Skip Navigation
|
|
Post by Sena & Amane on Feb 5, 2024 23:13:34 GMT
50 Years Ago (Digital World Time)
The tension was palpable as Atmosa, Granse, and Linglace in the dining hall of the research tower. Typically, the three of them were so engrossed in their own studies that they rarely came out to eat, but by some miraculous turn of events, the three all were dining together
But perhaps miraculous wasn't the right word for such an event. It was far too positive for what was transpiring. Atmosa, to her credit, did what she could to make herself as unimposing as possible. The Galemon curled her long body as best as she could, tucking her tail in and crouching down over her meal as her dining companions glared at one another from across the table. The Sky Sage hadn't even bothered to pick out something to eat, as she felt she was going to be spending her precious lunch time mediating the pair.
But there was little Granse could do to make himself smaller. The Gigasmon's large, sturdy frame skirted the ceiling, as no seat save for the floor could support his weight. And yet Linglace, just a humble Jellymon, wasn't perturbed by her companion's steely gaze and returned one in kind. Despite the disparity in levels, the two Digimon were equals when it came to magical might. Even then, Atmosa suspected that Linglace was even stronger than she let on, knowing how crafty her colleague was, though even that could just be another one of the Sea Sage's schemes.
"Would you care to repeat yourself?" Linglace's voice, normally warm and honeyed, became cold steel pointed straight at Granse. Any hint of moisture at whatever edible seaweed on her plate evaporated in an instant as it shriveled up. Atmosa could sense a pressure in the air intensify in response to Linglace's barely contained fury.
"I said that your so-called 'theory' is just a huge waste of time," Granse responded, either oblivious or unconcerned to the growing tension in the room as he took a bite into a dirt-covered, comically archetypical meat on the bone, taking his sweet time chewing before elaborating. The Land Sage's soft, mellow voice stood in contrast to his massive appearance. "Packing up and moving our research out to a place as distant as the Everfalls without a shred of evidence sounds like a complete pain."
"Continuing to dither around this continent hasn't produced any results!" Linglace countered, slamming her hand on the table. "It's only natural that we find another potential location for the source!"
"Doubtful. You just want to move out into the ocean because it's more convenient for you."
"And you're too much of a coward to leave your cave!" Both of them would likely resort to insults instead of talking things out at this point. Atmosa knew she would once again have to step in.
"Enough!" Atmosa shouted, sending a stiff breeze outwards towards the two to add to her presence. "Both of you, cease this petulant argument at once!" And yet, it did nothing to deter the other two sages.
"The fact that I'm compared to such a lazy, small-minded, unambitious oaf like yourself is mortifying!" Linglace's vitriol made the giant stone Digimon flinch. "Honestly, the only wondrous thing about you is that you became smart enough to use magic in the first place!"
"I'd rather be lazy and small-minded than a manipulative sea witch," Granse mumbled, gravel building up in his throat. A large hand gripped the edge of the stone table before a chunk was ripped off into his clenched fist. His hand opened, and fine dust spilled out between his fingers.
"You do not get to call me that, coal-brained dunce!" Linglace stretched her arms out to her side as geysers of water gushed out from the ground to meet her hands.
The gravel in Granse's throat persisted before he let out a long sigh. Then, with deceptive quickness, he lifted Atmosa's large stone table up and flung it across the dining hall, straight towards the smaller Jellymon.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sena & Amane on Feb 6, 2024 5:42:04 GMT
Linglace gathered the geyser's water into a swirling shield in front of her, rotating the water at such a high speed that the table eroded away on impact. But the Jellymon, distracted by the flying table, hadn't noticed the stone shapes jutting out of the ground underneath her until the last second. They closed around the small spellcaster, fitting together to create an airtight dome.
And yet, while even air couldn't get in or out of this dome, a high-pressure stream of water easily punched a whole through the stone. The Sea Sage used another stream to propel herself towards her foe, screaming in rage, while the massive Land Sage let out a bellow and charged.
But before the two could collide, the Sky Sage darted in between them, a familiar chirping sound tweeting around him as column of air slammed Linglace into the hard dining room floor, riddled with holes thanks to the water and earth spells cast thanks to this senseless skirmish, as Granse found his massive form floating helplessly in an air sphere.
"When I told you to cease arguing, I didn't mean 'engage in barbarism and destroy my dining room'!" Atmosa chided. "We're supposed to be mages! Colleagues! Researchers! Any personal issues you have with one another should be analyzed, explored, so we can resolve whatever grudges you have against one another!" Atmosa snapped her claws on one hand, and both Digimon were released from their respective air bindings.
