

''Listen, Arthur, I'm a realist. An explorer, some even say scientist. I gather information, I systematise and analyze them, all for the benefit of both the world and myself. We're bound to crash from time to time, but I like you, you seem like a nice guy. Honest. I like that. We can make this work, we can reconcile our differences and work on ourselves, but you need to focus and face the facts'', Tentomon said, firmly and suddenly; Poe was amazed. ''My ideals soar high into the sky. They make me more human'', Arthur replied. ''Then start getting back down to the ground, because you're not a freaking bird'', Tentomon said bitterly and continued walking.

They continued walking through the woods, silent. Both of them were hidden within their thoughts, mulling over what had been said earlier. It was a clash of two philosophies, Tentomon's firm realism and Arthur's uncompromising idealism, and it was bound to create a storm. Still, Tentomon was right when he said that they could work together and benefit from such a contrast. The only thing was - neither of them was still fully aware of that fact.

After some 10-15 minutes, a clearing started to present itself. Tentomon started slowing down, Arthur following his reasoning. There were voices. Human voices. But also some strange ones. Different languages? ''Is your village there?'', Arthur asked. ''Not far from here, but it seems we're going to have an encounter sooner than I'd expected'', he replied. He then heard a familiar voice. ''Darn, even he's here'', he briefly commented upon hearing Gomamon's voice. ''So... what? We're just going to hide behind the vegetation?'', Arthur interrupted. ''We're not going to do that, don't be silly. It's just...'', Tentomon started. ''What?'', the boy asked. ''Oh, nothing. Let's just go'', the Digimon sliced through his indecision and went through, Arthur rushing behind him.

As they arrived on the clearing, they witnessed a group of bewildered looks, both humans and Digimon, focused upon the two. While Tentomon seemed perfectly calm, Arthur was equally confused. Tentomon turned his head to the boy and smirked. ''Let me guess. You don't know these humans, but you must have seen them somewhere so your subconsciousness is projecting them into your dream at this very moment?'', Tentomon asked, sarcastically. ''It can't be... how is this possible? This cannot be real'', Arthur stammered in disbelief. ''Welcome to my world'', Tentomon said gently and turned to his companions and the unknown children.

AnimeGenork · Dec 1, 2017

Skylie Lavigne

"Can we all just not today?"

Oh, how delightful. The others were having a spat. Skylie groaned and rolled her eyes. Green vs. Blue would forever be how she remembered this moment. She raised her eyebrows and waited for the moment when one of them would say something completely scathing, but that moment never came. Shame. She’d have to be the one to say it.

“Hate to break this to you,” she said to the green-haired chick. “The last time my mother tried to tell me to do something, I decided to live in a cardboard box instead. If you want to state the obvious about not screwing around and sticking together, be my guest. But some of us—namely me—probably won’t listen due to significant problems with authority figures.”

The cute seal-like Digimon stepped—er, waddled? Slid? WHAT THE HELL TYPE VERB APPLIES?—forward and said something about all the humans being “chosen” and the two worlds being on the “verge of collapse.” Great. Barely an hour after she’d woken up and Skylie was already having an identity crisis.

Turning on her heel and continuing on her way, she replied, “Whoever chose me made a big mistake. A bitch like me doesn’t have the makings of the type of hero you’re looking for.” Agumon hurried to catch up, clearly wanting to ask her something personal but knowing she wouldn’t give a straight answer.

Skylie couldn’t help the snicker that erupted when the dark-haired girl—Ravyn? Man, what a badass name—interrupted and practically scolded Green and Blue for squabbling. Of course, Skylie herself hadn’t done much better, but she’d always wanted to say something about a cardboard box. Her alley didn’t actually have the luxury of cardboard boxes, so she didn’t get to say it often…

Overhearing Blue say something about optimism, Skylie scowled and muttered, “Optimism nearly got me killed a few times.”

Agumon looked shocked. “What happened to you?”

“Nothing.” Probably the most blatant lie she’d ever told.

Now all she wanted to do was throw her daggers at something. Or someone. Depending on whatever pissed her off next.

It wasn’t long before someone else came to join the party. Great. How many had that been since she’d gotten here? Three? Had she started a trend? Was this guy followed by the whole goddamn population of America? Fantastic! Not.

She continued to walk, but not before calling out, “Oh, look, another one! And he’s having his first existentialist crisis! Hoorah!”

So. Utterly. Done. With. This. Shit.

Coding by

Sir Les Paul · Dec 6, 2017

TAMER

Renzo Takahashi

Location File Island, Infinity Foothills
Tags N/A

The back of his eyes. They hurt. The type of throbbing one had after a migraine. More specifically, that dehydrated light-sensitive headache after a night out drinking. Not that Renzo had much to compare it to, but the feeling was all the same.

The first sound he heard was the light roar of rushing water. A bath running? No. Faucet? No. Shower? Definitely not. That was a river. How was it a river? The last thing his hazy mind recalled was texting the graduation committee about the color theme for Honors students. He was all for a navy sash with a silver tassel, but some of the others were fighting for the gold and green. In the end, it didn't matter and he didn't care what color they were as long as he wore them when time came. But, as one of the only members of the student body on that committee, his input was important.

Wait, what the Hell? His mind reverted back to some stupid color pattern when he still had no idea where he was.

He finally opened his eyes. Lush greenery surrounded him. A faint woodland smell. The river he heard was definitely there; he was just a few feet away from it resting against a tree. It was a bit more than a slight shock to him. For the first time, he realized he was not where he needed to be and he completely forgot about his other duties. What the actual Hell was going on here?

He reached into his pocket for his phone--he was an Android guy. The new HTC U11 had this amazing squeeze function which was great for multi-tasking, and he found it far more attractive than the iPhone 8. Android supremacy. But, it wasn't there. No, instead, he found a slightly bulkier device. It was definitely not his phone. It also didn't function despite how much he toyed with it.

'Alright. Situational assessment. New place, no idea where I am, no idea how I got here. What do I do?'

Survival thoughts kicked in. Establish a source of water, check. River. He was already by it and it seemed exceptionally clear, albeit it seemed more like a stream than a river close up. Check the position of the sun. Raised in the East, settled in the West. He could figure out what time of day he was, orient himself to his position, perhaps figure out...

...fuck. He had no idea what direction to go in.

"What the Hell is going on here..." he mumbled to himself, growing frustrated with his entire situation.

viska · Dec 6, 2017

Lilly felt like she was shrinking as both Renamon and the new 'kid' seemed to ignored her fawning over how cute he looked.
She was use to people ignoring her, but to be snubbed by a digimon hurt a little.
After all, in this new world she had felt so much more confident.
It was almost a relief to find out the little tiger was actually another human.

