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To Avoid a Snowstorm, Get Lost Underground (Open)
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 1, 2016 2:41:51 GMT
"Oh, incredibly," Elliot said. It was a nightmare on the first day he visited. Now that it had been almost three weeks? A lot of that initial fear had come and went. At this point Elliot almost smiled as he found himself recounting the tale, reminiscing about just how much he had grown. "My brother got kidnapped by this weird tank monster. It was making him dig for treasure, and then it tried to get me kidnapped too. Thankfully I met some nice people and they helped me fight it off, but it was really scary trying to escape that thing. It was where Isaac and I found our first forms, too. Before that we were just harmless humans. Ah, can you believe it's been so long since that happened?" Isaac simply nodded in response, trying to focus on the pathways that they had been taking. Surely there had to be some clues, right?
"It's been so dangerous lately, that all just kinda fell to the side. These days we could fight that jerk one on one easily! We're actually here following up on another adventure," Elliot admitted. "Some bad people were trying to frame our friend. We fought off the impostor, but now we're trying to find the rest of the people that are trying to hurt him. It's all really dangerous and secret, though, so don't tell anybody!" It probably wasn't the best idea to spill the beans about Shi's struggles, but Elliot figured the Sparmon was trustworthy enough. Besides, it wasn't like he said Shi's name or anything like that.
"See something strange? Or just got a bad feeling about this way?" Isaac asked as the Sparmon advocated for suddenly changing direction. Isaac was a strong believer in gut feelings, especially his own. He wasn't about to discount Sparmon's train of thought right away. "I can scout ahead for a bit if it helps make you more comfortable."
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 1, 2016 3:35:49 GMT
Scouting ahead sounded like a good idea... But she didn't really want any of them to split up. What if something bad happened again and they couldn't reach each other anymore? "I think we'll be okay..." Sparmon was second guessing herself, it was a false alarm, right? Why was it troubling her? Was it just a feeling or was there something triggering it here? Was it the smell, did she see something? She paused her steps to try and figure it out. A sound? "I think I can hear something? Maybe it's too far to make out... Water dripping? Footsteps? Tapping? Isaac, do you hear anything?" Sparmon shook her head and got back into pace. "It's nothing. You two would know if there was something... If there is something we're ready for it, right?" Looking down she mumbled something quietly to herself, "I'm not scared..." Sparmon looked back up with a smile, once again trying to act eager and optimistic. "I really hope you find the villains trying to hurt your friend soon. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. It's like a top secret mission, and an important one too! I won't tell a soul!" "I wonder if I'll ever get to go on those kinds of adventures... Then again I wouldn't want any of my friends in danger just so I could save them."
Coonaimon's paws were hurting... Why couldn't he have had claws on his front legs? He had tried using his back feet, but his markings were clumsy and he felt dumb standing like that. His teeth were what he had used at first, but his jaw hurt, and this was his first form with any teeth at all! What if they fell out? Still, he couldn't wander around lost down here forever, he needed to find his sister and the way out. And there was a way out now. Just ahead of him he found another cave opening. But of course there was no sign of Sparmon, not to mention the storm still out there. Guess he'll have to turn around. He briefly wondered how far he'd wandered from their original spot. But there were a few good things, he was running out of tunnels to go down, he hadn't run into any hostile digimon or any digimon for that matter, and he wasn't dead. With a sigh, Coonaimon continued on his way backtracking through the tunnel again.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 1, 2016 21:52:11 GMT
The sound of footsteps. Sparmon's brother sounded a little too careful to be exploring the cave by his lonesome, but a desperate situation like this tended to drag people out of their comfort zones. Maybe in his worry about his sister, the other Digimon stared crawling through the cave to try and find her. Or maybe it was a predator, and one that would be lurking in the shadows to try and hunt the group down. Either way, Isaac wasn't about to just let it go. "You're right," he said. "I'm confident we can take on anything in this cave." If Yasyamon and Strikedramon weren't enough, Orochimon and Sandiramon certainly would be. Not much could stand up to a pair of Ultimates fighting in unison, even in weaker forms such as that.
