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Reaching Out for Help(Supes)
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Post by supesman on Jan 24, 2022 14:34:58 GMT
"It strikes me that you and I have two different philosophies when it comes to doing what needs to get done." Zack said, placing his helmet, gleaming in gold on the table, resting one of his hands on it. he unintentionally puffed up his chest as he spoke to Alucard, probably some natural animal instinct that made him want to appear as close to the angel's towering height and musculature as possible. "The cold, calculating monster hunter looking for the one beast to put down. Get the villain, make him hurt, call it a day." Zack said, unable to dance around the issue that had been bugging him since Alucard showed up, drumming his fingers on the helmet. "I'm a superhero. I don't go out there to hunt monsters. I fight monsters to stop people from being hurt. That's the reason I do this for. As far as I see it that's the ONLY reason to do this." He said, giving Alucard an expression that wasn't hostile as much as it was unimpressed. He was sympathetic to the story of the wounded man seeking retribution, didn't mean he had to agree with it. He wasn't trying to start a fight, it wasn't even that he had a particular instinctual distaste for Alucard, just the small differences in their methodology putting them close enough together to subtly rub Zack up the wrong way.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 24, 2022 23:01:44 GMT
"I don't know if I would call Dad cold despite how he sounds, Zack. He does help others for unselfish reasons too like the time some fox creature from another dimension came begging him for help. Just because we fought a 'monster' that was tormenting those beings was irrelevant. Even though I was only Bukamon back then he let me come to help and I digivolved to Gomamon for the first time but still stayed out of the fight. The best reward was definitely helping those fox creatures before they sent us back to the Digital World." Poseidon said remembering a previous adventure that, though odd since it was in what humans would of considered a candy land, he and Alucard, though the Angemon probably wouldn't admit it, found the world beautiful.
"Easy there, Poseidon, there is no reason to get so protective. I understand how I must seem to Zack seeing as we handle things differently." Alucard said in a rare gentle tone only heard when he was around children showing he was far from the cold, calculating monster hunter he seemed on the surface. In reality the tall angel faced his own fearsome inner demons. Maybe by not hiding behind the mask of the cold hunter Zack would understand him more. "If anything, Zack, I wish I could look at the Human and Digital Worlds like you do. However, we both know that many things aren't always so straightforward."
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Post by supesman on Jan 25, 2022 13:53:46 GMT
"...yes...they are." Zack said, in a tone quiet and pointed enough to cut glass, utterly rejecting the Angemon's conclusion in a second, no questions asked. "Yes. They. Are!" He looked up into the Angemon's eyes where he could see the drive, the fire that burned in the human's heart, the passion that put one foot in front of the other every second of every day. "When it comes to what we do things are EXACTLY as simple as they seem. To protect people, to stop the bad guy only so that no one else gets hurt, not because we're still nursing the wounds they gave us." he said, his teeth gritting as he placed a hand upon the location of his scar, a twinge running through the tissue as he exerted himself so suddenly. "You need to take a long look at who you are, Alucard. You might be an angel but all I see is a man who's letting himself get consumed by his demons. What are you going to do when you actually FIND this bastard? Hmm? Make him pay? Make him hurt? Leave the son who relies on you out in the cold when you cross over a line that you CANNOT come back from? Is all of that worth the bloody tang of getting even?" he said, raising his voice some. It wasn't just that he was angry, though he clearly was that but he was also petrified for the Angel and Poseidon along with him. This path lead on a one way path to nowhere, the road to hell paved with good intentions.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 25, 2022 16:58:44 GMT
To say Zack's outburst was shocking was an understatement as Alucard stiffened at the human's tone while, at the same time, Poseidon yelped in surprise tumbling off the arm of the chair not grabbing it in time to stop the fall which resulted in the young Gomamon landing with a thud on the floor. Alucard saw the passion in Zack's eyes as the superhero continued speaking before gritting his teeth and placing a hand on the location of his scar. Before Alucard could so much as ask if he was okay Zack's next words made the Angemon glare at Zack with a displeased frown.
Poseidon managed to right himself as he looked up at Alucard who seemed to be shaking in rage. Yet before Poseidon could say anything it was as if a rush of energy flooded Alucard as the Angemon somehow managed to get to his feet but didn't move closer to Zack. Still shaking he growled with rage before he said "How dare you! You have a lot of nerve to judge me when you only know a small amount of suffering I've gone through." He stood seething as his legs began to shake from the sudden surge of energy before Alucard seemed to melt back onto the chair as if the effort was majorly draining. A bit calmer Alucard then asked "What do you suggest I do then? Are you saying I should let that murderous bastard roam about unchecked potentially harming countless innocent people?"