As strange as it seemed, new humans seemed to be popping up all the time.
This of course made Lilly very uncomfortable.
She wasn't on good terms with the people she knew, let alone these new ones.
She wondered just how many humen had been taken to the digital world.
A part of her hoped that she wouldn't come across any more.
After all, she would hate for them to spoil this magical place.

Her fears were almost emediatly brought to life as arguing began to brake out amongst the group.
Bickering about petty grievances and misguided ideas of 'leadership'.
It was all so stupid and counter- productive.

Lilly tried to simply back away from the group, but it was no use.
As it went on new voices were added and the concofony only got louder.
Some of the people tried to get things back on track, but others wouldn't listen.
It was all so frustrating.
Lilly tried to cover her ears in a desperate attempt to drawn out the anxiety it all caused, but it was still no use.

Finally something inside Lilly came bursting out as she snapped in an usually loud voice for her- "stäng dina munnar du rovs!" (Shut your mouths you asses)

As soon as the words left her mouth Lilly regretted saying them.
She knew no one spoke swedish , but she still felt awful.
Her face turned bright red as her ears began to burn.
Fortunately Palmon saved her by saying "aaahhh, heh. What Lilly said was- come on guys, lets get this show on the road."

Palmon's on face a bit blushed with shock as she added "and she's right. Weather its finding a missing someone, or figuring all this out, or even just getting away from each other, we won't get anywhere standing around fighting."

Holding up two claw like thorns in the victory sign Palmon announced "so for all our own sakes lets get a move on"

Juju · Dec 17, 2017

Just when the group had gotten over the appearance of this hideously dressed youth, an argument broke out. Of course. As much as Jupiter loved a good break, listening to jabber was worse than aching feet. That, and the fact that the sooner she got out of this nightmarish world the sooner she could have a proper shower. Just the thought of a hot bath right now made her want to weep with longing.

Oh yes, she could press on down the path to where that other girl had gone. Darese? Arya? She forgot her name.

It didn't matter!

Going out there by her lonesome was a perilous task. There was dirt, she could get lost, or worse... there could be aggressive digimon waiting to ambush her. It was best to stay with these plebs. That way if another furry monster came along it could go after one of her less-important companions instead. She especially hoped it was that green-haired girl. Every time that one opened her mouth she could feel her brain cells fizzing out. As much as she disliked the wretched humans she had been trapped with in the beginning, she vastly preferred them to the likes of McEdge and Tomboy over there. Both of which were in an irritating argument.

"Hey, are you guys done yet? I'd like to get to Endless Mountain. Like, soon." Her hands fell onto her hips when she saw that her words had not even managed to turn a head. Simpletons. "Hello? Is anyone listening? Bah!" She threw her arm into the air in frustration. They weren't worth it and frankly she couldn't give a damn on what their stupid squabbles were about.

In light of such an intelligent conversation she decided to use the opportunity to take a break. She located her hand mirror within her bag and checked the state of her reflection before reapplying her mascara. Getting out of this place was one thing, but keeping up with appearances was a crucial goal to maintain. She was in the middle of filing her nails (those ugly black nails on McEdge had to be thoroughly washed from her memory) when she felt a tug on the hem of her dress. It was the lizard thing.

"Don't touch the dress! This is worth more than you are! How many times do I need to tell you to keep your claws to yourself!" she hissed sharply, waving away the Digimon's paw with her file. Undeterred, the creature gave one more tug and pointed towards the group of people she hadn't been listening to. Only then did he remove his paw. Jupiter narrowed her eyes and turned to tune back into the conversation. The scruffy seal-thing was doing the talking this time and detailed his reasoning for their appearance in this world.

Chosen ones? Worlds collapsing? Legends? Oh god, she didn't want to be involved in some half-baked prophesy. She was someone who tanned on the beach at a resort, not some chosen adventurer. Saving the world was neither in her skill set nor was it of her concern. All she cared about was getting back to the real world.

"That's... not true, right? The world doesn't look like it's disappearing." she muttered in disbelief while giving her partner a nervous side glance. No response.

There was just enough time to acknowledge the growing dread in Jupiter's stomach before she was snapped back to reality(?) thanks to a sudden yell. She flinched from it and was surprised to find that it had come from the little Scandinavian girl. The talking plant quickly translated the shout and Jupiter calmed herself back down. By now everyone had either left or was in the process of leaving, so Jupiter put all her things back into her bag and quickened her pace to keep up with the others.

Pretzel Heart · Jan 3, 2018

Otonashi Keiran and Heika

Well...that was......uh.........something. Honestly Otonashi couldn't tell whether he had helped or...not. While the group had moved on from outright fighting to biting comments and icy stares, at least they seemed to be ready to continue on their way. Though most didn't exactly seem happy with the arrangement. With not only the little purple dragon, but Rin, and, worst of all, his very own partner, leaving the group with some lingering, unsettling thoughts.

"Wow, Rin sure sounds smart! Almost too smart for a delinquent..."

He also spoke perfect English. Like the tall purple-haired girl who had only revealed her bilingual nature through an incomprehensible shout, getting the group to finally move on. Otonashi was a bit curious about what their stories were... but he found himself musing to air. Apparently Heika had wandered off. He remembered the look in the Digimon's bright green eyes and the quiet disappointment in the way he had addressed the crowd. He felt like they needed to talk...but at the same time, he had no idea what to say.

Besides, there were still quite a few things he found himself getting hung up on. And not just him. It seemed as if at least a few of the foreigners truly did believe this game...that, or they really were just nothing more than characters within it. So when Gomamon said that whatever was disrupting this world could destroy their own...

No...there's no way! If the danger is real, the heroes must also be real!

With uncertain eyes Otonashi took in those around him. Discounting himself was one thing, that was second nature. No way in heck was he gonna be saving anybody. But...honestly? He wasn't sure if any of the others were, either. He didn't play games and he didn't watch anime. In fact, he was barely exposed to most forms of media. But even he could realize that expecting a group of kids and their weird talking animals to save the world was beyond ridiculous.

Except for...inside a video game.

But even if he felt more or less convinced, a part of him did wish he could talk it over with Heika just a little bit more....... Even if he could be sort of annoying, for the moment, he was the only lead he had. And...really, the only one in this strange new world that he could call a friend.

And what had his mama always told him about friends? You have to stick by each other, no matter what!

But when Otonashi finally located the Digimon he found him deep in talk with a weird stubby-legged orange critter. Where did that come from? He could scarcely keep track of all the people popping up at this rate... though he was starting to sympathize with the curly-haired girl who had run ahead. With so many people arriving, couldn't it mean there was a chance Ayumu could be here somewhere, too? How long had he even been playing? It felt like nearly a full day in the game...but if that were true, then surely his friend would have come home already and unplugged him...right? Or what if something happened...and he couldn't. What if he felt the need to enter into the VR himself?

Damnit it all...he needed something to distract himself from all such complicated and unpleasant thoughts. And the easiest way to do that was to talk to someone. Someone who wasn't in the middle of an argument. Someone...familiar?

