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When Beasts Walk as Men - Part 1 [3/3]
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Post by Sophie & Lantis on Aug 10, 2018 3:27:05 GMT
It was just another ordinary morning in front of the Shibuya Train Station. Now, as it had been for many decades before, thousands of people were making their way in and out of the station, going to work, school or college. Indeed, perhaps this was the reason why so many digimon could get by in Shibuya. There was just so many other people that those equipped with holosuits could simply just go with the flow and would be treated just like any other human. And why not? They could speak and have sentient thoughts, they could feel emotions and were very much alive. Yet, still, for those that would find out about digimon, it was a little unsettling to know that beings from another world walked among them for so long.
Sophie James felt this feeling quite often, the leader of AEGIS standing at the window that showed the view of the street below. It had been a combination of luck, persuasion and influence by her paternal grandmother that had allowed AEGIS to set up in such a prime location. Why, it was just opposite Shibuya Train Station itself, the key place of Tokyo that connected it with the digital world. From here, the organization tasked with defending the city from digimon based threats did its work; sensors and cameras pointed at the station to detect digimon as they entered or exited the digital world. While Sophie's policy was not to interfere with them, still, it was something that they would monitor.
Sophie looked out of the window to the bustling street below, seeing all these people going about their lives. She couldn't help but feel unnerved by just how little activity AEGIS had been involved with of late. Was it a sign that they were doing their job? Or were they not doing it well enough? She didn't know.
"Sophie, heads up" her partner Lantis the Leomon broke her train of thought, almost making her jump. She turned her head. "There's a holosuited digimon approaching. He doesn't seem to have a partner".
This made Sophie curious. "A solo digimon with a holosuit?" she mused. She walked over to the computer that Lantis was indicating, showing a live feed of the people walking across the street to and from the station. It was focused on a young man with black hair and glasses, who definitely looked shifty and uncertain. Yet all the indications said that he was indeed a digimon. And he seemed to be walking toward their hidden headquarters.
"That's odd" Sophie said. "Well then, I think we'd better go downstairs and investigate".
With that, Lantis activated his own holosuit, changing his form from a big fearsome Leomon to a big fearsome human. From there, they made their way downstairs, then through an inconspicuous looking maintenance door onto the street.
It would be obvious to others familiar with digimon that there was two digimon here. But to everyone else, things pretty much just looked as normal.
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Post by Tadayoshi Teppei and Silence on Aug 10, 2018 4:05:48 GMT
"Tadayoshi... wait." That voice came from the Xros Loader a 16-year-old Tokyo native had started keeping in his outside backpack pocket ever since his experience in the digital world. Still fresh off it, he was understandably shaken. Somehow, though, Commandramon who was truly traumatized.
"Did you finally come to your senses?" Yoshi paused just outside a building across from the Shibuya station and leaned on the street lamp by the crossing. "I've been telling you there's nothing you can do for them right now."
Commandramon didn't answer right away. As the boy withdrew his Loader from the pocket to face his partner, he found a sullen, glum look on the dragonoid's face that was distinguishable even despite the camouflage and mask. The dragon sighed held his face in his paws for a moment, and decided, "Turn back. You're right. We need to become stronger before I can face them." For a moment, he looked uneasy before he added, "Let me see the structure." Yoshi obeyed, turning the screen so the dragon digimon could watch the Shibuya train station and its heavy foot traffic in and out. "Even in the digital world, I never saw the city. It seems like they pack you in like sardines, but it has a sort of order and flow to it I haven't seen since the Spartan Camp."
"Is that what you think?" Yoshi scoffed. "It's not as orderly as you think. The river's filthy, Greater Shibuya is crime-infested, and no one seems to care about each other like your village does."
"What surprises me most is just how many digimon are here. I knew holosuits let one disguise oneself, but I didn't know just how many digimon walked among you. But I sense them all."
"Yeah... that's news to me, too. It makes me a little nervous, thinking about all those powerhouses walking around."
"Hmm." As Yoshi turned the screen back to himself, Commandramon pointed at a specific young man with dark hair and glasses. "Actually, that one concerns me. Of all the digimon I've seen pass through, he's the only one who I can definitively say is not accompanied by humans."