Granse looked around at the damage caused to the room, and shook his head, and bowed his head towards Atmosa, a small apologetic gesture. On the other hand, Linglace crossed her arms, refusing to look at either of the two other sages while sending the water she had been manipulating back to... wherever it came from. "...Fine."
"Lin, because of our lack of results in this location, I find that there's some level of merit to your proposal," Atmosa admitted. "However, can you agree that without any conclusive evidence, there is a likely chance that moving our research to a random location would only cause more trouble with the same result as staying put?"
"I'm willing to take that bet!"
"Yeah, and we know how often your bets work out for you..." Linglace's indignance was palpable as she shot Grandse another glare, but before she could reply Atmosa stepped in between them.
"Gran, that was uncalled for and you know it," She stated. "While I don't agree with Lin's proposal, I do believe in her reasoning behind it. Our research has thus far only been met with disappointment, and your periods of discouragement and stagnation have only been growing longer and more frequent. At this rate, don't you believe that some change is needed in order for us to progress our research?" Granse nodded, then looked down towards the ground, deep in thought. When he looked back up towards the other sages, he hesitated before finally speaking.
"I believe you're right," Granse stated, concern in his eyes, yet his voice resolute. "Even though we've united together and pooled together our resources despite our differences, we've made no headway in our research. Am I correct so far, Atty?"
"You are, but what is your point, Gran?"
"Combining our efforts hasn't produced results, and in fact has created a great deal of stress among our group. Linglace's and my disagreements only grow more and more intense each day, distracting us from our own research, while you are distracted trying to mediate between us. So it stands to reason that we should go our own separate ways."
"That's not what I was-"
"Oh my, that's something I can finally agree with," Linglace interrupted with a mocking smirk. "The less distractions we have, the better. In fact, competing against each other to find the source code would be better than idling here!"
"Lin, you too!?" Truth be told, Atmosa felt that this had been coming for a while, yet whatever passed for her heart had sunk all the same.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sena & Amane on Feb 6, 2024 5:42:46 GMT
"Atty, both of us are in agreement on this," Granse declared, turning towards the Sky Sage.
Lin could be verbally vicious, cold-hearted, manipulative, terrible with money, and never knows when to quite while she's ahead. Gran was lazy, capricious, overly-sensitive, terrible with money, and was far too willing to throw in the towel at the slightest inconvenience. Honestly, both their personalities were terrible, but among all the people that mocked and demeaned Atmosa it was Lin and Gran that had her back. They were the first and only friends that the bird dragon had ever made in this world. They inspired her to be a little bit less selfish and to be more thoughtful of others. Even though they were both such awful spenders.
Which was exactly why she didn't want to convince them to stay, if this situation made them so miserable. But even so...
"Fifty years," Atmosa began. "We'll test this theory of yours, and go our separate ways for fifty years. In the midst of that time, none of us will be allowed to interfere with one another for any reason, and we'll research on our own. And when that time passes, we'll congregate our collected knowledge once more. If any of us discovers a breakthrough, then that means that diverging our paths was the correct decision, and none of us will ever have to meet each other if we don't want to.
"However, should none of us produce any results, then we'll sit down and work out how we can work together in a healthier, more productive manner. Will you two find these terms acceptable?" Atmosa gave a level look at her colleagues. Granse seemed to be genuinely thinking about it, but Linglace eyed the dragon with a raised eyebrow.
"That seems fair, but how do we know you won't attempt to sabotage our research in secret?"
"You won't," Atmosa admitted. "You'll simply have to trust me. But you should know how much our search means to me. If researching on my own could potentially provide greater results than working together, then I believe it's worth a try."
"...Once we go our own ways, we won't contact each other for any reason. And we'll keep our locations secret from one another. And if any of us detect that someone is searching for another, then this agreement will be called off," Granse added. "Will that be agreeable?" Atmosa nodded, and the two looked over towards Linglace for confirmation.
"I can agree to that, but I want to add something of my own," She declared. "We'll make a bet! When we gather together in fifty years, whoever has made the most headway in this regard, however miniscule it may be, will have the right to ask anything of the other two, no matter how unreasonable it may seem. That way Atty won't sabotage herself, and ore-breath will be less-inclined to slack off."
"Of course!" "I accept."
"That was... quick..." Linglace blurted out, recoiling from surprise.
"Lin, if there's anything to be gained from your terrible gambling habits, it's that we should always bet against you."
