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A Research Excursion [Xros Hunt/Cas]
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 1:04:37 GMT
"Let's see... ah, yes, this way!"
How, exactly, did Demon and Volt get wrapped up in this? After the destruction of their base, the members of Metal Drive found themselves largely scattered across the Digital World. Though Denryu was able to pick out their coordinates with the Xros Loader, the members themselves simply couldn't locate their tamer in the same way. They just had to bide their time, and hope that their General found them sooner rather than later.
Until then, well, they had to survive. And what better way for a Devidramon to find work than as a bit of muscle? The Devidramon, wearing his metallic visor, found himself wading through the knee-high swamp, following behind a Floramon (X), who was light enough to simply skirt by on the floating vines. Occasionally, she would split off ahead to check the base of a tree, or a rotting log, or just a damp spot in the shade.
For now, the work was easy, calm... and boring. Demon couldn't help but find his fangs tensed in a growl.
"Now, Demon," his visor buzzed, whispering into his ear, "We're not supposed to be drawing attention, anyway. We're way beyond our normal operational time, so just keep it calm, alright?"
"Don't patronize me. I already know." The demon shook his head, soon catching up to the Floramon. "Strange, Alice said that the plants were sprouting up all over the place. Are we not far enough in, yet?"
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 1:29:49 GMT
Cassandra Cross was good at many things in life with time and experience having taught her the hard won skills to survive. Some of said skills less noble then others. Hiding was one such skill learned early when the Doctor had been taught that discretion was the better part of valor. Another such lesson learned far more recently and much more painfully was not to allow her emotions to dictate her work. Thus when the General had requested her to track down Demon and Volt the Doctor had quietly accepted on the need for much needed distance and clarity to deal with her roiling emotions. Leaving her picking through the jungle as Argent the Sorcerimon, Cloak and Dagger safely ensconced in the D-pet, with Char at her side.
Denryu had managed to narrow his partners location down, but thick murky waters made for slow going even as Char scouted ahead radar on alert for any sign of their targets. The distance there to not only give the Monitamon room to roam, but also prevent 'Argent' from being connected to said merc should anyone recognize him. Thus leaving Cas to pick her way through the Cipher jungle using a mix of her grappling gun and anti-grav device to swing form section to section only daring to walk on the areas she was certain would hold he rather negligible weight and choosing to avoid shoddy footing lest she find herself dragged down unsuspecting into the murk.
Char uses Radar -RADAR: Monitamon scans their surroundings with radar pulses allowing them to detect objects, people, and Digimon as far afield as five miles. The Monitamon may take one post to switch gears allowing it to detect even concealed objects within fifty yards, but to go back to normal Radar it must take another post to change back. However, it gives no other information about their targets beyond their location making it impossible to determine if a ping is a hostile opponent or just someone passing through.
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 2:03:29 GMT
Thankfully, the Floramon would be unaware as to Cassandra's scanning efforts - and if either herself or Char was observing, it might become apparent that she had no reason to believe that she could be tracked. She didn't know Demon's position, but was just glad to have a big bruiser around that could scare away the monsters of this swamp!
She simply went along with her search. Maybe around this tree? The Floramon would turn the corner, and... "Aha, there it is! Metal, come here and look!"
"Hm?" Following his employer's instruction, the Devidramon would turn and look down, seeing... some kind of red flower? Growing right from the roots of the tree, it looked to be some fibrous weed, an admittedly pleasant-looking flower growing out of a fibrous, ugly-looking root. "This it?"
"Should be. This stuff started sprouting up all over the place lately..." She gave a sigh, carefully moving to pluck a sample right on up, placing the plant matter in a plastic bag, before stowing it on her right. Afterwards, she swore: "Should have brought the gloves, that stuff stings..."
"Hm." Demon seemed relatively disinterested, but at the very least, not offended, by the plant's antics. "Should I get a scan on that stuff?"
Demon growled. He'd rather not get more involved in this than he already was!