Poseidon looked nervously between Zack and his father before a spotting something he had never seen before and he was shocked. Poseidon was seeing tears reflecting the sadness his father typically hid from him flowing down his cheeks. He was puzzled as he had never seen his father look so vulnerable. "Dad?"
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Post by supesman on Jan 26, 2022 14:11:32 GMT
"You're not doing this to stop him from hurting other people and you damn well know it. You just don't want to look at yourself for long enough to internalize it. You're doing it because he hurt YOU. Because he hurt the people you care about and you want to make him feel it. So you can feel that cold iron satisfaction of making him hurt the same way he made you." Zack said, not backing down from the angel, even as the digimon monster hunter towered over him, six winged shadow swallowing the Zack's shape in darkness. "You're chasing blood and eventually you'll catch it. You'll get exactly what you want and only a second too late will you realize it's EATEN everything you had." Zack said, getting a cold edge to his tone as all of the anger flooded away like the flicker and outing of a candle flame. "It will steal away everything you have. Everything worthwhile that you are. You will go somewhere that he can't follow you. And then what? Will it be worth it then? Will you be satisfied?" He said, giving the Angemon as best a reality check as he could muster. He didn't need to look at Poseidon, didn't need to point at him, didn't need to explain who he was talking about. One father to another he could only hope and prey that showing Alucard the risk he was putting Poseidon into for the sake of his crusade would cut right to the heart of the issue.
Marigold reached out, placing the tip of her leg on Poseidon. She knew how the Gomamon must be feeling but she couldn't disagree with her father. Alucard needed to hear these things before it was too late to stop himself from crossing a line.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 26, 2022 21:54:17 GMT
Poseidon now looked between the two nervously as if his chance of trying to get his father's attention was lost in the mix of negative energy rolling off of Zack and Alucard. Sure even when not injured Alucard would never cause harm to a human since they were quite fragile compared to most digimon by comparison. In the chair Alucard sat silently fuming as Zack tore into him and, as much as it incensed him, allowed him to realize he had a point. Sure at some faint level he was trying to hunt NeoMyostismon down to stop that monster before he did much more damage but an alarming realization was crawling forth. At the start of his hunt, though still selfish at some level, he still was thinking of others needs too. Now was another story and it took Zack provoking him to realize it. "No you're right, Zack." he began his voice devoid of the anger from before but carrying a hint of sadness as he continued "My quest has become more and more selfish over time. I know even after NeoMyotismon is brought down it won't bring back those that were killed by that fiend. Now I am worried I will become like him even if I succeed." He then caught that Zack was at some level talking about Poseidon and how his quest and let out a defeated sigh which worried the young Gomamon.
"Dad, you're worried that by becoming like NeoMyotismon you'll become that dark creature again even though GrandDracmon helped you gain control of your dark side, aren't you?" Poseidon asked surprised that his father responded even though it was only a seemingly defeated nod of his head.
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Post by supesman on Jan 27, 2022 13:57:31 GMT
Zack made one very pointed, very purposeful gesture, raising his hand and snapping to point at Poseidon, hopefully drawing Angemon's attention directly to his son.
"You shouldn't be worrying about what I think, Alucard. You should be worrying about what he NEEDS. He needs his father and you're the only one he's ever going to get. Is this blood feud of yours worth wasting that? Is making this monster pay for what you lost worth giving up everything you now have?" He said, looking over his shoulder at Poseidon, then Marigold, then back up at Alucard. They may differ in power and stature but there was one thing they shared that Zack understood without question. "Remember when he first looked into your eyes, the first time he smiled at you, the first time he fell asleep in your arms. Do you remember the promises you made? Do you remember the things you told him as he slept, when you had your son in your hands? I know you remember Alucard, don't give that up for a grudge that can only end one way." He said, knowing that those promises had been made even if he hadn't been there to see them. Alucard was a father, same as Zack. Same as Zack had whispered those promises in his own mind as he held the shivering, quaking Marigold to his chest for the first time he knew Alucard had made similar promises to the Gomamon who was now looking up at him. "The path you're walking now might end with you killing the bastard. But he'll kill you too, in his own way. Who gets the last laugh then, Alucard? When that monster dies knowing he crushed your heart in his bare hands?" Zack said, less angry now, more pleading. He couldn't fight this evil head on like he normally did. So he did it father to father, hero to hero, man to man.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 27, 2022 22:26:55 GMT
Alucard released a weary sigh as Zack pointed towards Poseidon, who had walked over and was snuggling the Angemon's legs, before laying into him some more. "No this feud isn't worth giving up what I have but I can't in good conscious let that monster continue hurting others. Yet I can worry about NeoMyotismon when he shows up again for the time being. Poseidon is more important to me than revenge even if it doesn't seem that way on the surface to you or maybe even others." Alucard said starting to sound a bit weary and defeated which was a tone Poseidon was not comfortable with. As the young Gomamon looked up at Alucard he noticed a faint grin appear on his father's face. This was a grin that Poseidon had learned to translate as his father silently trying to tell him everything is okay.
