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As I Walk Through the Valley (Mana) (Hunt)
Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on Apr 21, 2018 16:02:56 GMT
"Please sit down." That was all that Ayaka needed to hear; she didn't even need Mana's words to know she had to get to work right away. "Other beings have described the sensation as... tingly. Please bear with it."
The fairy's forelimbs began to fragment in a series of smaller vines, getting inside through the gaps in the HolyAngemon's clothing. After applying a decent amount of pressure, they'd begin to glow with a faint, green light. Sure, it was uncomfortable given she was pretty much pressing an open wound, but hopefully, that feeling would vanish somewhat soon. Hopefully, it would instead be replaced with a soothing, nondescript tingling.
While the treatment was being carried out, the question coming at Mana's way caught somewhat by surprise. Given they saw each other pretty much every day, it wasn't like she had much to tell, was it? Well, besides Digital World stuff. Since Elliot had been avoiding it, like the plague until this day, she had been saving that stuff up. So... guess she could talk about that?
"Well, uhhh. There's this organization I'm part of called PROFIT. I gotta admit, I kinda feel... a bit guilty because I haven't been doing much organizational stuff and things but... somehow, I think their leader likes me for some reason. No idea why, though."
Truth to be told, she hadn't done anything to be in Yuu's good graces. Maybe Elliot knew? He tended to be pretty knowledgeable.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 22, 2018 19:49:15 GMT
Elliot sat down, making sure the holes in his robe and holes in his body were somewhat aligned. It'd make it harder for Ayaka if whatever she was doing involved needing to fumble around his body to try and find his wounds. "I am sure it will be fi-!!!" Elliot started, but his reassurances were cut off as soon as he realized just what Ayaka meant by a tingly feeling. It was like roots were growing all over his body, slung over the injured parts of his body and pressing down firmly. He was almost worried that he'd start feeling vines poking around in inside of his open wounds.
Thankfully, it was over as soon as it started. Once the roots stopped squirming around, a sense of calm washed over Elliot's entire body. He could feel his various puncture marks start knitting together, but he barely noticed the sensation. It was like he was drifting away from his body, vaguely aware of what was happening to it but only from a numb, distant perspective.
At least he felt better now, but man. Magical healing was a weird, weird experience.
Mana had mentioned PROFIT before, Elliot could faintly recall. She didn't go into too much detail about what it was about, but from his meetings with her and Colin Elliot could faintly piece it together. "I know how that feels," he admitted, voice soft. "You are still just a kid, you know. I know, we both have access to a lot more than others our age do. But it is not like we are professionals or anything like that. And for every advantage we have coming into this world, we have just as many hardships and things weighing on us. Nobody is asking you to be on the front lines of running an entire organization, especially when you still need time to figure yourself out. In more ways than one.
I guess accepting that was why I was able to come back, you know? I tried to take on too much, and when that failed I tried to hide from it all. I do not think either of those worked out well for me."
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on Apr 24, 2018 0:20:23 GMT
At this rate, Elliot would be in working shape pretty soon. They would be able to continue in short order, but until then... at least Mana and Elliot were engaged in a pretty interesting conversation. She looked pretty thoughtful at first, and honestly...
"That's fair, but..." She shrugged, thinking Elliot hadn't gotten the point. "I mean it in the sense that I'm not sure why they have me if I'm not pulling my weight. Everyone has their problems, and using my own as an excuse for not doing that sounds a bit lame, if you ask me."
Was she being too harsh on herself? Or just wallowing in self-pity? She had no idea, honestly. "I want to do things right. Even if, sometimes... it's harsh to figure what's the right thing to do. I guess that, sometimes, it's just easier to follow another's lead."
She didn't even know she was saying that kind of stuff at a moment like this. Buuut she was, and ended up shaking her head as a result. "This isn't the moment to have an existential crisis, though. How are your wounds? Feeling better?"
There was no hurry to tackle the second trial, but for some reason, there was something ominous about this room. The endless statues staring got a little... creepy after some time.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 24, 2018 2:48:17 GMT
"Does everyone need to be there so they can do something?" Elliot asked, curious. "Perhaps Yuu was an old friend of yours, and for help you have done in the past is now repaying the favor. Or perhaps they recognize your potential in this world, and are hoping time with them will help reignite it to new heights. You, Suzuran, and Ayaka have certainly come far since Isaac and I saw you last, after all. Or maybe they just want to help you find a place where you can fit in." There could have been a lot of reasons. However, as someone who was good friends with Mana, Elliot may have been a little biased in thinking that anyone would be more than happy to have her.