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 2:11:23 GMT
"Oyabun I think I've found them~" Char called quietly through his communicator where he was perched high in one of the looming trees just out of sight of the two. It had taken a great deal of scanning, but in the end the strange almost overlapping signature of two Digimon combined into one had tipped him off. It had to be Demon and Volt otherwise they had stumbled across another Xros team in the making which while possible seemed unlikely.
"Excellent. Activate chamoflauge and confirm with visual." Cassandra ordered dancing around a particularly murky looking spot as she retreated up onto a trees roots picking her way a little faster not wanting to give any Digimon a reason to target her looking like a Sorcerimon or not. Though she doubted her disguise would hold up to Demon's scrutiny. He had always had the better nose. Sensing what lay beneath the Doctors carefully crafted layers and disguises.
Activating his camouflage as instructed Char crept slowly forward, sticking to the trees as he peered down at the Devidramon that did indeed look a great deal like Demon and a Floramon of all things that seemed to be wrapped up in dealing with some sort of strange red flower. "Huh. That's odd." The little red Monitamon muttered under his breath streaming what he saw directly to Cas's D-terminal.
Char uses -In Plain Sight: The Monitamon blends into the background becoming invisible for five turns so long as it does not engage in combat. Cooldown three turns.
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 2:30:08 GMT
Well, it wasn't as if the three of them had any knowledge of Char's existence. The Floramon proceeded with a few more cuttings, and with that, she would clasp the bag closed around her waist. "Alright, that's that! Shall we get back?"
"Mm." Demon gave a short nod, the Floramon leading the way once more, this time back the way they came. "I have to say, I'm glad you two came along. I swear it was worse than this when I tried to go out by myself, but..."
"Beasts wild. Fear bigger beast." Devidramon's answer was short, blunt, and not too poetic - but the Floramon still gave a nod. "Yeah, that! Anyway... Knot 38..." Looking briefly down at her compass, she pointed forward and towards the left - a direction they would follow for half a mile, slowly leaving the swamp to more stable ground. Eventually, the woods themselves would start to thin out, Devidramon forcing through fewer and fewer branches, until they reached it: a small hut, half-carved into a tree, with a faint billow of purple smoke floating up through a makeshift chimney.
"Alright, you sit tight. Let me just sort this out," she tapped at the bag, "and then we can start cooking!"
The Devidramon gave a nod, and as the Floramon stepped inside, the Devidramon rested himself near the door, keeping his gaze outward, carefully tracking his surroundings.
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 2:48:11 GMT
Char and subsequently Cassandra would track Demon and the Floramon through the jungle keeping their distance at least until their journey halted. With the Floramon slipping into the hut the 'Sorcerimon' took her chance and approached the edge of the clearing lurking within sensory range of the higher level Xros digimon, but still out of sight.
Meanwhile she motioned Char closer. The little Monitamon slinking invisible across the clearing till he was just out of Demon's reach before going "Psst! Demon! It's Char! Doc is waiting just on the edge of the clearing for you. The General sent us to find you!" He whispered soft and low not wanting to attract too much attention.
At least, Cas thought, Demon looked to be in fairly good shape and no worse for wear though she had concerns about him being Xros'ed with his still healing arm. The attack had happened before she could get him his temporary prosthetic, with the fruits and iron heavy meals the Devidramon had been eating only regenerating the limb slowly.
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 3:04:51 GMT
Another day, another paycheck.
In all, Demon couldn't call this a bad job, just... unfulfilling. Though he was crossed with the Kokuwamon, it wasn't as if he had to exert much energy. A little more, and he'd be able to afford to travel somewhere more open -
- Wait, Char? The Devidramon's wings flicked in recognition, hearing the low whisper of the Monitamon. So Denryu sent Cassandra to pick them up? In most circumstances, the Devidramon would have simply strode to the end of the clearing - but not in this case. Instead, he gave a short shake of his head:
"Researcher. Needs guard. Only rookie." His comments rolled out in a low tone, nodding slightly in Cassandra's direction. "Doctor does not need to hide. Will scare her more if you two sneak."