As if providence itself was shining down on her, the blonde woman from earlier strode up, her large, soft-looking Digimon plodding behind.

Obviously it was fate.

"Hey~" he offered, pushing back any troublesome thoughts to slide on up to her. "You know, all those times we talked yesterday and I don't think I ever got your name! I'll go first. I'm Otonashi Keiran...you know, like the giraffe?* You can call me either Otonashi or Keiran. I'm from Minju Ward, Tokyo. And my hobby is getting the names of pretty ladies like yourself~" He winked, hoping it was enough to get an answer. He had made her fall to the ground in defeat and throw her shoe the day before, but honestly, in Otonashi Land, such things are easily forgotten. The past was for the past, right? "So, will you help me out?"

Meanwhile Gomamon thought (wrongly) that he could take his eyes off his partner for two seconds as he concentrated his attention on Patamon. He had earlier noticed the newcomer but assumed he had evolved from one of the Tokomon in the Village, same as everyone else. The Digimon's delight at finding someone from...from beyond the Village, prompting a flurry of questions to blossom in his head, was immediately stunted by the ominous words that followed.

"Dried up? What do you mean? What happened to the other Digimon? They couldn't definitively locate the source?"

In keeping with Patamon's obvious wishes, Gomamon also tried to keep his voice down, but...as Otonashi had previously learned, he wasn't exactly the most proficient whisperer. Still, he had tact enough to try. He saw that his own ill-boding words had at least taken some effect with the group, but he felt the slightest bit guilty at having put them all in such a dour mood. But...he supposed it would take time. His excitement at being able to prove himself, to live out the fantasies that had seemed naught but distant dreams for so many years-- the fear of what was to come, and what had already passed-- There was a lot to process, and he had been born and raised in this world.

He couldn't get ahead of himself...

At least, until a rustling ahead alerted the ragtag group to yet another newcomer. A pair consisting of lanky boy and...bright red Digimon.

Uncharacteristically ignoring his own previous advice, Gomamon found himself impulsively bounding towards the two.

"T-Tentomon! Is that really you?"

The concoction of joy, unease, and disbelief from the Digimon's voice echoed in his expression as he gave the newcomers his welcome. Tentomon was a rare presence in the Village of Beginnings. He mostly kept to himself, and perhaps it was that sense of mature mystery which had always kept Gomamon fascinated (if not a little intimidated) by the elusive insectoid.

"It appears you have also found a human companion. And managed to get ahead. Well, you are more at home in this mountain than any of us. Most excellent! We are making our way to the summit. Sorcerimon foretold we would find answers there. Perhaps you wouldn't mind...joining us?"

KageYuuki

Juju

Oswald_C_Cobblepot

* 'Kirin,' which uses a similar pronunciation as his name, can mean 'giraffe' in Japanese. So not really helpful for foreigners. But uh...Otonashi.

QuirkyAngel · Jan 4, 2018

Unable to help himself, Rin found himself chuckling when he heard the sarcastic remark of one of the girls. The one with the hoodie. He had paused a bit at the rustling of a brush, to glance back at the new arrival--a European from the looks of it...with a large bug--but ultimately gave the guy as much attention as he did Kai and Renamon. That is to say, not much. Whether they joined the group or not was entirely up to them. Rin didn't intend to influence their thoughts in any manner. Nor was making friends necessary. After all, he himself was still debating whether traveling in a group would be worth the effort. Otonashi and Gomamon were the only reason he'd joined the so called 'party' in first place...and only because he didn't have a direction to go. Now he did.

Hoodie girl's response to his argument, was certainly..different...than what he'd expected. Otonashi's as well. For some reason, he'd expected more members of their little 'party' to be spouting ideals like friendship and how everything would be alright if they worked together. Utter bullsh*t, of course. Lies that the government, and other figures of authority, spread in order to tame the masses. To keep the well-oiled machine that was society from falling apart. The moment one breaks away from that well-oiled machine, becomes an imperfect cog, they are discarded. Rin experienced that when he broke away from his perfect mold and stood his ground against his father. His experiences colored his views--which were primarily negative. Rin didn't think so of course. He saw himself as a realist, but he wasn't unaware how other people viewed his thoughts either.

People didn't like to hear negativity--as proven by the girl who suddenly screamed at them in a foreign language than teared up. He could hear her plant-like digimon urging the others to get moving, but didn't wait to find out whether they did or not. That had nothing to do with him

"What's an e-existential crisis?"

"When one questions their purpose in the world," Been there, done that."Though in this case, she's referring to his doubts about the reality of his situation."

"Ahhh."

It wasn't long before he caught sight of Darya. The girl was simply settled on a rock to the side of the trail, apparently waiting for them.

Lifting his head in acknowledgement of Darya's light wave, Rin gave a barely perceptible nod in return. As much as he and Hoodie girl were similar in thought processes, there was no denying she had a sharper tongue than him. Nor was he prone to her level of aggression. Judging by what he'd heard of conversation with the yellow dinosaur digimon, the rude girl bore some scars of her own. Not that Rin intended to pry. Her past, Otonashi's delusions, Darya's running off--none of that was any of his business. The only bone he had to pick was with those who attempted to assert their authority over him.

"Heya, Lopmon and Lopmon's human friend! Hope everything's okay. Sorry to keep you waiting! We got into a fight after you left ahead. Then some new people showed up. It's been pretty crazy, but the rest should be coming soon, I think. Traveling alone is no fun. That's what I've been trying to tell Rin, but he-- "

"The others are worried about you."

A simple truth as he moved passed Darya's rock. Nothing more, nothing less. Obviously, that statement didn't apply to him as he simply walked by her and continued forward down the trail towards Infinity Mountain. Or at least the direction he believed the mountain to be in. Unlike her, he really didn't have any intention of waiting if they didn't move along. Groups were never really his thing in the first place.

Every group, if one could even call the ragtag bunch of strangers a group, needed a leader to run smoothly despite what he'd told Abrasive green hair. That was an indesputable fact, whether they knew it or not. Rin didn't like denying facts. Yet it was also a fact that he hated people who attempted to control his actions and the actions of others.Two facts that pointed in a single obvious direction-- Rin wasn't good in groups. His negativity, and his tendency to question leadership, would only weigh the group down. However, he had a feeling that explaining his logic to Gumimon wouldn't amount to much. People believed what they wanted to believe and, despite it being only being a day and half since he'd met the baby monster, he could tell that Gumimon was Akane's type.

"Riiiiiin! Stooop! Stop, I say! Geez, don't just walk away because you're a terrible conversationalist that can only start arguments the moment you open your mouth. Can't you see I'm still in the middle of chatting with a fellow digimon from the Village of Beginnings? Lopmon is, like, my best friend you know!!"