Yoshi raised an eyebrow and followed Commandramon's direction to look right at the nervous young man who seemed to be walking right in his direction. "...earlier I was just kind of nervous in the background. Now I'm actually anxious."
"You should be; I know the signs of a suspicious person, and that one shows many of them. Watch him carefully, but don't be obvious about it. Hide me." By now Commandramon's tone had shifted entirely, like he was a man on a mission instead of just reflecting and philosophizing.
Tadayoshi tucked his loader in his back pocket, the best place he could think of that was both subtle and quick/convenient. He then untucked his shirt and tried to dangle it over the part that stuck out of the pocket. There was still a conspicuous bulge, though; he'd just have to hope the stranger wouldn't notice. Yoshi then tried to act more casual, leaning more like he was waiting and pretending to look at his phone screen while sneaking glances at the 'young man.'
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2018 5:53:22 GMT
An African American was looking at the small restaurant, which he didn't realize was the AEGIS Base hidden in a inconspicuous matter. Blake then took out his D-3 to hold it close to him.
"Nate, are you there?" He asked the device. Blake promised Nate that he would get some food to-go and get back home to eat despite, having to walk for almost an hour.
"Yeah, I'm here, as always. Didn't you say that you had a place in mind where we could eat?" Renamon asked him from the device.
"Well, I have to grab it first. But, I sort of want to wait a bit. It's probably crowded. The more thinned out it is, the better." Blake answered him.
After a few seconds, Blake began to use his head to look around. "Haven't been in this area before. Even being here for a bit, you still discover something new."
"Indeed." Renamon answered from the D-3.
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Post by Sophie & Lantis on Aug 28, 2018 12:40:02 GMT
Sophie and Lantis made their way to the footpath by the pedestrian crossing. There they came face-to-face with the holosuited digimon. Probably not to much surprise, he seemed to know exactly what Lantis was, given that he stared at him with a somewhat nervous expression, but nonetheless kept his cool.
"So, I take it you're the first line of defense for the human world?" he asked, shifting his glasses.
"Interesting first words" Lantis quipped back. "But thank you for keeping this polite. I take it you understand this situation without us having to state it?"
"Not entirely..." the disguised digimon said, shifting his gaze to others in the vicinity. "There are other digimon here, why don't you apprehend them?"
"Well... they seem to be safely concealed in their partners' digivices and aren't walking in the open like you are for a start" Sophie pointed out. The digimon narrowed his eyes with dislike at those words.
"I see, so you only accept digimon as a part of your world if you trap them in items for your convenience, is that the truth of it?"
"Okay, mister, let's calm down here for the moment, we're not going to hurt or imprison you... you clearly have a reason for entering the human world right?" Lantis asked, holding his hands up for an attempt of peace.
"Yes, I do" the digimon said, locking his holographic human eyes with Sophie's. "You have some authority here, yes? In regards to criminal activites of other digimon?"
Sophie was a little nervous at the intensity of that gaze, but knew that she should not make a scene here, so remained calm. "Yes, we do" she answered.
"In that case, I consent to go with you to a place where I can speak to you without my holosuit" the digimon continued. "And... just so you know, there are two other humans with digimon concealed in their devices that may be within listening distance, you may want to deal with that first before we proceed".
Lantis immediately glanced around their surroundings, sniffing. Eventually, yes, he smelled the scent of other digimon. But... how to bring their attention without busting their cover? But... thankfully Sophie had an idea.
"Hah, is that right? You've got information for the Shibuya Occult Club about Digimon?!" she said loudly, then lowered her voice. "Well then, please follow me to our meeting house". She then made her way back into the AEGIS building, Lantis and the unknown digimon following. If the others in the vicinity were familiar with digimon, she judged that they would likely follow. While reluctant to so quickly show others the hidden AEGIS headquarters, well, with the state of the organization, she was open to the possibility of others joining to help make it work.
