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A new hero arrives! EM Rider Hachi! (Yuji)
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 3, 2021 19:04:35 GMT
Apparently no one had ever asked this to Tartar before. It didn't seem like a big deal to Kazuo, as he was willing to produce some electricity for Tartar, especially since they were going to eat soon here anyways. He admitted to Kazuo that he had never absorbed electricity produced by another Digimon. "I can give you some before I eat, if you want. We can call it an experiment if that makes you feel better! You like experiments, right?"
Cecilia did confirm that they both could Xros with Tartar, with Soundblaster admitting that he was just there to provide muscle. "Muscle can be useful sometimes," Yuji said. "I'm sure you have other skills too."
Once they were at the restaurant, as they waited for their food, Kazuo would talk to Tartar again about providing the Kokuwamon with electricity. "Last chance before I fill my belly with much needed energy!" He had accidentally provided electric energy to an enemy before, so it would be a nice change of pace to provide some to an ally this time. Yuji and Kazuo just glanced at Soundblaster's large mug of coffee as it arrived. "Wow, that's a lot of coffee there..."
As the group ate and drank, Cecilia would share their Xros Army's story. They were a Xros Army of four, with something called a MetalKhimeramon possibly joining in the future. It was the three of them and Cecilia's dad, who was the actual general. "A Digimon the general of a Xros Army...?" Yuji asked. "Never heard that one before..." And apparently they altered the Xros Loader they have so that anyone in the army could use it. That was DEFINITELY something unique.
"What kinda Digimon is your dad?" Kazuo asked as he ate his takoyaki. "Is he an octopus Digimon like you are?"
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Post by Octavio on Oct 6, 2021 17:29:22 GMT
"An experiment for another time, perhaps. Right now, my energy levels are still relatively high, and overcharging has ... unwanted side effects. Let's just leave it at that." Tartar decided, politely turning down the Tentomon's offer.
"Yeah, we really don't want a repeat of that scenario again. Not after what happened last time." Cecilia agreed with a small shudder. "But as for my dad? Yeah, he's an Octomon. My mom was a Ranamon, though, which is why I'm not a full octopus like he is. Our old home actually got eaten by a Demon Lord about 10 years back, so now we're trying to track down anyone else who might've actually made it out of there."
There was a moment of silence among the three Xros Army members before Cecilia spoke up again. "Sorry. That probably ruined the mood, didn't it? Is it, uh, okay if I ask how you two met each other? "
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 8, 2021 3:06:38 GMT
"Oh, kinda like eating too much and getting a stomachache?" Kazuo asked in response to Tartar's explanation of being overcharged. "That happens to me sometimes as well. Usually ends with me spending a while in the bathroom. Would you... explode if you were overcharged then, or something?"
"Wait, what happened last time?" Yuji asked, after Cecilia mentioned how they didn't want a repeat. What does overcharging Tartar do to him?
Cecilia explained that her dad is an Octomon and her mother was a Ranamon, so that was why she wasn't a full octopus. Then she dropped a bomb by saying her home got eaten by a Demon Lord ten years ago. It was quiet for a few moments after she said that... even Kazuo stopped eating just to kind of take all that in. "Wow, I uh... I was not expecting to hear that today," Yuji admitted, his fist clenching a bit. "I remember reading something about Demon Lords in the library. I'm really sorry that happened to you. Did... did your mom make it out of there?"
Cecilia immediately apologized for how depressing her story was, and was quick to ask how Yuji and Kazuo met. "We actually met at the store that I work at in our world. That morning I found this Digivice on my nightstand that morning, and almost like a coincidence Kazuo showed up to the store that day... in a pretty bad disguise, honestly."
"Hey! My disguise can fool anyone not in the know."
"That or they're just too confused to even ask about it," Yuji countered, causing Kazuo to playfully hit him with his pincers like a child would to an adult.
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Post by Octavio on Oct 8, 2021 16:17:04 GMT
"Not anything quite as severe as exploding in this case, no. It simply makes me extremely hyperactive and shorts out my higher logic circuits. It would take much more energy than a Rookie-level Digimon could produce to overload me to the point of exploding." Tartar explained.