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 3:14:25 GMT
"Understood relaying message." The little Monitamon murmured, "I've been ordered not to be seen for now." Char added before pulling back seeing as neither Cas nor he knew how much information Luminas had on the Doctor's mercs and while Red Monitamons weren't rare they were unusual enough to draw a raised eyebrow without proof that they were not who Luminas suspected they were.
However, after a few short moments the Doctor herself or rather a Sorcerimon stepped into the clearing beelining for Demon at a brisk pace. Only slowing their steps when they drew within arms reach of him. Their off-blue eyes briefly glancing over the Devidramon's form as if confirming up close that he appeared relatively unharmed before they settled down on the grass next to the looming devil dragon.
"I'm certain the General will not mind waiting a bit longer." Cas murmured lightly dusting her gloved hands over her pants to disperse any lingering dirt. "And I am unopposed to research or the assisting in such." The Doctor added with an unseen smile.
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 3:30:10 GMT
So she was here.
Here, in that mockery of a disguise, but here nonetheless. As the Sorcermon approached, Demon's interest seemed perked. He slowly raised up to his feet, even offering an arm as Cassandra's gaze seemed concerned about his condition.
"He's waited this long. He can wait a little longer." Devidramon spoke in agreement, the visor giving an audible buzz: "Probably better that it ended up being you." Denryu, though he wore a mask, wasn't necessarily the best at wearing another face.
"Alright, that should do for now..." With a sigh, the Floramon would step out of the hut, even managing to close the door behind her, before the plant's eyes fell on the Sorcermon in the clearing. Interesting - they were talking? "Metal, who's this one?"
"A colleague." Demon managed to pick a rather eloquent word, at least for his vocabulary. "Did not have chance to say where I went. She came to look for me."
"That so?" The Floramon tilted her head, before walking right on up to the Sorcermon, hand outstretched: "Charmed. I'm Bell, researcher with Whitewater Medical. I'm here to get a reading on the health of the swamp here. Metal here's a godsend - honestly, I thought I was going to have to miss a season after my last guard called off!" She sounded both thankful and relieved! "Sorry I had to borrow him on such short notice."
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 3:46:29 GMT
"I'm glad you are unharmed," Cassandra murmured softly resting her hand lightly on his formerly injured arm as she inspected it closely before adding "Just try not to strain this form," For it wouldn't be Cassandra if she didn't worry. Though that didn't stop her from leaning a bit closer to wrap her arms briefly around the Devidramon's torso in a quick hug. Pulling back even as the door opened leaving her to assume her mask once more.
"Whitewater Medical? I've done contract work with them a time or two though mostly for experience and internship prospects." The Sorcermon quipped her eyes creasing with an unseen smile behind her scarf as she shook the Floramon's hand.
"You may call me Argent and no need to apologize." Argent assured her even as she introduced herself happily assuming the mantle of a researcher and part time intern she so often played.
"If anything I should be apologizing for intruding upon your work, but with the recent kidnappings and disappearances and that nasty business in the Eastern Timberlands I panicked a little when Metal went off without saying anything. I can see why as he was in a rush, but well...a lot of the digimon that went missing were contract workers recruited very suddenly and then never heard from again so I felt the need to check." The Sorcermon explained her words a little rushed in her explanation and laced with both her initial anxiety and her clear relief in finding that that had not been the case in terms of her friend.
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 4:02:47 GMT
"Argent... that rings a bell, from somewhere..." Was it related to the nameless Wizardmon with that Datamon? That sounded right, but then again, maybe Bell was just confusing it with something else.
As for her concerns, Bell gave a sigh. "I know... honestly, I can't imagine trying to get help as a spellcaster. One bad egg sours the whole pot for everyone else, it seems." Argent's cover worked beautifully, the Floramon even showing a bit of sympathy towards the Sorcermon. "Actually, while you're here, I'd like to get your opinion on what I've been working on out here. If you don't mind? Metal, hold on here for a bit, alright?"