"If it's footsteps, though, it could be your brother. Wait right here, guys. I'll check ahead. If I'm not back in five minutes, follow my trail." With that the Yasyamon walked off, marking an X onto the cave wall with one his wooden blades. He continued making these for the group's sake as he slowly faded out of view.
"Isaac's really quiet. If it's a bad guy, he'll be able to dodge it and get back to us," Elliot reassured the cat, smiling. "I'm sure we'll see him really soon. And maybe he'll find your brother, too!"
He listened to Coonaimon's curiosity about their adventures, laughing warmly. "Thank you. I hope we do too. There was this really scary dark knight on their team, but our friend managed to chase it off. If they could get a guy that powerful, I'm kind of scared of who else might be with them. But I bet it'll all be fine!
It's a lot of worry and stress sometimes, but I'm starting to get used to all the adventures Isaac and I go on. We get to help lots of people. It's great! And I'm sure someone as tough and brave as you is going to be just as good at adventuring."
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 1, 2016 23:56:01 GMT
Although she was bit bit worried for Isaac going off on his own, she figured she could trust that Elliot was right. Plus she was having a blast learning about their adventures from Elliot. "You really think so? That I could be... I mean, of course I will!" She puffed up he chest proudly. Having Elliot believe in her was an amazing feeling. No way she'd lose to anyone now!
"What do they want with your friend anyway? Oh, I probably shouldn't ask that, that part's extra secret, right? umm... Let me think of something else to ask..." Sparmon wondered what she should say next. "I bet if we saw one of those dark knights now, they'd run away screaming. You and your brother could probably beat him all on your own, but if I had the chance I'd help too. We'd teach him what happens to bad guys who mess with your friends! Maybe you can't find him because he knows you'll win next time and he's scared." The small rookie boasted. She felt confidant in the skills of her friends See? No reason to worry about Isaac, he'd be fine on his own. Besides he wasn't going very far and could call out if he was in trouble.
Coonaimon traveled quite a bit, he was hoping he wasn't making too much noise. He really hated walking in this darkness, it was the worst! Honestly he felt like he would be better if he could at the very least see three feet in front of his face. At least his markings were easy enough for him to find. He came to a sudden stop, something was off. He sniffed around know his nose would be more reliable than his eyes right now, but he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. This tunnel seems a lot more open? No, the walls are still fairly narrow just like the rest of the place. Maybe it's nothing... He took a few more steps, his front paw missed the floor. He nearly fell forward! Into what? There was just more darkness... Where was the floor? Great there's a giant hole in his path. He should turn around... He didn't pass one on the way here, but what if that was what caused the crash? The floor caving in? Possible... Then he'd need to find away around this gaping hole.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 2, 2016 3:47:28 GMT
"You've got that right!" Elliot cheered, grinning widely. "Some day, you're going to be the best around. And until then Isaac and I are always gonna be here to give you a hand." Always was a fairly strong word, but Elliot was confident that he and Isaac would be able to follow through on it. That was what heroes were for, right? To be strong for other people anytime and anywhere they needed? All he wanted was to keep the people he cared about safe and happy. Maybe when he could finally follow through on that he'd finally feel comfortable calling himself a hero. Until then it would be a romantic ideal, a title he would work hard to strive for.
However, it wasn't all fun and games. He found himself growing quiet as Sparmon confidently mentioned them beating the dark knight all on their own. All Elliot could think of was how easily it fought off both WarGreymon and Alphamon, not even breaking a sweat until it ended up de-fusing. "It means a lot to me that you think that, but heroes have to be patient and careful, too," he said. "That knight was really strong. Like, stronger than mega strong. Isaac and I aren't even near his level yet. We're working hard to be that way, but we can't just bite off more than we can chew like that. It wouldn't do anyone good if I got hurt doing something silly.
I know I'll be strong enough one day, though. Then I can finally protect everybody."