He gently placed a hand on Mana's shoulder as she mentioned how hard finding the right thing to do could be. "I thought the right thing to do would be to get out of everyone's lives. Clearly, I was wrong," Elliot said. "We do not always see the right way. And we might get it wrong a few times first. But your intuition has always been rather good, if I can say. I am confident you will find your path, even if it takes a mistake or two along the way.
Just remember, there is no harm in following. Maybe not for your entire life, but while still learning it would be foolish not to take time seeing what others do. We have plenty of time. Why rush?" His voice was gentle, and it was clear he was a little worried about how much Mana was focusing on what she wasn't doing rather than what she was.
Slowly the numb feeling that had enveloped Elliot started to fade. He rolled his shoulder a little, trying to see if moving his arm hurt as much as it did prior. Much to his relief, it was barely even sore anymore. "I feel far better," he said. "Thank you, Ayaka. Shall we proceed?" He stood, not about to run off until Mana gave the okay. With how heavy the topic was, who knew if she'd want to talk more first?
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on Apr 24, 2018 22:34:49 GMT
Elliot had a... fair point, she had to admit. The most likely reason that was Yuu knew her from elsewhere. And that for some reason, she didn't remember her. And that... kinda made her feel a knot in her stomach.
She had enough of feeling bad about herself, though. If her memory didn't want to come back, so be it. "Maybe. I can't deny the possibility. I just wish I... remembered things. Feels like I'm missing on something, you know? Then again, I'm not even sure what I'll find once I get those back. It can be a little scary at times."
The redhead ultimately smiled at Elliot. There were still questions swirling on and about on her head, but this conversation probably wasn't going to solve them. Maybe it was cowardly, or maybe it was the certainty of there being not much she could do until her memory decided to throw her a bone."You're right over there, though. Sometimes, I just want to get things done, you know? And right now, I feel like I'm stuck."
And that's why she stood up at Elliot's question. Apparently, they were ready to continue. "It was a pleasure," Ayaka replied as her limbs abandoned his body. "Hopefully the next trial will not be as dire."
A nod was given right away. "Lead the way. Let's get that spirit."
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Apr 24, 2018 23:59:31 GMT
Elliot sighed softly as he listened to Mana's worries. So much of what she had on her mind, he could understand. This? This was something completely different. "I do not know if I will ever understand how you feel," he admitted. "It simply is not my place. But, at the very least, I will keep doing my best to help you. Whether by helping you search for what you have lost, or simply being your ear, is of no matter to me. I will be there you." There was determination behind these words, but rather than the hot-blooded intensity displayed by someone like Isaac it was filtered through the soft, gentle voice of MagnaAngemon. It was almost less of a declaration and more just Elliot pointing out a truth about the world.
That said, he could only talk about it for so long. Mana was right. They needed to start acting. "Then let us get those things done, yes?" he asked, rising to his feet for the first time since they landed here. He strode forward with a renewed confidence, the dazed-looking dragons that filled this eerie room almost stumbling out of his way.
As Elliot opened the moon-labelled door, a wave crash down right before his feet. The calm waters from the first view through the moon door had long given way, leaving a far more intense sight compared to the distant viewing from prior. Salt sprayed in his face with each impact from the waves, forcing Elliot to raise a sleeved arm to his face in order to make sure he wouldn't get any in his eyes or nose. He spread his wings out to try and gauge the air, only to find his feathers blowing in practically every direction from the stormy winds within the room. In fact, looking up, Elliot could faintly make out a maelstrom swirling atop the ceiling. "Perhaps we shouldn't risk flying here, either," he said.
While the water was fast and relentless, at least it didn't seem to be entirely overwhelming the bridge. He could still make out flashes of plank and rope from beneath the waves, and they never seemed to travel higher than waist height at most. "Do you think we should take a chance and try to cross, or do you have any other ideas?" Elliot asked, probing the bridge with his foot to try and test its stability. The verdict; rickety as all hell.
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on Apr 25, 2018 22:48:02 GMT
That was... fair, overall. Mana knew her situation wasn't the best, but she still appreciated what Elliot did for her. "Thank you." She muttered, a bit of a solemn look taking over her features. "It means a lot, really."