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Post by Tadayoshi Teppei and Silence on Aug 28, 2018 23:44:11 GMT
The appearance of two additional strangers made Tadayoshi discreetly ask, "Two more. Humans or digimon?" But Commandramon instead opted to keep quiet and hoped Tadayoshi would take the cue to do the same. Luckily, the pair were within eavesdropping distance, so Tadayoshi was able to hear every word exchanged. The first time the young man brought up other digimon, a shiver ran down the boy's spine. Were we marked from the start? But as the trio resumed speaking out in the open, Yoshi began to suspect the subject was digimon-connected humans in general, not specifically him. So he kept up his disguise of pretending to be deep in his phone.
The more Tadayoshi listened, though, the more confused he became, 'Firs line of defense?' Apprehending digimon? Criminal activity? But then Yoshi was specifically called out by the shifty stranger, which sent another chill down his spine. It's just digimon sense. I've seen this before, Yoshi told himself in order to keep calm as he listened to the lure be announced.
While Sophie, Lantis, and their guest retreated inside, Yoshi acted quickly, darting down an alley and asking, "Renamon, Commandramon, standby." Both emerged from the aqua and silver Xros Loader simultaneously - though Commandramon wisely came unarmed - and Yoshi wasted no time as he knew he had little. "That was obviously a ruse, and I don't want to risk walking into some trap. They can't sense me if I don't have digimon near me. Renamon, tail from the shadows. I know that's what you do."
"The child is the one giving orders now?"
"You could always return to the Black Army, who now knows you're a traitor." That seemed to effectively shut Renamon up. "But what about me?"
"He said 'two other humans.' Mark the other one for me somehow."
Commandramon used his appearance-changing attributes to blend into his surrounding environment quite nicely. It wasn't true transparency, but it seemed like a chameleon he could stay well disguised as long as he didn't move too quickly. From there, Yoshi walked on inside, found the trio, and walked behind them casually as he could while the others, hopefully, did their jobs. Meanwhile, Commandramon blended in and, if the other human gave himself away, was prepared to push him and hopefully get a reaction out of him that Tadayoshi would notice.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2018 15:14:07 GMT
Blake was about to go in until, he was stopped by his D-3 as it lets out a beep. He quickly came back to where he was and held it close to him.
"I sense several digimon close by. I'm not sure if they're considered friendly or not, unfortunately." Nate said from inside the device. Blake then looked around and had a suspicious look on his face. Even though it would be nice that he isn't alone, he's isn't the one that likes company a lot.
Let's just stay where we are. Soon enough, they're going to find us too so, it's best if we wait for them." Blake answered to Nate.
"I'm not sure if that would be best since staying in one place can be our downfall." Nate answered back from the D-3.
"I know. You're at the rookie level and the people were going to eventually meet are probably higher than that. Though I'm not worried. I just need to wait to reveal themselves." He said to Nate, oblivious of the people currently near where he was
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Post by Sophie & Lantis on Sept 13, 2018 9:29:56 GMT
It seemed that Sophie and Lantis's attempt at subtlety had just made the others more cautious. Lantis was about to impatiently tell them to just come in, but Sophie put her hand on his paw, indicating for him to stop.
"Wait, let's see how they approach this" she told him. AEGIS was rather desperately short of active agents these days. And she was always on the lookout for prospective ones. She noted how they did their best to act with the least amount of disruption in the peak hour crowd. Lantis took notice too, while he couldn't see the Commandramon he could still smell him.
The other person though, Lantis noticed that he simply seemed to be staying put. And also seemed to be determined to do so for the time being.
"What if he doesn't move?" Lantis asked his partner quietly.
"Then we move on" Sophie answered at her normal speaking voice. She was giving the impression that unless the other digimon wielding humans didn't make it to where they were in the next minute, she would proceed onward and bar the door for any further entry. "If only we could have some reliable agents these days" she mused, in a voice loud enough to be heard by those that were focusing their listening, but not too loud to draw attention. Hopefully this might make the others a little bolder.
The holosuited digimon watched all this with a frown of disapproval, but said nothing.