"...I'm going to enjoy the next few decades."
|
|
|
|
Post by Sena & Amane on Feb 10, 2024 5:47:09 GMT
Backup Bayou, 49 years later...
A vicious shriek pierced through the normally-stagnant silence of the woods. The Okuwamon, either unaware or unperturbed by the mystical defenses of the Sky Sage's domain. It was only a matter of time before the Gatekeepers arrived, but by pure happenstance the Sky Sage herself had just returned from gathering supplies. The Okuwamon must have followed her inside, the Sky Sage supposed, as she held a clawed hand towards the silvery insect Digimon. A chorus of chirps accompanied the motion, and a wall of wind halted the perfect-level's charge.
"I have claimed this domain for myself and those under my protection," The Sky Sage magically carried her voice through the air to ensure the massive insect Digimon could appropriately heed her. "Intrude once more and I will be far less merciful." And with a flick of her wrist, the Okuwamon was hurled off into the distance, far beyond the Sky Sage's vision. The Sky Sage let out a brief sigh of relief as went about her day, preparing to return to her domicile until a cloud appeared right in front of her. Stepping out from within was a sleek-looking Renamon, its fur a shimmering sky blue. It knelt down on one knee atop the cloud as if it were a solid object. "Larimar. What is it?"
"Lord Sky Sage. I regret to inform you that an unauthorized presence has infiltrated your domain." It was a little late for the warning, wasn't it?
"I've already dealt with the intruder," The Sky Sage gestured to the spot where the Okuwamon had been blown away.
"Forgive me for not clarifying," The Sky Sage's attendant corrected themself, bowing their head in apology. "But this presence is... different from the intruder you had just ejected."
"Let the Gatekeepers handle it, then. I've already cleaned up one mess for them, and they need to earn their keep. Besides, I tire from my travels and I desire nothing more than to relax and delve deep into my research," The Sky Sage waved her claw in dismissal, however the Renamon remained still, albeit trembling somewhat.
"Lord Sky Sage... I would never presume to know better than you, but... I believe this particular intruder should be one that you attend to personally. I fear that the Gatekeepers' methods will prove to be... excessive for this particular intruder." The Sky Sage gave Larimar a curious gaze. It had been what... four, five years since the Renamon had declared her their master and began serving her? They seldom gave their own opinion or attempt to advise the Sky Sage, in some strange form of deference to her. That alone was enough for the Sky Sage to heed Larimar's advice.
"Very well, Larimar," The Sky Sage resisted the urge to let out a sigh in front of her attendant. Larimar was stoic about most matters, but they seemed especially keen on anything that could possibly be interpreted as the Sky Sage being displeased. "I must say you've piqued my curiosity. Guide me to this intruder."
|
|
|
|
Post by Sena & Amane on Feb 10, 2024 7:23:16 GMT
Yupparoni! Sena was definitely lost! She had climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed a MEGABIG tree, like, she-looked-up-so-much-that-she-fell-back-on-her-tush tall! She climbed 'til she couldn't climb any more, 'cause she wanted to see all the stuff that was around her. Her ratty old sneakers were getting in the way, so she had kicked them off mid-climb so she could get a better grip. She was up so high she couldn't have even saw where they landed... though it wasn't like Sena was ever looking down.
Though... this tree didn't feel like any tree that Sena had ever felt before. It was all barky and stuff but sometimes the bark would tear, and there'd be metal underneath, and on the metal there were these glowy blue lines of light! It was like the trees were cyborgs or something! And they felt slightly warmer than trees usually felt. Plus, it was kinda quiet here for some reason. She could still hear a buncha leaves and creaking branches but she couldn't hear any bugs or birds chirping. It was megastrange!
Huh... strange... strange... that's right! There was something really funny was going on! Sena had been playing in the park by herself, swinging back and forth and stuff, and then everything around her got all fuzzy and then she was in some smelly forest! She was climbing these cybertrees because she wanted to try and see her house from high up! And you wanna know what Sena found out? She found out that there were a bunch of other robotrees around her that were taller than this one! So many more mechatrees to try and climb! Sena couldn't keep herself from grinning!
Giggling as she sat on a big branch, Sena kicked her dangling legs back and forth as she thought of what to do next. If there were taller trees, she could get a better look if she climbed one of those instead... right? Though, she had to climb down from this one, first. If she was real careful she could slide down, little by little, but her hands and feet were pretty rough from all the climbing. But 'cause this tree was so tall, she got real excited while climbing that she was all tuckered out!