Isaac still had yet to see anything. He continued advancing through the tunnels, making markings on each twist and turn. Backtracking would be trivial, thankfully, but he still had yet to hear the source of the noise that Sparmon pointed out. He figured it would be the case. Cats had far better ears than strange forest demons. Figuring it would be best to try listening one last time instead of going too far away from the others, he sat down and squeezed his eyes shut. With the other senses of the world cut off from him, he'd be able to focus entirely on listening for suspect noises.
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 2, 2016 16:10:34 GMT
"Oh" For once Sparmon wasn't quite sure what to say. She guessed it made sense, she hadn't thought the dark knight could have been that powerful. Their weren't many out there who were stronger than a mega. The thought that there was a group of bad guys like that, or even just one, it was kind of scary. Add that to the idea that those type of people were going after someone Elliot and Isaac cared for, that those two would have to fight someone like that... She had confidence in he friends abilities, she really did, but Elliot wasn't sure they'd be able to go against them the way they were now. "I guess we'll all have to become even stronger, right?" Sparmon's voice wasn't quite as cheery and upbeat anymore, rather she tried to be more serious. At least for the sake of trying to understand the things her friend was having to go through. She was always being told not to rush into things, not to be reckless. She'd always discarded those comments thinking heroes don't need to be scared. But maybe... She shouldn't strive so much to be fearless. Elliot wasn't fearless and he's a hero, he knew his limits and he didn't do needless things. Shouldn't she try to be more like that?
The green furred rookie decided to investigate the rest of the tunnel. It was probably to check this place now just to make sure this wasn't it. Then he could just go back the way he came if it wasn't the right path, just like with any other tunnel. Coonaimon found a slim ledge between the hole on one of the tunnel walls. It wasn't large enough for say the average champion to walk across, and he doubted it could support too much weight. But for someone his size it shouldn't be too much of a problem, right? Being as careful as he could, he started making his way around the opening. So far so good, only a few clumps of dirt crumbled and fell in. It didn't sound too deep, probably no more than a ten foot drop. Still a little far, but he might be able to jump back out if he fell. Then of course, at just a little more than halve way across, the narrow ledge under him began to crumble. He tried hurrying along, maybe he could jump the remaining distance. He didn't get the chance to try, the ground continued to break and with nothing to push off of he couldn't really jump. "!" He screamed out in surprise and maybe a bit of fear as he fell.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 2, 2016 16:22:31 GMT
Elliot simply nodded in response. "You're right. We will," he said, voice strangely sober for one so young. However, slowly his usual smile began returning to his face. He didn't want Sparmon to be all sad over him. Sometimes it was best to try and be others' strength when they needed it most. "I'm from the human world, after all. I could quit any time I wanted if it was too much for me, and just pretend to be normal. But Isaac says we have these spirits for a reason. If we don't use them, who else can? Sometimes I wish I could go back to how things were, but if I've got these spirits I'm gonna be the best darn hero I can ever be." The mix of resolve, warmth, and even fear in his voice was certainly a strange one, but it was clear that even with his doubts Elliot wasn't about to start letting go anytime soon. He was in this for the long run, no matter what might end up happening to him.
There it was. A strange crumbling sound. Isaac knew whatever the source was, with how unstable the cave was there really wasn't much time. He knew this could only mean that another cave-in was threatening to start. He ran after the source of the noise, ears perked up high as he tried to track it. It was closer. Even closer. Closer still. Then he heard a scream of fear, all too close, and found himself stopping short. It was a good thing he was alerted, because as he looked around for the source of the scream he found himself standing all too closely to the edge of a pit. Putting 2 and 2 together hastily, Isaac dove to the edge and held out both of his long, wooden blades. "Grab on! I'm not letting you fall!" he shouted, holding them as far into the pit as he could. Would he make it in time, or would the screaming Digimon have long fallen?