Should Arget accept, she'd hold the door open to the hut - and offer the Sorcermon a paper mask, just as the Floramon slipped on one herself. From there, she'd pull a rug back, revealing a hatch underneath. Pulling up on a metal hook, she'd lead the way down, through a small tunnel lined with faintly glowing vines. "My aunt's handiwork, this tunnel," Bell clarified. "And... ah, there we are." Just a minute later, they would find themselves in a surprisingly spacious room underground, still loamy soil underneath their feet. Across the top were sets of solar lanterns, and across the sides, several different plants growing in different enclosures.
To the back and the left, a cutting of the red plant that she had just procured had just been planted. "Sorry 'bout the stuffiness down here. Doesn't look like it at a glance, but if the laymen of Whitewater knew what was going on in these woods, it might cause a panic. See," she gave a sigh, "Recently, a number of strange plants started cropping up around the woods. Actually, we don't know for how long - the entire swamp is a no-mans land. For all we know, this stuff could have been choking out the forest for months."
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 4:18:26 GMT
Argent would nod her acceptance giving 'Metal's' arm one last comforting squeeze before accepting the mask and following the Floramon into the hut. "I admit I only know the basics of botany I was researching infectious diseases and their origins when well..." And the Sorcermon would wince running their hands lightly over their coat in a nervous fidget.
"I was going to do a research paper on the possible origins of the D-reaper and D-virus, but then that incident in the desert happened and the latest fiasco with the Timberlands has them locking down anyone that even thinks of looking into it especially if they're a spellcaster. I was hoping to use the paper to get a research grant or at least maybe be taken on full time by one of the more experienced researchers, but well..." And Argent shrugged helplessly as she followed the Floramon down through the tunnel.
"Anyway one of the Doctors I did field work for advised I seek my prospects elsewhere which is how Metal and I ended up friends. Only no ones willing to hire any magic users right now so I mostly use my book learning to check over the wording of any more complicated contracts for him. I fully understand what it's like to not want to cause a panic. I'd hate for your work to get caught in the crossfire like mine did." She added eyeing the room and various plants with fascination even as she frowned at the strange red flower.
"I heard of something like this happening in the Timberlands with those mushrooms. Do you think it might be a foreign species transplanted or a new one all together? I've never quite seen anything like it here in the digital world and I've read through most of the flora field guides while playing gopher for some of the more finicky scientists." The Sorcermon questioned examining the flower at a distance and waiting until Flora indicated it was safe to get closer on the off chance it was like the crazy mushrooms.
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 4:45:55 GMT
"Ironically, that 'restricted' subject's the one most of us are eager to try and figure out because of the Timberlands fiasco. Well, that, and that whole mess in the desert." The Floramon's tone was quite casual at that remark, having not been involved in the incident herself. But if Argent was interested in the D-Reaper?
Then this was going to be quite the interesting exhibit to see. "Metal's quite bright, just not... 'articulate', if you don't mind me saying. Thankfully, I've been on this line of work for quite a while, so they haven't tried to shut me down yet... hm?"
Something in regards to the Timberlands... the mushrooms? "Your second guess is more-or-less correct, but there's an interesting bit to it. Actually, every bit of flora I have here has something in common - well, I can say that officially once I've tested the last plant." She tilted her head towards the closest entry: behind the glass was a short, stubby growth of what looked to be crab grass, a sharp silver in color. Right below it was the label 'BladeGrass'.
"In a way, Whitewater's been lucky to avoid the worst of the mess. I mean, if the Timberlands had the last of it, then there's not going to be a statue someone's looking for around here. But it also means that this particular area's only been working off the 'overlapping edges' of the statues." She nodded towards the exhibits:
"BladeGrass, Mahogany Deathcap, Rabid Horsetail, and Bloody Ivy. Whatever it is, all these plants thrive at damaged areas of the forest, either at the base of ancient trees or at the scars of battle. Undoubtedly," she sighed, "each is a case of the D-Reaper's appearance to cut away at the corruption. Which, you know, 'Fine, that's what it does, don't lose your head over it', but its not just that. Because..."