"You can stay behind and talk to them then," Rin replied to the baby digimon being carried in his bindle's sack. He didn't fail to notice that Darya had looked a bit nervous. Not that he blamed her. Forests where monsters resided were probably dangerous. If he trusted anyone in the group would help him if a large dinosaur showed up, he'd agree there were safety in numbers. However, as it stood, none of them were even friends. Simply strangers brought together by an unnamed force he wanted nothing to with. He expected nothing from them. "I don't mind."

"...Jerk."

Rin suddenly stopped. "Do you hear running water?"

"Maybe...? I don't have big ears like Lopmon..."

Shrugging, the goth-dressed boy resumed walking. If there was a river or some sort to rest at all the better. He needed to re-check his position on the map Sorcerermon had drawn for him anyway. And check how many of the rations Gumimon had eaten away while he'd been debating with Green-Hair. Depending on the circumstances of his food supply, he'd have to fish for dinner--though he'd never touched a fishing rod in life. Wonderful. That was what he got for traveling with a baby monster. Rin sighed. Perhaps Mochi would make good bait, if nothing else.

Oswald_C_Cobblepot
(mentioned:

AnimeGenork )

Oswald_C_Cobblepot · Jan 4, 2018

Arthur S. Poe

The beginnings and endings of all human undertakings are untidy.

John Galsworthy

''Why are they quarreling?'', Arthur asked, seeing how the seemingly unbelievable and impossible group in front of him was behaving. This was all too much for him. Firstly, he had awoken on a sort of hill or - whatever the Hell that place was. Then, a talking insect approached him and started being exceptionally smart and now - this? People, other... weird... beings. Probably Digimon. Arthur was well aware that it could only be a dream, but such an incredible set of (un)fortunate events (oh, dear Lemony, how I call thee!) couldn't even be concocted in his limitless mind. Could it be that Tentomon was right? Could all of this be... real? Certainly, but - how?

''It seems it's inherent to you humans to constantly bicker about something. Or contradict'', Tentomon's voice interrupted his bewildered stream of consciousness and brought him back into reality. ''I'm sorry, it's just...'', the boy tried to elaborate, but without much success. He was completely confounded. ''It's fine, I understand. It's much to grasp at once, but keep an open mind'', the Digimon said. Meanwhile, Tentomon was facing his own demons in confronting the group.

The insect Digimon was always a loner. The Village of Beginnings was a very lively place. Many Digimon, much going on and always something to do, someone to socialise with. Except for Tentomon. Ever since he was a Baby Digimon, he was different. Being physically different than most of his peers and friends, he kept to himself as much as he could; he way shy and scared of rejection, which is why he decided to ostracize himself in order to avoid being just that. During his early years, Tentomon spend much time with Sorcerymon, who managed to plant the seed of both knowledge and curiosity into the young Digimon, albeit not aiming for it to become his only preoccupation. But - it did. As he grew, or Digivolved, Tentomon spent more and more time in Sorcerymon's personal library, expanding his knowledge and learning about the mysteries of his own world. Much like Arthur would do in his life, he was searching for the answer to the ultimate 'Why?', although he knew he would not find it in those books. What he believed, though, was that those books would help him find the answer and he read them, from cover to cover, several times and when he knew them by heart, he realised that it wasn't enough. He realised he needed more and by the time Sorcerymon tried to persuade him to change his view on life, Tentomon, who Digivolved solely because of the vast amount of knowledge he had gathered on the process of Digivolution, had already made up his mind.

During his time in the Village of Beginnings, Tentomon had, beside Sorcerymon, only one friend. Or someone he could call a friend. It was Gomamon. They shared the same passion for knowledge and were extremely curious, ready to even break some rules in order to gain necessary information. It wasn't a close bond, but it was the best Tentomon had had in a lifetime. But, as things go in life, as he grew, Tentomon wanted more and Gomamon could not, or would not, follow his companion's footsteps as they grew more and more distant by the day. They never fought, they never even said a word to each other. They just - started falling apart.

One day, Tentomon decided to leave the Village. Not permanently, but in search for answers. Sorcerymon advised him against it, despite knowing that his advice would not hinder Tentomon in any way, had he decided to do something, and Gomamon even pleaded him to stay, but the insect Digimon had to see what was outside the boundaries of his birthplace. Well, he knew, generally, from the books, but he had to witness it for himself. His initial absences were short and unrewarding for him, but as time passed, he started to leave more frequently and spend more and more time outside of the village. Nobody except him knew anything about his trips, what he was doing, where he'd go, and he wouldn't share any of the details with anyone. Greed? No. It was disappointment. Traveling through File Island left Tentomon rather disappointed, as he discovered that there was nothing there he had not already seen. No secrets. No mysteries. After some time, he decided to confront Sorcerymon with that and the mage told him that he had advised him against such a journey exactly because he had known the result. But Tentomon insisted. He knew, he sensed there was more and after some persuading, Sorcerymon finally told him about an unknown secret hidden on the top of Infinity Mountain. He also forbid him to ever go there. You can imagine what happened.

It was during the preparations for ascending Infinity Mountain that Tentomon saw a young British boy sleeping close to his non-existent campsite. It was during the preparations that his adventure really began. .

Having said all of this, it is not difficult to comprehend how Tentomon was feeling when he faced his old friends, especially Gomamon. He was almost as nervous as Arthur was. He was just dealing with it slightly better. Gomamon soon approached. What do you want, now?, Tentomon trembled, looking at his friend, whom he had not seen in a while, approaching him carefully. "T-Tentomon! Is that really you?", he asked. No, it's Lord Ebonwumon, a sarcastic thought escaped Tentomon, but he kept quiet. He couldn't utter a word. Gomamon continued. "It appears you have also found a human companion. And managed to get ahead. Well, you are more at home in this mountain than any of us. Most excellent! We are making our way to the summit. Sorcerimon foretold we would be answers there. Perhaps you wouldn't mind...joining us?", he asked. ''Why!?'', he burst out, immediately, realising only seconds later how inappropriate his reaction was. ''You know them?'', Arthur interrupted. The boy had approached Tentomon a while ago, but the Digimon was so succumbed into his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed. ''Obviously. You know, I still live there. It's not unusual for you to know people from your place of habitat'', Tentomon replied, looking at Arthur. He then turned to Gomamon. ''This is Arthur. He's a human, just like the rest of them, although as I've deduced, they haven't the slightest idea about who each of them are. I only hope you have more open-minded ones'', the insect replied to Gomamon, avoiding the main question. Still, after some moments, he asked. ''Where are you going? You know perfectly well where I'm headed. I am just not ready yet. If you want, you can tag along'', he said, trying to sound cold and firm, but hiding underneath his facade, much like his usual habit.

''Ummm... sorry to bother you, but do I have to introduce myself to the others? I'm not good with that'', Arthur interrupted once more. How - appropriate.