"Or in other words, it makes him hyper and causes him to go crazy. Well, the tinfoil-hat conspiracy theorist/mad inventor kind of crazy, at least." Cecilia translated between bites of her sushi, literally pronouncing the slash mark by saying 'slash' as she spoke. "Last time it happened, he literally trashed his lab trying to come up with ways to program custom-made Xros form designs into the Xros Loader's database. And some of those ideas were just plain weird. And ... no. No, she didn't. Or if she did, we haven't found her."
Yuji's description of how he met Kazuo did manage to lighten the somber mood a bit and cause both Cecilia and Soundblaster to chuckle a bit as the Ballistamon finished draining his coffee. "Well, you two seem like a good fit for each other. Our team can be a bit chaotic at times, since Octavio and Tartar here don't get along very well."
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 9, 2021 1:19:56 GMT
While Yuji was able to understand Tartar's explanation of what happens when he's overcharged, the explanation went right over Kazuo's head. Yuji nodded while Kazuo just stared at Tartar as if he just said a bunch of gibberish. Thankfully Cecilia was able to help spell it out for the little bug a lot better. "Oh, so he kinda becomes drunk off of electricity in a way?" Kazuo asked.
"Yeah, that's what it sounds like to me," Yuji said. Cecilia went on to tell about the last time it happened, where apparently Tartar made some really damn weird ways to program custom Xros designs into the Xros Loader. "Okay, I gotta know what some of those ideas were," Yuji said as Kazuo tried to hold in his laughter out of respect.
Oh... so Cecilia's mother didn't make it out, it seemed. "I... I see," Yuji said. "I lost my own mother about six or seven years ago. She passed away shortly after my baby brother Kai was born. I know what it's like to not have someone you loved be there anymore..."
Yuji and Kazuo's antics seemed to amuse Cecilia and Soundblaster, with the latter saying that they seemed like a good fit for each other. "For a while I didn't even know if I would even be able to have a partner. I just ended up in the human world and encountered the different kinds of entertainment there and... I kiiiinda got obsessed with it."
"I think it's our love of anime and games that makes our bond so strong," Yuji commented. "It's what we connect on the most. Plus he's just fun to have around. I feel like he and your friend Tartar there shouldn't be kept in a room alone together for too long."
Oh, so apparently Tartar and Octavio didn't get along well. "Octavio? Is that your dad, Cecilia? Why don't he and Tartar get along?"
"Why does that name sound familiar...?" Yuji asked himself. He feels like he heard the name Octavio from somewhere before... but where?
Eventually all of Yuji's and Kazuo's food was eaten and finished. Assuming Cecilia and Soundblaster would finish theirs, Yuji would stand up and say, "Well I think we're about done here. Why don't we get going to your lab, Tartar?"
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Post by Octavio on Oct 9, 2021 19:10:54 GMT
"Less drunk, more caffeine rush from hell. Also, giant. Mecha. Snake. And that was one of the tamer Xros forms he came up with." Cecilia explained, waving her hand in a 'so-so' gesture as she corrected Kazuo. "And I'll admit that Tartar's the kind of scientist who can get a bit carried away if someone isn't there to reel him in when he goes too far."
Tartar merely scoffed at the Rubescemon's comment as he watched Cecilia and Soundblaster finish off their orders. "Tch, that overgrown octopus always try to shackle my work because he fails to see the greater picture like I can. Soundblaster and MetalKhimeramon are proof that my ideas can do great things."
"I think you can see why Tartar tends to get on people's nerves." Soundblaster said in a deadpan voice as he patted Tartar on the head, earning an angry glare from the Kokuwamon X.
"ANYWAYS," Tartar irritably said as he brushed the Ballistamon's hand away, "If everyone is ready to go, then let's be off."
After Cecilia quickly went and paid for the food, Tartar would lead the group to the stairwell descending into Old Terminus. After descending underground, the Kokuwamon X would guide them through the tunnels until they reached the entrance to the lab (still sporting a crudely welded patch over the hole that was made when a certain Hackmon got punched through it).
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 10, 2021 22:38:06 GMT
"We know a Hawkmon who gets much happier when he's given something sugary," Kazuo said in response to the "caffeine rush from hell" bit. "He doesn't like it when it's brought up, though. He's kind of a meanie."
"Hawkeye isn't that bad, he's just... y'know... not like you at all," Yuji said in Hawkeye's defense.