"Of course I remember those times. Though to be honest with myself, when Poseidon was born I had no idea how to parent him even though I usually feel comfortable around children. I guess it isn't uncommon for someone to be unprepared to be a parent, huh?" Alucard said with a brief shake of his head. "Man I feel so lost." Alucard said in response to Zack's final words as the angel ran one of his hands over his face.
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Post by supesman on Jan 28, 2022 14:14:27 GMT
"No parent is ever ready, especially not in the Digital World where things just sorta happen when they happen. We can only do our best to look after them, day by day, be the parent they need even if it kills us." He said, reaching out and placing a hand on top of Marigold's head, making her tilt her head into the grasp and smile. "I'm not saying don't fight this guy, Alucard. I'm saying fight him for the right reasons. You have to defeat him to protect your future..." He said, motioning forward again to draw attention to Poseidon, the glittering eyes that, like it or not, would be Alucard's lasting legacy. "Instead of trying to avenge your past. He needs you now and he's going to need you every day from now. So, as blunt as it may seem, from one father to another, pull your head out of your rear end and get over yourself." Zack said, moving with Marigold to pull up chairs beside Alucard and Poseidon. Zack reaching up and placing his hand on the angel digimon's shoulder. "Don't give the bastard the satisfaction, that's all you really need to know. Any other direction will come a little bit at a time, every single day. When you find this monster you're chasing, show him there's not a damn thing he can do to change who you are and what's keeping your feet on the ground. That's the best victory you can ask for, letting this guy go down knowing his legacy will fade as soon as he does. Yours? Well, your legacy is sitting right there, isn't it?" He said, leaning over so that he was looking in Poseidon's eyes, knowing that the little digimon was making the effort to lift his father up a little bit at a time.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 28, 2022 22:01:14 GMT
That and most parents don't just find random eggs in the forest that copy their data before randomly taking on an element and species of digimon. Poseidon may have been unexpected and even though I didn't know if I could take care of him, I tried my best." Alucard said as he looked down at Poseidon watching the Gomamon using the claws on his front flippers to climb back onto the arm of the chair with a grunt of effort as he was not built for that being a marine mammal.
"You don't have to face NeoMyotismon alone either, Dad. If you let me I can help you when the time comes but I would understand if you don't want me involved. Yet you are training me to be able to fight vampires and I've gotten much stronger." Poseidon said looking at the Angemon in question.
"From now on, despite how raw the wounds are, I plan on fighting that monster for the right reasons. I just don't know if I want you to be involved in this fight, Poseidon. By digimon terms you are still very young." Alucard said running his fingers through Poseidon's mohawk again causing the Gomamon to practically melt from the gentle massaging. When Zack placed a hand on his shoulder the Angemon stiffened clearly not liking being touched with little warning but Zack seemed to mean well but he only nodded to Zack's words in response.
Noticing Alucard's posture, Poseidon said "Yeah. Dad is not the cuddly type unless it involves children."
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Post by supesman on Jan 29, 2022 15:11:01 GMT
"Poseidon I would say is already involved in this fight. He's BEEN involved in this fight since the moment he was born. Like it or not, ready or not, this guy doesn't seem like the kind of villain where you can pick and choose who is or isn't involved." Zack said, removing his hand from Alucard's shoulder and slumping back into a chair facing the pair, looking to Poseidon and then over to Marigold and back. "Fighting this monster you're tracking, Poseidon's going to have to live with the consequences, for good or ill, no matter what happens. I think that earns him the right to throw his hat in the ring when everything finally goes down." He said, shrugging as he offered that advice. It was another thing that he and Alucard had in common, as Marigold reminded the group when she spoke up.