Mana didn't know what the future held, but at least she knew that she'd have one friend on the way. It... didn't look that bleak when looking at it that way, honestly. Buuuut... reflecting on that was something she could leave for later; now, it seemed that the next trial would go through the moon-labeled door.
Going right behind Elliot, she also felt the water rushing towards them; they were mostly calm, but there was still some movement, and apparently, it was towards them? The winds were too strong, and it looked like flight would be impossible, judging from what happened after Elliot tried to spread his wings. This seemed to... not be the best. Not to say that they probably would get pretty wet.
"Yup. Flying seems to be a pretty bad idea. Probably even worse than the first time. Do you think the spirit that you're gonna get hates flyers or something? Because... that's pretty much the impression he's giving me right now."
The bridge seemed to be a bit flimsy, but it was the only thing they had, right? At least at a glance. Mana wasn't the best searcher around, and the conditions definitely weren't optimal to do so... "We could take a look and see if there's anything worth inspecting before trying to cross. If not, I guess we'll go through a test of sorts that'll probably put our lives at risk again so... hope you're ready."
A serene smile was the current expression on her face. Getting worked up for something that seemed to be that certain was pointless, right?
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 3, 2018 1:02:10 GMT
The mutter and solemn look on Mana's face damn near killed Elliot, and a bit of a frown formed on MagnaAngemon's face. Stretching his back a little to work out the kinks from his previous impalement, he tried to think what he would do. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to think of an idea. He walked over to Mana and hugged her gently, leaving a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Frankly, with his soft robe, fluffy wings, and strong arms, MagnaAngemon was a pretty amazing form for giving hugs. "Anytime, Mana," he said, voice so soft it was as if he was barely there. "Just make sure not to hide on me like I hid on you. I am pretty sure we both know how much that sucked by now." With his perpetually serene voice, MagnaAngemon was much worse at jokes and teases than he was at hugs.
With that, it was time to turn focus back on puzzles. The strict No Wings Allowed policy continued to be enforced, this time from overly stormy air rather than overly thin air. It was to the point where even Mana was commenting on it. "Considering that big, empty room that we found first? I would certainly hope not," Elliot said. The idea of plunging into the void without any sort of flight was terrifying. Stormy skies like this would be a cakewalk compared to that.
Neither the alternative of walking on a rickety bridge or flying through a gale sounded appealing to Elliot, so he was all too happy to sit back and examine the area longer like Mana suggested. He kept a sharp eye on the waves to see if there was a pattern to their madness; surely enough, there was. What looked like a small, kelpy leaf popped up from the water every time the waves intensified, thrashing back and forth to cause them to crash towards the bridge. Every time the "leaf" receded, the bridge stopped swaying. That would be a great start, certainly.
Another thing that Elliot noticed was a series of small "islands" that occasionally poked out through the waves. They seemingly faded in from nowhere, and lingered for a good minute at a time before starting to disappear again. Each time this cycle repeated, the rocks reappeared in a slightly different spot. Maybe someone like Isaac would have suggested hopping across them, but Elliot knew better.
"Ayaka, Suzuran, do either of you two think you could tether the bridge to those islands?" Elliot asked. "If we do not have to worry about the bridge swaing, this might at least be a bit easier."
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on May 3, 2018 14:44:37 GMT
As much as Mana was thankful for Elliot’s gesture, for now… she just preferred to leave the topic behind. She returned Elliot’s gesture, even if her hug was missing on the strength department; as much as the redhead meant it… this whole deal was psychically exhausting; definitely more than what she could bear at the moment. "Don’t worry. It’s not like me to do stuff like that; sides, it’s not like I can’t hide anything from anyone, right?"
That had a measure of truth, in all honesty. Mana was an awful liar, and this topic wasn't where she wanted to linger for too long. That moment had to eventually end, however, and the group soon enough was trying to solve the second puzzle.
"I hope so too." She responded to Elliot's second statement regarding how his spirit seemed to dislike anything that could fly. There were some indications of something being at work in this place, but the hints were so scattered and vague that Mana herself wasn't sure on what to make out of them.
For now, Elliot's own suggestion seemed to be pretty good, however. Ayaka was the first to nod, even if Suzuran beat her to a response. "Hmph. A paltry task."
Grabbing the two extremes of the bridge with her upper limbs, a series of vines began to extend through the extension of the bridge, improving its stability greatly. It'd remain that way for a while, but the waves probably would begin to wear on them if given enough time. "You should seize the moment while you can."