Giant... mecha... snake? Seriously? "He really comes up with anime stuff like that when he's overcharged?" Yuji asked. "You gotta overcharge him more, that honestly sounds hilarious. A giant mecha snake actually sounds pretty badass, now that I think about it..."
Okay, so Tartar made it very clear that he did not like this "Octavio" because he always tried to reel in Tartar when the Kokuwamon X goes off the deep end. He did mention that he made Soundblaster and something called a MetalKhimeramon, though. "Whoa, you were made by Tartar?!" Kazuo asked the Ballistamon. "I didn't know Digimon could create other Digimon... Tartar, you're so cool!"
"Wait, MetalKhimeramon? Do I need to be concerned about that?"
Despite being created by Tartar, Soundblaster didn't seem like one to shy away from making fun of his creator, patting the mad scientist on the head and explaining why Tartar gets on others' nerves. Yuji and Kazuo laughed when Tartar made that comedically angry glare, before the robot scientist suggested that they leave. "Yeah, come on, let's get going. Maybe this will help give us some answers."
With Kazuo hovering by Yuji's side, the duo would follow the Xros Army back to Tartar's lab, which happened to be in Old Terminus. They followed Tartar through the tunnels, seeing the entrance of the lab... and how it was quite crudely repaired. "If you don't mind my asking... what happened to the door?" Yuji asked Tartar.
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Post by Octavio on Oct 12, 2021 18:10:42 GMT
"Yeah, I was created as a modified clone of another Ballistamon. Didn't turn out how the bug wanted me to, due to lacking my template's telepathic abilities. Never really bothered me, though. He had telepathy and a pet robo-bird, I have gatling guns built into my arms. I think it balances out in the end." Soundblaster explained, transforming his right arm into said gatling gun form to demonstrate. "And you wouldn't want to see him overcharged if you've seen what his crazier ideas are like in that state. You didn't see what he did to our old refrigerator." "We agreed never to bring up the refrigerator incident, buddy." Cecilia warned, pointing a finger at the Ballistamon. "You said we wouldn't bring it up. I never agreed to jack squat." Soundblaster countered. "As for the door, I can explain that," Tartar interjected, aiming to break up this argument before it could escalate any further while he entered a code on a keypad to unlock the door. "Not too long ago, a thief of a Hackmon broke into this lab and stole my valuable research data. So naturally, I took offense to this and Soundblaster and I showed him the door."
"Meaning we Xrosed into an AtlurBallistamon and literally punched him through the door. It was hilarious, and I'm glad it was the first thing that happened after I was first brought online." Soundblaster revealed with a chuckle. The door to the lab started sliding open, but ended up getting stuck halfway, so the Ballistamon and to force it open the rest of the way. "Hate it when it does that, but unfortunately we can't afford to fix it properly since Tartar spent most of our budget on building MetalKhimeramon.""I regret nothing."Speaking of MetalKhimeramon, the open door would reveal the metal goliath to be currently sitting in a corner as he used his Datamon arms to read a book. The mechanical amalgamate looked up at the group and gave a single nod of his head as he greeted the group. "Hello."
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 13, 2021 1:37:21 GMT
Soundblaster had a point: while having telepathy and a robot bird companion would be pretty cool, having your arms be able to turn into gatling guns was even more badass. "Cooooooool..." Kazuo said in awe as he looked at Soundblaster's right arm-turned-gatling gun. "I can fly and shoot electricity... and turn into a spiky ball... but that's about all I can do, really."
Refrigerator incident? Was Tartar really that weird and crazy when he's overcharged? "I'm... almost afraid to ask, but the question's gonna eat at my brain unless I do: what the hell did Tartar do to a refrigerator?"
Tartar would then explain how the door ended up the way it is, saying that a Hackmon broke in and stole valuable research data, so Tartar and Soundblaster Xrosed into AtlurBallistamon and punched them through the door. Yuji and Kazuo both sweatdropped. "That kinda sounds like overkill."
"A Hackmon..." Yuji muttered as Soundblaster tried to open the doors back up manually. Stealing data sounded like a thing that a certain Hackmon they were acquainted with would do. "Was it a red and white Hackmon or a black and blue one? And did you happen to catch their name by any chance?"
Yuji's heart skipped a beat and his eyes widened when he first saw MetalKhimeramon in a corner... who was simply just reading a book, and politely greeted the group as they walked in. Yuji let out a deep sigh of relief. "Holy hell, you scared me for a moment..." Yuji said to the MetalKhimeramon. "You... you must be that MetalKhimeramon that Tartar and Soundblaster mentioned."