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Post by Tadayoshi Teppei and Silence on Sept 13, 2018 17:10:56 GMT
Blake's efforts to spot the other digimon before they spotted him were apparently not that good, given his oblivious state. Even more revealing, he was holding his D-3 out in the open. Commandramon thought this game of cat and mouse was almost unsporting, frankly. He's only a child, then again. An amateur. Better he learn now than miss the chance to learn later. Then, without uncloaking himself, Commandramon attempted to sneak up behind Blake and give him a good shove. Hopefully, the young man looking around confused at what hit him would be obvious enough for the General to spot.
Unfortunately, Tadayoshi wasn't quite so slick. Frankly, he lost his assignments between a combination of the crowd on the ground floor shopping and staring at his phone screen too long. Luckily, Renamon had his back: "Tadayoshi, follow my directions. I still have them," his Xros Loader told him. Yoshi did obey, and that was how he ended up making it through the hidden door... and finding Sofie and Lantis, whom had apparently been expecting him.
"Uh-"
"Don't bother. We're clearly being led." Renamon then revealed where she'd been hiding by dropping down from it and landing just next to Yoshi: the ceiling, which she had clung to with her claws. "So, this is a recruitment exercise. The question is for what? Who are you people?"
While Renamon pressed Sofie and Lantis, Yoshi's fist clenched, his show of silent frustration. However, he spoke lowly to his digivice in order to conceal his emotion from the others. "Commandramon, just come over here." The armed dragon silently complied, no matter whether he managed to make Blake visible. He made haste to join Tadayoshi at his side, then reverting back to his clearly visible blue digital camo.
"What is this?"
"I... have no idea at this point."
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2018 12:56:37 GMT
"Waah!" Blake exclaimed as he was unexpectedly shoved by the cloaked Commandramon, comically falling to the ground along with grunting as he felt as if he was flattened, despite only being shoved by a digimon.
He got up quickly to turn his head around quickly, putting his D-3 in his pocket. "I guess I spoke too soon." He said to himself. Blake tried looking around again with his head but, at a slower pace. He then looked behind. "If only I could trace footsteps. Whatever it was, it was as if they...or he or she is trying to get my attention." He thought to himself but, he then sighed. "Though, I highly doubt I'll even know what was that for." He said outloud. He was about to take out his D-3 to then stop. "No. It's best if I don't." He said to himself.
Blake moved up a bit to then go to the other side of the entrance to the restaurant. " if I wait, I can see if my "friend" wants to try shoving me again." He thought.
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Post by Sophie & Lantis on Sept 25, 2018 3:21:10 GMT
Sophie was beginning to get a little impatient with the way things were going. Yet... was it her fault? It probably was. AEGIS was falling apart around her these days. Honestly, she thought she could hold it all together, but, a 19-year old commander with little real world experience couldn't possibly be very good at handling these matters. She looked a little down as her efforts seemed to be only causing confusion with these potential recruits.
"Chin up, Sophie" Lantis told her quietly, patting her back. This was what Sophie needed. She couldn't show weakness in front of these people.
She was then questioned by what appeared to be a Renamon. Sophie wondered what to say in response. She glanced around at the surrounding pedestrians, going about their daily business. Would it be... truly damaging to their organization to simply tell the truth? Digimon meant nothing to them, yet it did mean something to those that she meant to speak to.
"Who we are? We're AEGIS - the front line of defense of threats from the digital world" she answered, frankly. It didn't matter who overheard, pretty much just a trio of chatting women with shopping bags and a businessman talking on a cellphone were the only others in earshot and none of them were paying attention. "If your partner is a good person that wants to protect this world, you could be a part of it too, if you guys have what it takes".
Sophie wondered how this would affect things. Hopefully this would give the digimon partners some motivation to talk about this matter safely out of public gaze.
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Post by Tadayoshi Teppei and Silence on Sept 25, 2018 21:20:01 GMT
"'The first line of defense of threats of the digital world,' huh?" Tadayoshi skeptically repeated with crossed arms. Apparently he wasn't quite satisfied with that answer.
Nor was Renamon. "You're a sly little one. It takes practice to improvise answers that sound that nice while still providing no information."