Kimiwriter · Jan 12, 2018

Darya De Lucia
Lopmon

Darya hesitated. Were the others worried about her? It would be nice but for some reason she couldn't imagine any of them really caring all that much. No one seemed to get it. She had to get home. She had to find her brother. Reality, video game, coma, mass hallucination, it didn't matter what this place was; if reaching the mountain was the way to get home, then that was the thing they needed to focus on. "Come on," Darya picked up Lopmon and stood, hurrying after Rin along the path. He didn't seem like the greatest of company but he was moving in the right direction and that was enough for her.

Lopmon poked her with a paw and tilted her head towards the young man.

Right. Darya pushed her pride down. "Sorry about my . . . outburst earlier. I didn't have my morning coffee."

Yeah, because that's not a cliche excuse. She hoped he would take it as a joke. Anyway, Darya had apologized and that was the end of it.

She stayed behind him for a while before lengthening her stride and coming along side him. Somewhere nearby came the sound of water. At least she thought it was water. "I hope there's a bridge or something. It would be annoying to have to find a way across a river."

"Why?" Lopmon asked. "Do humons not swim? Or does too much water hurt you somehow?"

Darya sighed. Not necessarily her intended audience but the little Digimon was better than stoic silence. "I can swim a little. I don't know about the others," she cast a look at Rin to see if he wanted to add anything before continuing. "But a really fast river is still dangerous so we would have to find a shallow or calm place to cross which could take us off course and slow us down."

The little rabbit nodded and lost interest in the explanation. She held herself up to better see the parcel Rin was carrying. "Hey, Gumimon, have any good snacks in there?"

"Hey, you had a snack a little while ago." Seriously, it felt like she was babysitting the neighbor's toddler. Darya gave Rin an apologetic look. "Sorry about her."

Juju · Jan 19, 2018

Jupiter was just trying to keep up with the others when she heard that annoying voice again.

"Hey~"

Evasive manuevers were in full action now. She turned her head away from the voice and feigned deafness from the greeting, praying he would leave her alone if she ignored him long enough. It was too late, however, and she was soon face to face with the deranged teen.

He mentioned yesterday's events (something she was keen on purging from her memory) and introduced himself. She blinked, lost on what he meant by a giraffe named Otonashi Keiran? Was that a ~~Jojo~~ reference to some children's show? He winked and a characteristic frown immediately chased away her confused expression. 'Eww', she thought. It was hard to tell if he was a creep or genuinely thought this was a normal means of interacting with women. He had an almost childish air about him, albeit in a dopey, ungainly sort of a way. The kind that could only come from dumb ignorance.

"I'm surprised you don't ask them for a slap in the face!" she retorted hotly with a turn of her head and a cross of her arms. Jupiter paused for a moment then let out a tight sigh, her nails tapping impatiently on her arm. She was assessing her options. "Fine. My name's Jupiter Bourgeous, in case you didn't catch it at supper. Or, like, know who my father is..." The last part was more of a soft grumble added in as an afterthought, like she was used to uttering it yet did not have the heart for it today.

She hoped that he would leave her alone after answering his question, that he would somehow be satisfied and lose interest. Now that she had answered though, she began to regret her descision to enter a conversation with this freak. 'Don't encourage it!' she could hear the voice in her mind scream out.

Peering from behind the hem of her dress were the two red eyes of Creature (as Jupiter liked to call him). His expresssion breifly flickered to one of recognition when he saw Keiran, recalling the boy, then melded back into the flat gaze he usually had.

Meanwhile, Jupiter glanced to where the others had streamed off to and stiffly edged her feet towards them. She had to leave the conversation now or be stuck with him for the rest of the way. 'Maybe if I just start to...' Unexpectedly, she felt her foot catch on something. Creature's tail had managed to cross the path of her stride, she realized, and in this moment of awareness, felt herself lurch forward. In a burst of instinct Jupiter let out a surprised 'eep' and frantically flailed her arms up and down in an attempt to regain her balance.

Pretzel Heart

QuirkyAngel · Jan 21, 2018

"There's no need for you to apologize," Rin replied briefly. In either case, and least of all to him since he hadn't been as worried about her as some others were, but Rin kept those thoughts to himself. He was surprised Darya would follow him ahead rather than wait for the rest. Wasn't that the reason she'd waited by the rock? For the others? He assumed that the ones who went through the Goblimon ordeal together were a bit closer, since Otonashi had called them a 'party'...but then his fellow country-man did seem have a tendency towards delusions.

From the corner of his eyes he could see Gummymon toss Lopmon a cookie and had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. Clearly the concept of storing and saving didn't apply to the gelatinous digimon. If Mochi weren't as cute as he was, Rin doubted he would've let such actions slide. However, as it was, the baby monster was still a baby...and Rin wasn't in the habit of disciplining others. Or telling them what to do. That simply wasn't his nature.

Nodding at Darya's suggestion, since it sounded reasonable enough, Rin let his eyes roam over the vegetation of the Digital World. Or rather, File Island. It was more nature than Rin had ever seen in his lifetime...and truly, Rin didn't hate it. In a way, it beat the oppressiveness of city life. If Rin didn't have Akane to return to, he didn't think he'd mind exploring the new world. Seeing what it had to offer. Probably more than the human world, at least. Sometimes he wondered whether there was a point in him returning. Was Akane even worried about him? Or had she already forgotten him? The freeloader who had nothing to offer her. Was she panicking by now? Had she phoned the police when she thought he'd disappeared?

Rin couldn't be certain what Akane was feeling or what she was doing, but it was the thought of being a further burden to her that drove Rin's feet forward. He didn't know whether it was the same for anyone else brought to this world or not. Nor did he care. Yet..he couldn't deny that he was just a little bit curious either. Besides, the stretching silence was growing a bit awkward, even for him.

"You were crying the night before," Rin stated casually, if not a bit bluntly. He'd noticed her puffy eyes when she'd returned to the Great Tree last night, but didn't comment on it until now because it wasn't any of his business. It still wasn't. "Was that the reason you chose to go ahead?"

Rin spoke of a touchy subject and he didn't entirely expect the girl to answer his question. He was simply making conversation. Or at least trying to. Lifting his head, Rin looked beyond the trees.

Yep. Now he was certain of it. There was water ahead...and a boy? Squinting his eyes, to make sure he wasn't seeing things, Rin sighed. Just how many people did the Digital World planned to kidnap? What the heck was going on anyway? Was the answers he sought really at the top of Infinity Mountain, or was Sorcerermon simply bullsh*ting him? Running a black-nailed hand though his hair, Rin decided he needed a moment to sit down and get his mind sorted out.

"Didn't Darya-mon already say it was because she didn't have her morning coffee? You really gotta listen to people, Rin." It seemed Gummymon was picking up on Lopmon's nickname for the Darya. Rin wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. "Ooooh, Lookie! Another human!"