"So, um... do you want me to go anywhere for the experiments?" Kazuo asked Tartar, tilting his head a bit in a cute manner. "I don't really know how all this is going to work yet..."
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Post by Octavio on Oct 13, 2021 15:12:39 GMT
"That's all you can do for now. I'm sure you'll be plenty awesome yourself when you digivolve. Insect digimon are no slouches." Soundblaster corrected as he tried to encourage the Tentomon.
Meanwhile, Cecilia took a deep breath before deciding to explain the refrigerator incident. "Are you familiar with the one Mario game that has the fanged piano? That's what he did to the old fridge. Nearly ate my dad before we managed to take it down."
"Noooot my finest moment, to be honest." Tartar added. Even he had to agree that that particular project was one of the few things he considered an absolute failure in every way. He even burned and erased all of the notes he had from that experiment, just to ensure it could never be repeated.
Yuji's question about the Hackmon did make Tartar narrow his eyes a bit. "The thief was indeed one of the black and blue Hackmon variants, going by the moniker of 'Zero'. Why? Are you familiar with this troublemaker? Or ... associated with him, perhaps?"
That one inquiry would cause a noticeable spike in tension in the air, to the point that Tartar didn't even register that Kazuo was attempting to ask him something. Even MetalKhimeramon ended up closing his book and focusing on the group
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 14, 2021 0:14:39 GMT
"I don't really feel that awesome when I digivolve to Kabuterimon," Kazuo admitted, Soundblaster's attempts to cheer the beetle up failing. "Especially after fighting this one Thunderbirdmon... most of my abilities were electricity based, and he just got stronger when hit with electricity. I felt so useless, you know?"
Yuji chose to not comment on this, as he remembered that time very well. He, too, felt extremely useless, and the only way they even got out of that situation was just pure luck it seemed.
Both Yuji and Kazuo were dumbfounded by Cecilia's explanation on the refrigerator incident. "Wh... how does turning a refrigerator into a monster with sharp teeth help anybody?" Yuji asked, astonished that even someone who was incredibly hyper would come up with such an idea. Tartar seemed rather embarrassed about the whole situation though... that or he was just upset it didn't eat Octavio in time.
On the subject of the Hackmon thief, Tartar revealed that the Hackmon was of the black and blue variety that went by the name of Zero. Before Tartar could even act suspicious, Yuji and Kazuo both had looks of pure "of frickin' course" energy on their faces. "Knew it... and yeah, we do know him somewhat. We just share a common friend, so we don't really associate with him at all. It figures he'd do something like this, honestly."
"He's mean to me," Kazuo admitted. "I know I'm not smart and all but he makes me feel bad about it."
That feeling bad would then almost go away entirely as Kazuo got a look at MetalKhimeramon. "Ooooh, you must be MetalKhimeramon," Kazuo said as he flew up to the goliath. "Tartar made you, right? Do you eat electricity like he does? Ooh, I get why you're called MetalKhimeramon, you have parts from other Digimon on you!" Kazuo was basically acting like a hyper fan at this point, but he couldn't help it, he just found these robot Digimon to look so darn cool! At least he wasn't being too pushy about it... right?
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Post by Octavio on Oct 17, 2021 21:12:58 GMT
"Well, one unfortunate match-up doesn't mean you're useless. Just means you got a bad hand at the time, so don't write yourself off just yet." Soundblaster warmly told Kazuo while placing a hand on the Tentomon's shoulder. "You're time will come, my friend."
While the Ballistamon clone continued trying to cheer Kazuo up, Cecilia would respond to Yuji's question about the "refrigerator from hell" by offering him a deadpan stare. "It doesn't. There was literally no reason to do such a thing, yet an overcharged Tartar did it anyways. Hence why we eventually managed to chain the thing shut and throw it in the deepest possible hole we could find to get rid of it."
At least the tension in the air quickly evaporated once Yuji and Kazuo revealed that they weren't too fond of Zero, either. MetalKhimeramon even set his book down and slowly dragged his 12-foot-tall body over towards the others. "I am indeed MetalKhimeramon, created by assembling copied pieces of multiple cybernetic Digimon. If my full name is too much of a mouthful, then you may simply call me 'Metal' for short. And yes, I can indeed run on either food or electricity, although electricity is much more efficient for me to my large stature."