Before another either of them could go on to demand more info, Commandramon hissed at them both, "We are exposed out here."
Whoops. Yoshi had apparently gotten tunnel vision and completely forgotten about that until reminded. The look on his face told anyone noticing that he knew it, too. So he quietly extracted his Xros Loader and spoke, "Reload," which caused both digimon to withdraw into the loader.
From within it, though, Renamon couldn't help but sneer, "I don't care for your insinuation that digimon are threats."
"Not now," Yoshi stepped in to keep a little bit of order. "Alright, I see what this is. I have to come with you to learn what's going on here, don't I?" Tadayoshi then gestured he would follow, also adding, "Lead the way," though he still showed skepticism.
"And what of the other boy?"
"Hmm?" Yoshi almost forgot about him. "Hmm. I guess that's your choice, isn't it?" Yoshi asked Sophie.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2018 22:24:00 GMT
Blake sighed deeply to get out from where he was. "This waiting is pointless." He said to himself. He started walking down the sidewalk, crossing his arms. "It was probably myself getting too much into my clumsy demeanor, probably. I need to get out of that habit of pretending to be someone that I'm not." He thought to himself as he then heard a beep from his pocket.
He went into an alleyway that wasn't far from the AEGIS building in disguise as Blake took out his D3. "I still sense digimon in the area." which he was greeted by which gave his Tamer a funny look. He held out his D-3 to let out his Renamon, data spewing out from the device which then eventually took form of the fox.
"I just wanted to let you out and say it to your face." He paused as he started to breathe in, his stomach extending out a little bit from the air he was storing with Renamon tilting his head. After a few seconds, Blake lets it out but, it wasn't what he wanted to say as it was just gasping and wheezing instead.
Am I supposed to understand that?" Renamon asked Blake, tilting his head.
"You shouldn't be...what was the word?" He scratched his head. "Paranoid. You shouldn't be paranoid. It will just get you on edge." He said casually.
"Says the person who tries almost avoiding everyone because they looked suspicious." Renamon crossed his arms at him.
"Leith was an exception. Including that old man and that magic...person..digimon thing, alright?" Blake answered him. "Also don't bring up the river. I'm past that, anyway. If anything I'm worried about him. But, he'll probably still be going for my head if I was in his sight so, it pretty much shows how you can't trust people to be your friend since after you tried to save that guy, he was angry as fuck." He puts his arms around the back of his head.
Renamon looked away. "I gave him that helpless feeling. I haven't thought about that after that event transpired." He thought. "I'm not sure if should tell Blake that since he obviously couldn't understand how he was feeling the second Leith lashed out on us. It's best if my tamer finds the truth himself."
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Post by Sophie & Lantis on Oct 6, 2018 4:32:28 GMT
The holosuited digimon was by now fed up with these games that they were playing. "We don't have any more time for this" he said. "I've got urgent news and I'm not interested in your impromptu recruitment drive. If you want that other human to join, either force him or let him go".
Sophie supposed that he had a point. Well... the internal security of AEGIS was enough to prevent entry later on if the kid returned later. So, supposing there was nothing else for it, she agreed to lead the other tamer up into the office for now.
Blake could follow if he wished, if not, he was fine to go on his way.
Meanwhile, as they reached the top of the stairs to the first floor, they would pass by a reception desk. The receptionist looked at them, but after a signal from Sophie she let them pass through a remotely locked door to the main area of AEGIS headquarters. It wasn't a terribly large building, with the roof between the first and second floors removed so that it was big enough for a digimon up to 15 feet tall to stand quite comfortably. There were about a dozen support staff present at their workstations on the other side too. Many of them glanced at the new arrivals, but kept on with their jobs of monitoring the area for unknown digimon activity.
"It's safe here now, you can reveal yourself" Sophie told the holosuited digimon. He nodded, and switched off his holosuit, revealing himself to be a canine-like digimon, covered in thick black fur with white on his muzzle, belly and feet; wore a red bandana and boxing gloves, and stood about a head smaller than Sophie.