Carefully, the Floramon took a knife, and approached that fourth plant - what looked to be a leafy ivy, with crimson, serrated leaves, dangling off a small trellis. She cut into a flowering bud at the base, and in a gloved hand, showed the cutting to Argent:
A seed.
"I've planted a handful of these - in clean, non-corrupt water environments, down here in the lab - and they grew just as normal plants would. The D-Reaper has never, anywhere else in the world, shown the ability to reproduce like this." The Floramon's voice teetered between excitement and fear, shaking her head.
"The D-Reaper's universal constant is that it appears and corrects corrupted data, or works to prevent it. So why would a 'programming constant' pick up such a trait? Could you even call it part of the D-Reaper, if it mimics normal plant life?"
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Post by Cross on Jan 1, 2019 5:08:49 GMT
"Oh Metal's very clever. He just doesn't have a lot of experience with slippery contract wording and well I feel like I need to do something to help him out or I'll drive myself nuts just twiddling my thumbs." The Sorcermon admitted following closely in the Floramon's tracks her pulse racing with every new piece of information.
Cassandra did not hyperventilate. There was no reason for Argent's throat to close in horror and terror as hers did. No reason for the Sorcermon to display anything beyond concerned curiosity. There was no reason for the Digimon she masqueraded as to panic. For Cassandra however, not Argent, it was a close thing.
Why? She thought with dizzying fear. Why was this happening? What could possibly have caused this? Was it because of her? Had the D-reaper realized it's potential to create outside of just agents and D-agents and was working it's way up from simpler life forms to more complicated organisms? Was this a new was for it to survey the Digital World? Spreading it's influence further afield? The thought alone made black spots dance at the edge of the Doctors vision as she fought to reign in her emotions before her holosuit short circuited from her bodies reaction to stress and the game was up.
"Do you have...Do you have any theories on WHY it's suddenly doing this?" Argent managed to inquire her question only a little strangled with admittedly reasonable shock. "I understand your wish to prevent a wide spread panic now. Are they dangerous to touch? Any side-effects seen so far?"
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Post by Metal Drive on Jan 1, 2019 5:43:44 GMT
Of course, a bit of shock was reasonable - though the pause that Argent gave could have been a bit telling. The Floramon didn't think much of it, though, simply turning the seed once or twice over in her palm.
As Argent gave her questions, the Floramon returned a nod. "I do have a running theory, actually. The D-Reaper in the Dark Area apparently was aggressive from the start, while the D-Reaper in the desert, reportedly, only fought when it was attacked itself. So, let's say we take a leap, and assume that the D-Reaper's behavior is both a combination of its inherent code as well as the environment." This was an important step, as many scientists in the Digital World believed the former trait defined the entity entirely.
"Suppose then, that type of D-Reaper is held in specific conditions: far enough away from a 'limiter' that it is able to properly manifest, but close enough that it cannot produce a nest. The forest itself provides ample opportunities for natural corruption to manifest, whether it be a feral Digimon's hunt or the rot of certain types of trees. Eventually," she figured, "after a sufficient amount of generations, the entity will adapt and put forward traits that better suit it to survival. Mimicking plants to avoid detection. Developing more porous membranes to improve its survivability in water."
She gave a pause, letting all that soak in.
"If the D-Reaper works as we understand it, that would be the end of it. But the fact that an entity that already naturally appears at signs of corruption finds it necessary to evolve something as a seed, to duplicate itself, means its doing something outside of its prime directive. If that's the case, I'll ask you."
The Floramon posed the question - leaving Argent's other questions to answer in just a moment.
"Is it a plant assimilating the traits of the D-Reaper. Or is the D-Reaper itself alive?"
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