Mana would wait for Elliot's lead before advancing.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 4, 2018 0:10:05 GMT
Fortunately, Suzuran was more than up to the task. In fact, she didn't even need to rely on the islands, which due to their transient nature would've meant Mana and Elliot would have had way faster of a run to deal with. Tying the vines to the bridge itself presented its own problems, but it also meant there would be a lot more time to maneuver. Elliot sighed in relief, turning up to Suzuran and smiling. "Nice thinking," he said, giving the bridge a few gentle nudges with his foot to see if it held. Once he felt how well it held up to its new supports, he took a few hesitant steps onto it. "We are good. Come, let us go."
The angry kelp leaf wiggled back out of the ocean, and it clearly wasn't happy to see that Elliot had taken his first steps onto the bridge. It began writhing back and forth once more, the waters nearby starting to turn stormy and severe again. Then, once enough tide had been kicked up, it smashed the waves towards the group with a splash hard enough to split the waters. Through the gash in the water, Elliot could faintly make out a long red tail attached to the "leaf." It had to have been a fin of sorts, and that only meant one thing:
Yet another dragon!
Elliot snapped into action, pressing his hand to the bridge to make pillars of light shoot out. They didn't neutralize the attack in full, but they at least caused many of the waves to break before reaching the bridge. The rest splashed over the bridge, Suzuran's vines straining audibly as the waves sent it shuddering back and forth. Still, no harm, no foul. At least the bridge didn't succumb to the force of the waves yet.
Elliot promptly started to move forward, MagnaAngemon's wings spread wide for balance so he could keep his hands poised and ready for a fight. "Whatever is under the waters, we need to cover as much ground as possible before it comes back," he said. "The less we have to deal with its attacks, the better."
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on May 5, 2018 0:57:36 GMT
With an audible "hmph", Suzuran waved off Elliot's compliment. Once they began crossing, the next being in charge of "testing" them became pretty obvious after a few splashes; yup, it was another dragon. For some reason, that didn't surprise Mana, and she wondered if this was an indication of what Elliot's spirit could potentially be.
And, in a not so surprising development, it began to attack them. Well, it was time to get to work! Even if Elliot was able to deflect the attack successfully at first, that didn't mean there weren't more coming, it was the fairies' duty to make sure no harm would come to their human. Or at least an obligation, in Suzuran's case.
"We better hurry!" Mana said as soon as the event finished unfolding. Yup, Captain Obvious over there! Still, they probably had no reason to not to, given how this development was probably going to strain the bridge's stability even further.
Said and done, the group began to make haste; would they be able to go from point A to B in time? If the first test was any indication, they would but... One never knew. This guy seemed to be fairly aggressive and had spared them the pleasantries, unlike the first one.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 6, 2018 16:57:59 GMT
Both Elliot and Mana came to the obvious conclusion; they needed to get their asses moving, and now. As a bridge was thankfully easier to cross than a mountain was to climb, this didn't seem like it would be nearly as much of a problem as the first trial. Already, Elliot and Mana had crossed one third of the bridge, and with a general lack of obstacles in their way it seemed like the rest of the ground would be covered quite soon.
That may have been why the host of this trial was far quicker to emerge than the other. Immediately he crested out from the waves, revealing the full extent of his body. He was a rather massive sea monster, with a red back lined with fins and a scaly white underbelly. He had a golden helm with a jagged horn coming from the top, and a mane of green, kelp-like hair. The full extent of his body stretched all the way to the ceiling of the room, his horn slicing through the maelstrom at the top of the room like a knife through butter.
As he started to come back down from the sky, an icy mist seemed to form around his horn. "Try not to slip up!" he bellowed as the icy mist shot out from his horn, coating the bridge in a solid layer of frost. At their current pace, the term "breakneck" would have been a lot more literal than hoped! The vines, too, would find the frost settle on them. Would the chill leave them withering, or would Suzuran's work hold up better than that? Once his attack had been made the MegaSeadramon dipped back down into the waters, the coils of his long, sloping body ripe for the attacking if Mana's fairies were quick on the draw.
Elliot slowed his pace, making sure not to slip up. As he did so, he noticed the islands continuing their regular cycle of fading and returning. They were a gamble, but the certainty that he and Mana were dealing with wasn't exactly pleasant either. "Are we going to risk it?" he asked, keeping one eye on the bridge and the other on MegaSeadramon's shadow looming beneath the waves.