"Ah, so you're a BlackGaomon" Lantis remarked, deactivating his holosuit as well, revealing his true form as a Leomon. "Well then, welcome to AEGIS. Shall we take a seat?"
"Alright" the BlackGaomon said, warily. Sophie invited them to a large conference table set in a corner of the floor, allowing them to sit.
"So then, introductions first. My name is Sophie James, chief agent of AEGIS - the Artificial-intelligence Extra-dimensional Guardian and Investigation Squad. And this is my partner, Lantis". She then turned to BlackGaomon, his yellow eyes looking cautiously around the room. "And you are?"
"...most other digimon call me Black, but I prefer to go by Enkidu" he answered. He seemed a little better at ease now that they seemed to be finally getting down to business. Sophie would then invite Tadayoshi and Blake (if he had followed) to state their names as well, and also reveal their partners if they wanted to.
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Post by Tadayoshi Teppei and Silence on Oct 6, 2018 23:06:21 GMT
Tadayoshi actually felt a little bad about the possibility of leaving the other Tamer behind. However, as he no longer saw the 14-year-old when he checked over his shoulder, he concluded Blake had gotten himself left behind. If he managed to find his way after that, well, Tadayoshi would consider himself shocked. Even then, that wouldn't prove (in his opinion) that Blake was up for whatever skirmish the young general was about to walk into. So Tadayoshi managed to follow Sophie, Lantis, and the stranger with a clear conscience.
It sure was a different place upstairs, though. Tadayoshi couldn't look as composed as he was trying to when he got up there; he couldn't help peering around curiously at his environment. "This... is something out of a movie," the fledgling General thought out loud.
As digimon started to show their true forms, Commandramon illuminated Tadayoshi, "That one's a Leomon." As it became time for the young man to introduce himself properly, Commandramon asked him, "General?"
"Yeah. Standby." As Tadayoshi held out his loader before him, Renamon and Commandramon once again emerged from the device. However, a third also came out: the gear digimon Hagurumon.
"Captain Commandramon. My comrades are the spymaster Renamon, our protectee Hagurumon, and our General Tadayoshi Teppei." Commandramon made sure his rifle's muzzle was pointed at the floor as he stood stiffly and spoke sternly; it wouldn't do to spook these tense individuals, after all. Most of those present took a seat as their names were called, and as Commandramon did he ripped the magazine from his weapon and lay it on the table. Tadayoshi shuffled a little in his seat, betraying the anxiety he was trying to hide behind a veil of alertness. Even Hagurumon let themself stop floating in the chair. One digimon, however, did not sit down.
Renamon instead leaned forward, both paws on the table. "The name of your operation does nothing to reveal its purpose. What do you do," Renamon demanded of Sophie and Lantis, "-what do you want," she then inquired of the canine before returning to Sophie and Lantis, "what do you want from us, and how would we be compensated for our trouble?" Sometimes it truly was a wonder how this blunt instrument could so smoothly blend in behind enemy lines and feed information across them, and yet she managed to do it for a long time before Yoshi even met her. It seemed she was truly a business-only type of personality.
Meanwhile, Hagurumon sank low in their chair and tried their hardest not to be noticed.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2018 2:27:18 GMT
"Look, I know we just got here and all but, let's just go back home. Besides, there's already a lot of food in the fridge so, we can make something." He said to him as he sighs deeply.
"Like the time we attempted to make chicken curry but, almost had the kitchen go down in flames?" Renamon questioned him as he tilted his head slightly
"Yeah, tha-" He stopped to then give a little chuckle. "We don't have to cook. Anyways, let's just get out of here. I don't want to get shoved again nor even find out." He held out his D-3 which had Renamon pixelized in small sprites to then be absorbed inside the D-3. He puts it in his pocket and nodded to himself. "You're practically the only friend I have." was all he thought before getting out of the alleyway. He took a left turn to head for home as he looked behind him. "Whoever you are! Maybe next time!" was all he said outloud, referring to the digimon that Renamon mentioned. "Several of them, huh?" was all he murmured before not saying anything else.
Blake exits Central Shibuya
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