Sena bounced up and down on the branch. It shook a little, but it didn't break so she could rest for a bit. She caught her breath and... yeppers, the place still smelled kinda funny, but not in a bad way! It was just something Sena had never smelt before! She rocked from side to side as she tried to think things through. She had to be back home before the sun started to set or grandpa might get worried. She couldn't see the sun from this angle, but from what was getting through it didn't seem like the sun was going down any time soon. And if grandpa got worried, mom might start yelling at her and Sena didn't want to bother any... gusts of wind that nearly knocked Sena off her safety branch!
Sena yelped out as she instinctively waved her arms around to keep her balance, finding herself secure only to find a megahugebig lizard right in front of her! It was a big, green lizard that was covered in fur and feathers. It wore some kinda green helmet with a big red horn that looked sharp and pointy! It almost kinda looked like a... a...
"Dragon!" Sena blurted out, pointing at the big thing! It was glarin' right back at Sena, its big purple eyes burrowing straight through Sena.
"You are... a human, are you not?" The dragon spoke back in a shockingly soft voice considering it was so big. "For what reasons do you trespass upon my domain?" ...Trespass? Sena had heard that word before! Her neighbors said it when she was climbing up to their roof 'cause it was taller than her house! They got really scary, yelled a bunch at her mom, then mom ended up yelling at Sena! She really didn't want that to happen again! Sena wanted to say something that wouldn't upset dragon-san, but grandpa said it was bad to lie to people!
"I'm lost!" She answered, sitting up as straight and as stiff as the tree she was sitting on. "Please don't eat me, dragon-san!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Sena & Amane on Mar 28, 2024 5:14:22 GMT
The Sky Sage gazed at the small child, pondering her request. She was aware of humans and their world, and had even seen some on her occasional trips to towns and cities. However, she knew very little about their existence. "Eat you? Are you humans considered a delicacy?" The Sky Sage was admittedly intrigued but she preferred not to kill for her food. Besides, even for humans, this one seemed a little on the small side, so the Sky Sage doubted that this lost child would be particularly filling.
"I... I don't know what that word means!" The child responded in a cold sweat. The large dragon Digimon then picked the small child up gingerly between her claws, holding her by her ankle as she brought her in for closer inspection. The human child seemed surprised at first, then started to dangle back and forth, even giggling a little is if hanging upside down was fun for her. Meanwhile, the Galemon examined the human. She was soft and squishy, compared to a Digimon. Less a delicacy, and more... delicate. The Sky Sage had planned on hurling the human from her domain, but she doubted that the child would survive the landing, and the Galemon wasn't sure what the legal ramifications would be for killing a human, trespasser or not.
"Human..." The Sky Sage began.
"Sena!" The child interrupted, still dangling upside down while putting her hand over her heart. "My name is Sena! What's your name?"
"I..." The Sky Sage hesitated. She had given up her name almost 50 years ago. She was given her name by her fellow Sages centuries ago, but ever since the three of them had split apart, it didn't feel right to keep that name. Not until the three were reunited again. "I have no name. But you can call me-"
"That's really sad!" The child blurted out, interrupting the Galemon once more. "Is it 'cause you're a scary dragon?"
"Hold on! I am... scary?"
"You're really big, and you can fly and breathe fire on people, right? That's MEGASCARY!"
"I have not nor will I ever breathe fire on people! First off, that's significantly rude! Secondly, I'm not even able to breathe fire in the first place! My scholarly pursuits would never seek out something so mundanely destructive as fire!"
Sena looked blankly at the Sky Sage for a moment, before saying, "I didn't get that, but you're saying you're not scary, right?"
"Correct! I would never be so crass or brutish as to devour living people just for the sake of hunger or consume them with flames due to wanton destruction!"
"Hmm... Okay!" The small child responded with a sense of finality, evidently fully convinced of the Sky Sage's morality. Either that, or she had just given up on understanding the Galemon's words.
"Regardless of the quality of my character, there still remains the issue of your presence in my domain," the Sky Sage insisted. "Tell me, little human-"
"Sena!"
"...Sena. Where do you come from? If you are truly lost, then I will do what I can to help you be on your way."
"I'm from..." Sena seemed lost in thought as she apparently struggled to come up with an answer. "I dunno! But if I'm really high up I should see my house! That's why I was climbing these trees!"
"I see, then you live nearby," the Sky Sage intuited. "Very well. However, if height is what you seek, then climbing these paltry trees would hardly be sufficient. I am known as the Sky Sage!" The Galemon placed Sena on the back of her neck. "I shall take you to greater heights then your puny, flightless body will ever know!"
|
|
|