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on May 7, 2018 5:18:49 GMT
It wasn't like the group wasn't expecting the "guardian" of the trial to show up sooner rather than later. What Mana hadn't expected was a MegaSedramon trying to deter them with ice attacks. Suzuran's vines whined audibly, but were still holding, or at least somewhat. That wouldn't last long and emphasized the group's need to get out of the way; fast.
"Why it had to be a MegaSeadramon?" Mana couldn't but protest at the appearance of the sea serpent-like dragon. However, for a split second, she stopped dead on her tracks. "Wait a second. Why do I know what a MegaSeadramon is?"
If the group had enough time to remain still without risking to die horribly, the redhead would have probably adopted a thonking posture right away. But they couldn't give themselves that luxury at the moment, so instead, they kept on advancing while trying to not to slip to their deaths. "I don't think we have any other options at the moment. Let's just do this."
Elliot's question had, at least regarding Mana, a fairly simple answer. Going back was not an option, and they probably wouldn't be able to produce a better strategy than the one they were using right now even if they managed to go back successfully, something she thought as highly unlikely at the very least.
However, now that their temporary enemy's presence had been shown, Ayaka was at the ready; she would be able to shot an arrow at the offending digimon as soon as he dared to emerge from the water. It was just a matter of being patient.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 8, 2018 0:23:39 GMT
"We fought a ground dragon encased in the ground," Elliot said, clinging to one of Suzuran's vines as if it was a guard rail. Would holding a slippery rail really help much? It had to be better than nothing, at least. "I guess that it only makes sense we fight a sea dragon in the sea. Maybe the hole dragon is up next?" Holedramon. Now that was just a stupid name.
That said, this seemed like a Digimon that Mana was acquainted with. "Maybe it is one you have seen before," Elliot said. "I know Seadramon is a fairly large family of Digimon, so that is not too outlandish of an idea." It was certainly more common than whatever the heck a Groundramon was, at least.
Mana seemed to think the islands were still a bit too risky for her preference. Frankly, Elliot wasn't in the mood for playing hopscotch either, so he was fine with taking the slip-and-slide instead. Even with their pace slowed, their single-minded focus was helping them keep one step ahead of MegaSeadramon, leaving Elliot, Mana, and the fairies almost two thirds of the way across the bridge. All the while, Elliot kept a close eye on his shadow, watching as it snaked back and forth across the waters. Which side would MegaSeadramon emerge from?
The answer turned out to be both and neither. MegaSeadramon instead crested right underneath the bridge, shattering the frozen-over piece of wood with ease. Ayaka's aim was true, but slowing MegaSeadramon's movement didn't help much when he had already hit his mark. Elliot and Mana's half of the bridge drifted in one direction, while the bridge leading across the lake lead to another. MegaSeadramon simply laughed as he drifted away, the swim bladders of his deeply chilled body helping him keep afloat.
Elliot didn't want to sit around and wait for the bridges to drift towards each other. He turned to Mana, briefly asking her "Trust me?" Then he took a few steps behind her, producing his Reluctant Cudgel and bringing it down onto the bridge. The small piece that he and Mana stood upon started drifting away from the rest, allowing Elliot to stoop down and start using his cudgel as a makeshift oar. At this point, he was trying to just row himself and Mana towards the other side of these waters.
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Mana
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Yuu
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Post by Mana on May 9, 2018 1:48:20 GMT
Elliot's joke, while bold in the face of such danger was ultimately... not that fun. The proverbial crickets began chirping as soon as the comment about holey dramons was said, even though they didn't have all that much time to do their thing.
Mana, on her own, preferred to not think where she had seen a MegaSeadramon previously, instead focusing on traversing the bridge as fast as she could. Action first, questions later; usually now the way how she rolled, but it was still probably the smartest thing she could do.
However, their luck would cease soon enough; the Seadramon variant didn't lose time and decided to wreck the bridge and laugh as he tried to not to sink. Elliot himself had a good idea of what to do, Mana nodding as she gestured Suzuran and Ayaka to keep the MegaSeadramon in line, should he have more... interesting ideas.
"Let's hope this goes well. With any luck, we'll reach the other side before that serpent decides he wants to keep playing with us. How are you feeling? Did you get injured back there?"
At plain sight, that didn't seem to be the case, but one never knew.
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