Rin grimaced when baby digimon tucked in his bindle sack started yelling excitedly at the boy. "Heeeeeey! Are you lost!?"

"If you move around so much, Mochi, you'll break open the sack," The dark clothed teenager spoke mildly. "I won't be able to carry you then."

"Aww, Riiiin. You're no fun. I think you need that coffee-thingy more than Darya-mon. Don'tcha think so, Darya-mon? What's coffee anyway? Does it make people less grumpy and boring?"

Kimiwriter · Jan 22, 2018

Darya De Lucia

Darya hesitated. She didn't feel like explaining herself but it only seemed fair after her behavior earlier. In part, at least. "My little brother's home alone." She decided she'd just assume he was safe at home instead of wandering the digital world. It was just easier. And if she got home and found him missing, she'd just come back. The mountain was a good starting point. "What about you? Anyone back home you're trying to get back to?"

The baby digimon-- Mochi-- in Rin's parcel tossed Lopmon a cookie.

Darya frowned and shook her head but if Rin didn't protest, she wouldn't either.

It took her a moment to notice the boy. For a moment, she held her breath, hoping it was Maverick. It wasn't. Sighing, she tried not to let her disappointment show.

"Coffee wakes people up in the morning," she answered Mochi while still watching the newcomer. She offered them a small wave. Dealing with more people didn't appeal to her right now but as long as they were willing to go to the mountain, it shouldn't be a problem. Besides, if her and Rin explained things now, they wouldn't have to deal with the whole game-theory when the rest of the party caught up with them.

Sir Les Paul · Jan 23, 2018

TAMER

Renzo Takahashi

Location File Island, Infinity Foothills
Tags

It had been a while. Not a short while. Not a long while. Just a while. A period of time where Renzo was caught between cursing his own ignorance and determining what the best course of action was given how little he actually knew. His headache had faded. He remained light-sensitive for a while and hoped once it was gone, he would feel refreshed enough to actually think of something. He was wrong, and for this while, still left completely lost on what was going on.

Then he heard it. The first voice other than his own mumbling of this new world.

"Ooooh, Lookie! Another human!"

He instinctively turned toward it. Lo and behold, two other people... and two... he waited until they got just a bit closer, but he still had no idea what they were. Were they Americans? Did they breed some weird dogs? Whatever they were, they seemed docile enough. Instead, Renzo went right to the first thing he did with everyone. Analysis. A goth kid. Japanese, maybe. Still too far away to make the details out. Thinner than him, considerably less tone, but slightly taller. Either came from a perfect family life and just rebelled or had some misfortune like his own. Right off the bat, poser-punk Asian Goth. The girl was cute, though. Short, dark-skinned--Renzo hadn't seen a lot of that--with hair he was even less accustomed to. Shorter than the lot of them, though. His inexperience here lead him to avoid making as in depth of an analysis as he did for the guy. They were, notably, an odd-looking pair to be walking through a forest, but Renzo likely didn't look well-suited for it either in his biker jacket.

Once the two reached a distance close enough that they could speak without shouting, Renzo gave them both the typical high school head nod. Acknowledging their existence. His eyes darted from Rin to Darya back to Rin again. This was a risky situation for him. Did he tell them he was lost? They seemed to have a sense of direction. In the city, telling people you were lost just made you a target. Given how lanky Rin was, he was pretty sure he could take him in a fist fight if need be. He had no idea about Darya, though he had to admit he was taking a liking to the darker skin. Reserved for another time. Then of course, there were those... whatever the fuck those things were.

"I'm Renzo Takahashi," he said, choosing to introduce himself. He then pulled out the odd device he couldn't turn on a moment ago and flipped it over in his hand, presenting it to both of them. "Any idea what this is?" he asked. His logic was that there was safety in creating small talk. Not knowing what a weird device was seemed to be a safer way of securing answers than just outright admitting he woke up here out of the blue and was completely lost. Not to mention, the more they talked, the more openings they created.

For now, he also chose to ignore the odd creatures. Without cursing or acting utterly freaked out, he didn't know how to address them yet. He also hadn't connected the dots that it was actually one of them that yelled out to him in the first place.

QuirkyAngel · Jan 23, 2018

Rin Kuromoto

"Girlfriend," Rin answered shortly. He didn't feel like divulging the nature of his relationship with Akane to someone he barely knew and was fine with letting Darya come up with her own conclusions. It was the truth anyway. His girlfriend was the only one that would be waiting for him when he returned to their world. If he returned.

Hands back in his pocket, the pale teen observed the girl a bit before trudging towards the river where the other boy stood. He could feel the other guy's stare and returned the gesture. Given the way he chose to dress, Rin was used to being judged by others. Just as Otonashi had immediately pegged him to be some sort of villain, the biker-jacket guy probably had some preconceived notions about him as well. It was human nature. Rin wasn't immune to it either. Judging others that is.

From Darya's response, for example, it was easy enough to deduce certain aspects about her. If she was worried about her younger brother, that suggested that she was the responsible type. A good older sister. The fact that she said he was home alone, meant no other siblings or parents were in her household to care for the boy. That meant that she was likely the one who raised her brother. And if she was capable enough to be responsible for another life--that wasn't a pet--it was highly likely that she was older than him as well...though Rin wouldn't have guessed it from her crying.

Of course, that was all just conjecture on his part.

Eyes on the one that introduced himself as Renzo Takahashi, Rin couldn't really say he got any solid impressions. Biker jacket suggested he rode some sort of bike or motorcycle. Possibly. Or it could've just been a fashion choice. Toned yet not too muscular...probably involved in some sort of sport to keep himself in shape. Maybe. Just working out could produce the same results. Then he wore glasses...which, to be honest, didn't really tell Rin anything about the other guy other than the fact that he had poor eyesight. All in all, Rin couldn't really conclude anything about the guy. Yet.

"Rin Kuromoto," It was only polite.

"Hey that's the holy eye-phone seven! Riiin, he has one too! Just like all the other humans have!"

"I can see that," Rin replied. To Renzo, he answered "I don't actually know what the device is--"

"Gomamon already explained it to us. That's the holy eye-phone seven plus, a magical device that helps digimon digivolve. All the heroes destined to save the Digital World have one. Geez, Rin. And you tell me to get my ears checked..."

"--Is what the seal buddy of another human brought to this world claimed. You're the third human I've come across since leaving the Village of Beginnings. There are more headed this way," Rin jabbed his thumb over his shoulder. "They're coming behind us. So if you run into any danger, running that way is probably your safest option. Sticking together is a thing for them."

"But not for you?"