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 20, 2021 1:40:45 GMT
Kazuo looked up at the Ballistamon when he placed his hands on the Tentomon's shoulder, his eyes practically sparkling. It was similar to how he felt after he sparred with Sir Toki. "Y-You really believe...? Well, alright then. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Soundblaster... heh, that's still a cool name. Wish my name was that cool."
Meanwhile, Yuji was learning more and more about why overcharging Tartar was a bad idea as he was being told more about the refrigerator incident. Cecilia mentioned how they managed to chain it up and throw it down the deepest hole they could find. "No matter how much you try to bury something, it will resurface at some point. I expect to be attacked by that monster fridge at some point when we're done here, honestly."
Thankfully Tartar believed what Yuji had to say about Zero. It would make the tests less awkward and possibly less deadly now, at least. Yuji and Kazuo both gasped when they saw just how tall Metal truly was. He said he was indeed assembled from various other mechanical Digimon data, and claimed he did run on both food and electricity, though electricity was more efficient for him. "I believe that, your tummy must be huge! I wonder if I'll look as cool as you do when I digivolve higher?"
"Please excuse my partner, he's very excitable," Yuji told Metal, despite feeling exactly the same way Kazuo was feeling right now. He would then focus his attention back on Tartar. "So, these tests... what exactly do they consist of? And do you really think we'll be able to get some answers out of this?"
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Post by Octavio on Oct 20, 2021 20:06:15 GMT
"And just like that, you've gone and probably jinxed us. You idiot." Cecilia flatly told Yuji while leveling an annoyed glare at the Tamer. "If that thing does show up again, I'm blaming you for invoking Murphy's Law on us. Maybe even punch you."
While that was going on, MetalKhimeramon gave Kazuo a look that indicated that the behemoth would be smiling if he actually had a mouth.
"Heh, I have yet to hear of a high-level Insect Digimon that wasn't impressive to see, be they organic or mechanical like me. So the answer to your question is probably yes, you will." MetalKhimeramon said to Kazuo. It seemed that the little Tentomon had made a friend with the mechanical amalgamate.
When Yuji asked Tartar about how the experiments would work, the Kokuwamon X would gently pull Yuji off to the side while Kazuo was busy talking wtith MetalKhimeramon. "The basic test we'll be starting with is rather simple. I will stick a couple of electrode sensors to your partner's head while exposing him a variety of pictures, videos, and audio files to see if any of them will trigger his 'battle mode'. No more dangerous than perhaps watching a scary movie, all things considered.
If his battle mode is triggered, then the sensors will reveal any anomalies in his core's data flow and map the results in a way that we can see what is happening inside his brain. The sensors are durable enough that his electrical abilities shouldn't damage them."
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Post by Yuji Moriyama and Kazuo on Oct 22, 2021 2:31:17 GMT
"Wh- don't just pin stuff like that on me," Yuji argued, giving a glare right back at Cecilia. "If it does show up that's because Tartar had the idea to build it in the first place, not because of something like a jinx."
Kazuo and Metal did appear to be getting along with each other. The big metal robot told the Tentomon that he hadn't seen a high-level insect Digimon that wasn't impressive in some way, so he was confident that Kazuo would look like that when he Digivolves as well. "I'm hoping solving my problem will help me Digivolve sooner. See, we're here because something happens to me where I blank out and apparently I become all cool and serious and stuff like that. You ever hear of anything like that happening to a Digimon?"
While Kazuo was still talking to MetalKhimeramon, Tartar pulled Yuji aside to explain how the tests were going to work. The Kokuwamon-X explained that he'd basically put sensors on Kazuo's head and expose the Tentomon to various photos and videos, nothing worse than watching a scary movie. If his battle mode is triggered, then the sensors would basically allow Tartar to see just what was happening when it happens.
"I understood the... general gist of that. Just promise you won't hurt him, okay?" Yuji turned over to Kazuo and Metal. "Hey Kaz, c'mon, we're gonna go set up the test. You wanna find out more about your battle mode, don'tcha?"
"Be right there, Yuyu!" Kazuo called out to his partner, waving good-bye to Metal before flying down to where Yuji and Tartar were, ready to follow them and prepare the test.
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