"From one knight in shining armor's kid to another, Poseidon." Marigold said, intentionally not speaking to Alucard, though her words were just as important for the father to hear as the son. "You have to be there. If for no other reason than to watch your dad's back when everything is on the line. It may not be fair but you didn't exactly get a choice in who your father was, I didn't either. But just like you, I'm gonna be right here at his right hand until...well, until I don't know when." She said, getting some of her father's puff in her chest, standing more fully upright on all of her spiked limbs to try and put on some of her father's unstoppable confidence. He always did say being a hero was more about inspiring people than it was about anything else.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 29, 2022 23:59:33 GMT
"I suppose you have a point again, Zack. Which is why I'm relieved I had the foresight to teach him various ways to fight vampires like that monster but still, as a parent, I can't help but try to keep him as safe as I can despite the dangers we face." Alucard said now massaging Poseidon's back. "And you were worried about being a good parent, Dad. I mean you aren't perfect and what parent really is but I know you try your best everyday." Poseidon said as his tail began wagging softly back and forth.
When Marigold spoke of being there for his dad that was one subject the young seal like digimon knew all to well. It was as if little by little Alucard had been changing and mostly for the better. At first the Angemon was hesitant to raise Poseidon after he hatched but then over time Alucard went from mostly cold and aloof to actually smiling and showing normal emotions even if it wasn't everyday. "While I'm not sure about Dad being a knight in shining armor, he is a mostly decent guy. I do my best to watch his back just as you do for Zack." Poseidon said with a smile.
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Post by supesman on Jan 30, 2022 14:25:32 GMT
"A knight in shining armor is just anybody who stands up for the people who can't stand up for themselves. Who fights the battles that no one else can or would. I think if your father keeps his head in the game and keeps fighting the good fight for the right reasons, then he should qualify without a doubt." Marigold said, tilting her head and offering that smile in her eyes, the only way that her face could show the expression without any lips.
"I hear that about no parent being perfect, god knows I'm not." He said, raising a hand as if simply offering himself up, guilty as charged before gesturing gently in Marigold's general direction. "Generally I think it dawns on most parents at some point that our children have become smarter than us, just happened to me much earlier than I was expecting." he said, offering the slightly backhanded compliment to both Marigold and Poseidon that got Marigold at least giggling.
"Well dad, it's not that hard to come off as smarter than you when you solve most kinds of problems by bouncing your head off of them." She said, knocking the first joint of her leg against the side of his head like she was knocking on a hollow stump or log.
"HEY!...I wear a helmet." Zack said, very purposefully and intentionally not actually disagreeing with what Marigold was saying, because that would make him a liar.
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Post by ricochet5-Alucard on Jan 30, 2022 21:03:37 GMT
"I suppose you have a point, Marigold. If there's one thing my dad does do well enough it's stand up for others who can't stand up for themselves." Poseidon said thinking back to some of the adventures his father told him about before he himself was born. "Makes me glad for everything he has taught me but you should of seen him when I came into his life. It was as if he was afraid to bring someone into his life. Based on what I know about him now I understand why. He has changed so much in a short time but won't admit that outright." Poseidon said as he returned Marigold's smile with one of his own."As for me, I'm not sure if Poseidon is smarter than me but he is like me in the regard that he is eager to learn new things. More so if it is a subject he is interested in." Alucard said his eyes sparkling with amusement behind his mask but a very faint twitch of his lip was Poseidon's clue that the Angemon was amused at the antics of the father and daughter known as Zack and Marigold. Then Alucard said "Marigold, at least your father is smart enough to wear a helmet while headbutting digimon so that is one less thing you have to worry about."
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Post by supesman on Jan 31, 2022 14:02:28 GMT
"Isn't that the point of being a parent when you get right down to the nitty gritty of it?" He said, looking over to the pair of children and then locking eyes with Angemon, thankful he'd found the right words to get through to the angelic fighter. "For them to end up smarter than we were? To learn from our mistakes in the hope that they don't repeat any of the stupid things we used to do? That's the future after all, for both of us. Heck, I'm a human, I'm not getting any younger, not for a second." He said, shaking his head. Being the only human in the room, surrounded by these eternal packets of living data, his mortality was on his mind. "But I know I'll leave my legacy behind in the form of a girl that's smarter, stronger and better equipped than I ever was, you know?" He said, feeling his heart tighten at the idea of Marigold all grown up, standing on her own two feet as she walked forward on her own path. It made him both hollow with sadness and soaring with a kind of pride he found it impossible to fully explain.
"Don't go dying on me too fast...I've still got a lot to learn from you, even if you are an idiot most of the time." Marigold said, holding back tears though every third or fifth droplet was still leaking out. She would never be fully "alright" with the idea that her father would be gone someday, even if he seems to have made a very human kind of peace with the idea long before now.
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