Rin refrained from sighing. That would be like, his fourth? Fifth one since this morning? Perhaps Mochi was right. He needed coffee. He could also tell that his defiance of abrasive Green-Haired's order wasn't going to be let go by the baby digimon that easily. Regardless, of what the girl claimed, it had been an order she had given out. Or that's what it sounded like, given her tone to him and the others. A desire to impose her will on others. Because she believed she knew what was best for them. What made the most logical sense for survival. Rin didn't like that, didn't like being told what to do, so he'd walked away. It had been a simple decision for him. Did she stop to think why others might have views different than her own? Why Darya might have chosen to run ahead of the others? It wasn't even out of spite that he said he was glad she wasn't the leader. It was simply how he saw things. Perhaps Darya hadn't made the wisest decision, and logically he agreed with Abrasive green haired, but he believed Darya's individual decisions ought be respected. Because the person in Rin valued freedom above all else.

"If you really think you've got a better way to handle this then you do you mate, I'm not gonna waste my breath."

"If you don't like the way I run things, then stop wasting my time and LEAVE MY HOUSE!!"

The tone and words used had been completely different. The situations were completely different. Yet, for some reason, the words had managed to overlay in his mind and touch a sore spot. And that was only a day and half of being in a group. Rin was a realist..and he could just tell when things weren't going to work out. Better to leave before he started growing dependent.

Try explaining all that to a baby monster from another world who didn't even know what coffee was.

Rin shrugged. "I decided a long time ago that I would rather die on the streets than try to fit into where I don't belong."

"It's funny how you can sound so smart, yet so dumb at the same time, Rin." Gummymon giggled.

Why did he put up with this again? Ah, right. Mochi was cute.

"Anyway," Rin let his eyes brush lazily over Renzo Takahashi. There was really no reason he ought give the guy any more then he did Kai or the European...except for the fact that really did seem alone. No battle fox or big red bug to guide him. And Rin wasn't inhuman. He could also relate to being confused. He'd asked the same question of Otonashi...and got a semi-bullsh*t response. Really. If someone didn't know the answer to something, it was better not to pretend they did. It only led to more confusion in his eyes. Of course, if Otonashi preferred his delusions to reality it was his choice. Reality was terribly cruel anyway. "I just wanted to let you know your options since you did seem a little lost . What you do is entirely up to you. From what I've seen of goblin-monsters roaming around attacking baby villages, it seems the only rules of this world is survival of the fittest. Much like our world if you think about it. Don't bother asking me how we're brought here, why we were brought here, how to get back, or what this world really is--"

"It's the Digital World!"

"--because that's what I'm trying to find out myself." Finishing his statement, Rin walked over to the river, knelt down at the bank, and proceeded to wash is face. Small talk wasn't his thing. He didn't like beating around the bush either. He simply said what he wanted to say, then moved on. Darya, or whoever else was present, could introduce themselves, make friends, or whatever.

"Nice-tah meet'cha Renzo. Hope we can be friends. That's what Rin should've added at the end. He really doesn't know how talk nicely to people so I'm just gonna do that for him." Nodding to itself, as if proud of its decision, Gummymon turned its attention back to Darya, the digimon's eyes bright with interest. "Ohhh, so that's what coffee does. If you ever get your hands some can you share some with me? Pretty-please? I'll give you one of the cookies Rin has here in return..." When it looked liked Rin was about to say something patronizing, Gummymon interjected. "It's not really your cookie Rin, You got it from the Village of Beginnings which is my home. Therefore, I'm the one sharing with you. "

If Rin wanted to argue logic, Gummymon could do it too. It may just be a baby, and not as smart as Gomamon, but it wasn't dumb.

Kimiwriter

(mentioned:

AtlannianSpy ,

Pretzel Heart )

AnimeGenork · Jan 28, 2018

Skylie Lavigne

"Can we all just not today?"

Needless to say, Skylie pretty much ignored everything that happened after her outburst. There were far too many people here for her taste, and considering the only other person she’d interacted with on a daily basis was Piper, it was a bit alarming. Especially since she only visited Piper every three days.

Agumon was trying to keep up with her, meanwhile, glancing back at the group of humans as they lagged behind. He stared up at Skylie, wondering when she was going to open up to him. They were supposed to work together, if he’d been listening to the goings-on closely enough. But right now he was more like a baby Digimon trailing after Leomon or Sorcerimon.

Skylie had conveniently forgotten that there were others ahead of the group besides her. So she reached Blue and Darya, who were waiting beside a river with another newcomer. Alright, that’s it. She’d had it. SCREW THIS. “If I’d known there would be this many people, I would’ve stayed in my alley yesterday…” she muttered.

Oh, wait. Hold on. New Guy had a nice jacket.

“Nice jacket.” Two words, a simple phrase, probably spoken too quietly for him to hear. But Skylie wasn’t going to strike up a conversation, not when the bunny thing from last night was around. Even though she’d missed when throwing the fruit before, Skylie knew from experience that there was room for improvement.

She paused at the bank of the river. It was possible that it was deep. It was possible that it was dangerous. Hell, everything here could be dangerous. But she’d been living on the streets in Philly for a few years now. What the hell was danger compared to the Brunette Demon of Philadelphia?

However, she had to take care of something first. Inclining her head in Darya’s direction, she said, “I couldn’t find your brother in the woods by that village.” A pause. “Sorry.” There. She’d said it. Not that she cared about what this chick thought, but she had to at least make it clear that she wasn’t entirely heartless. Oh, yeah, she was a bitch. But she wouldn’t go so far as to endanger a kid’s life. She only did that if the kid in question tried to take her alley.

Skylie crouched and held her arms out behind her, where Agumon was waiting. “C’mon, Agumon. We’re going across the river.”

“WHAT?!”

“You heard me. I’ll carry you across.”

“You’re kidding, right? This is a joke. You’re finally letting me see your funny side…right?” When Agumon realized she wasn’t joking, as she peered over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows, he waved his arms. “We can’t go in there! It could be dangerous! We could get swept away!”

“No, what’s dangerous is challenging the best damn street fighter in Philly to a knife fight and not bringing a knife. Now get on and shut up. We’ll be fine.”

Agumon hesitated a second more, but he finally gave in. Skylie wasn’t going to let up any time soon. It wasn’t her way. But as he climbed on her back, he grew nervous again. She stepped into the river and started wading across, worrying about her daggers. Skylie accidentally jostled Agumon as she reached into her boots and pulled out her daggers. Agumon widened his eyes as she deftly threw them across the river, where they sank into the bark of a tree. “What the…?”

Skylie continued across, keeping her eyes on her precious daggers.

Coding by

Sir Les Paul · Jan 29, 2018

TAMER

Renzo Takahashi

Location File Island, Infinity Foothills
Tags

~~They fucking talk. They all fucking talk.~~

It took a moment. It wasn't until Gummymon interjected that Renzo realized this. ~~Fuck~~ whatever Ren said, these things spoke. The facade Renzo had for a while, all of that slyness in not divulging that he had no idea where he was, it all went out the window once he realized these things spoke. Oh, and the Hell? Another cute girl, sure, but was that a yellow-orange talking lizard? ~~The fuck~~.

...

Renzo sighed, then looked Rin directly in the eyes with the all-too-familiar look most teenagers and young adults were: absolute exhaustion with bullshit. "Bud, I'mma need you to explain what the Hell is going on. The Hell are those talking things? I have no idea what or where the Village of Beginnings is and who the even names of a village that? What are we even beginning? Where are you even going?" Renzo asked. Repeatedly. Quickly. Sternly. It was a combination of frustration, irritation and perhaps even a little aggression. Renzo wasn't at all used to being out of control, let alone completely stripped of any high ground. Even if these people were friendly, Renzo was in a real tight spot.

While Skylie decided to wade through the river, Renzo turned to her for a quick, mildly flirtatious rebuttal. "Hey you! Nice eyes," he shouted at her in a completely different tone than the one he had been speaking to Rin in. Which did at least disclose he wasn't being an asshole--entirely--just that like the rest of them, he had no idea what was going on but unlike them had no explanation for... anything.

Kimiwriter · Jan 29, 2018

Darya De Lucia

It was hard not to sigh when Renzo asked for an explanation. Honestly, how many times had they gone through this? But he was new and lost and needed some kind of explanation. "Short version," she said, stepping in for Rin, "this place is called the Digital World, that's called a digivice, and these little guys," she held up Lopmon who gave him a shy wave, "are called digimon. Lots of theories on what this place is and how we got here but all you really need to know is you get tired and hungry just like in our world, and not all digimon are nice."

Skylie's appearance interrupted her. Shifting, Darya gave her a small nod. She didn't want to forgive the girl, but if Skylie had bothered to go looking, then it would be wrong not to accept her apology. "Thanks."

Turning back to Renzo, Darya tried to put her brother out of her mind. "Anyway, we were told there might be a way home on that mountain." She offered Renzo a reassuring smile. He seemed nervous and who could blame him. "You're welcome to join us or wait here for the others. It's up to you." Glancing past him, she noticed Skylie wadding through the river. oh crap! Darya gave the guys a quick nod and hurried to the edge of the river. Already, Skylie was halfway across.

No clear shallows, plenty of rushing water, and she was still trying to cross here? Darya struggled not to shout and scold. If it had been Maverick, he'd be getting an earful, but she couldn't do that to a stranger. "Are you sure this is the best place to cross?" An edge of concern filled her voice. If one person got across, it was possible for another, but it was still incredibly dangerous and stupid. Darya didn't feel like risking her life for a display of macho-ism, but if it was the fastest way across, she'd be one step closer to home.

QuirkyAngel · Jan 30, 2018

Rin Kuromoto

Digi...vice? Is that what the contraption is called? Well, it sounds a lot better than the holy iphone 7 plus at least...

Splashing his face with the cool water from the river, Rin listened as Darya stepped in to explain things to Renzo without commenting. Meeting eyes with Renzo for a brief moment, Rin could tell how exhausted and frustrated the guy was about the guy was about the entire situation--how irritated he was.

Aren't we all?

If he had the mind to compliment another person's eyes, then he probably wasn't unreasonably upset at least. It almost sounded like a flirtatious rebuttal. The popular type? At the very least, he seemed to have a certain wit about him.

"Yeah, yeah, what Darya-mon said," The green, horned head sticking out of Rin's loosely tied bindle sack continued cheerily. It had said it was going to speak for Rin after all. "I'm a digimon and the Village of Beginnings is my home. It was where I'd been born. Where all Digimon are born, I think. At least, that's what Leomon told me. Just head straight down where you saw us coming from to get there. I don't think we took any turns. Dunno who named it. Gomamon could probably tell you since he's suuuuper smart. Or Sorcerermon. He's the one who told all the humans that came to our village to go up Infinity Mountain you know. I'm just going because Rin's going. He helped me find my way home, so I'm going to help him find his way home. That's what I decided. A good digimon repays their debt and I plan on becoming a good digimon when I digivolve."

The last line was said with such pride, Rin nearly snorted. In fact, he probably would've if he weren't busy watching the girl with the daggers wade across the river carrying the yellow lizard. Daggers. If he had any suspicions about the people brought to the digital world, it was certainly increased with that revelation. What sort of person carried a dagger in their boots? Law enforcer? Serial killer? Murderer? Of course, she could've just as easily found a weapon in the Village of Beginnings and decided to take it for self defense, but the skill in which she had thrown it spoke otherwise. He new nothing about who these people were and, as sad as it was, the only one he kind of liked amongst the humans he'd met in the Village of Beginnings was Otonashi--the bright, happy, delusional one.

"She seems pretty confident, so she'll probably be okay," Rin calmly reassured Darya. "If worse comes to worst and she trips, falls, or somehow manages to get washed away, our safest option is to send someone back to get Gomamon. Seals can swim, right?" The question was only half rhetorical, since Rin wasn't entirely positive Gomamon was a seal. Digimon resembled animals, but they weren't animals. Not really. They all seemed...sentient. Capable of a deeper level of consciousness. At the very least, Rin didn't consider Mochi to be a dog. More like a whiney little kid.

Getting to his feet, Rin sighed as he eyed the moving water. He wasn't eager to get wet. He only had one pair of clothes after all. If it got wet, he'd have to wait for it to dry or risk getting a cold. If it got ripped, he would have to be the one to sew it (he didn't know how). He didn't even if know how long it would take to get to the top of Infinity Mountain. Probably wouldn't be any convenient stores along the way.

"I don't know what you're expecting from me," Rin said mildly to Renzo. "But don't think I'll tell you all the answers. I don't know as much as you think. I don't even know if I entirely trust the human-like wizard creature that told me the answers I'm looking are at the top of Infinity Mountain. I'm just doing what I want...and it's not like I have any other leads to go on."

"Sorcerermon wouldn't lie," Gummymon pouted. "Back me up here, Lopmon."

Dropping the stick he carried to the ground, and ignoring Gummymon's yelp of surprise, Rin unfurled cloth just enough to reveal the full squishy body of his partner. As he expected, half of the rations given to him at the Village of Beginnings were already gone. There were a few oddly shaped fruits left. A few half eaten cookies. His...digivice. A small knife. A bamboo canteen. Rope. A bottle of black nail polish. A folded parchment. And a whistle. Rin ignored everything else and took the folded parchment before re-tying the cloth to his stick and lifting the baby digimon, along with the few things he could carry, back up.

"Sorcerermon might not lie, but he can't draw."

The blue swiggly line was probably a river. And that meant he was most likely headed the right way. Probably. Squinting at the jagged marks, beyond the blue swiggle, Rin wasn't certain if they were supposed to be trees, hills, or a row of spiky teeth.