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 2, 2016 16:51:14 GMT
Sparmon smiled brightly at Elliot's resolve. "I'm glad! If you quit now who would save people then? I could only do so much and right now that isn't very much at all. You know, I think there isn't anyone else who would have done a better job given the chance you two have." The rookie praised. She decided that she was glad Elliot and Isaac had been given spirits, and whoever or whatever was in charge of making that choice made the right one. Elliot was already an amazing hero, who knows how much greater he would become. She hoped that she'll get to be around to help him if he ever needed it, and that maybe she could be just as good a hero as him someday too.
Frantically, Coonaimon thrashed around, trying desperately to grab hold of something. A voice called out to him. Who? No time. He barely managed to grab hold of something wooden. His fall had stopped, but was he safe? He tried to tighten his grip as hard as he could to keep from slipping. Although he wondered if perhaps falling would be safer than being confronted by this stranger, but is he was hostile wouldn't he have let him fall? Coonaimon tried to reassure himself, he tried to recall to words this newcomer has yelled to him. This person saved him, or is saving him. Hopefully he won't loose his grip now.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 2, 2016 17:46:30 GMT
Elliot could think of a few people. Shi, for one. He wasn't a Spirit User, but he was probably one of the toughest and most noble people Elliot knew. Why else would an entire shady organization start trying to hunt him down? Then there was Alicia, who had a golden heart and an iron fist. As far as spirit users went she was practically a mentor for him and Isaac, even if they only started hunting their forms at around the same time. There were really so many people Elliot had to thank for where he was today, and the best way to repay them was to keep getting stronger so he could properly help them. The fact that he already had someone look up to him as much as he looked up to his own inspirations really meant the world to the boy. "I don't think I can thank you enough for that," he admitted, smiling bashfully. "It means so much to me knowing you think that."
Isaac made sure to pull his swords up firmly yet gently. Too much force and the rescued Digimon might slip off. Too slowly and it'd have to hold on for way too long of a time. Moderation, as it was in most respects, was the key. As he pulled up the other Digimon, he started to notice what it looked like. More than just a voice and a force pulling on his sword, Isaac started to recognize the creature as a small, green cat with horns. Realization dawned quickly, and as Isaac resumed fishing the cat out of the hole he started to address it. "I think I know who you are. Your sister's worried sick about you," he said, making sure to only say his revelation after Coonaimon was back on solid ground. He wouldn't want the cat to let go in shock and plummet right back into the abyss, after all. "She's a little bit further back in the cave, but don't worry. She's perfectly safe. Are you okay?"
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 3, 2016 0:29:55 GMT
She was delighted that Elliot had enjoyed the praise, especially since she believed every word she said. Maybe they could travel together afterwards another time. It was nice being around the two brothers, they were just like the heroes she imagined who had entire stories and legends about them. Not to mention how great of friends they were to have even if they weren't as strong as they are. Sparmon stretched out he paws. She wondered how long it had been since they started searching together. Hours maybe? Maybe time hadn't passed to much at all. It was kind of hard to determine from inside a cave. "Do you think Isaac will be back soon? I wonder if he's found anything."
Upon reaching solid ground, Coonaimon took a moment to calm his racing heart. "Sparmon's okay?" He said slowly. This person, the one who rescued him knew Sparmon? Guess he didn't cross that pit for nothing, good thing too because he doubted he could muster the courage to go back even if the pathway was still there. "Who are you?" He wondered aloud. His rescuer stood on two feet and carried wooden weapons. He wore a mask? His appearance matched the descriptions he'd heard of Yasyamon. He'd never seen one in person before though so he probably shouldn't assume he's correct. He'd only heard stories and rumors of certain digimon after all. Coonaimon continued trying to take in as much about this stranger as he could. This way maybe he could make a decent assessment on his current situation. The question he was asked however went unanswered. Coonaimon didn't quite register everything which was said to him.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 3, 2016 4:06:58 GMT
"Isaac never breaks his promises. He'll be back before we know it," Elliot said. There was absolute confidence in his voice. Whether he was talking from experience or just an exaggeratedly good picture of his brother, it was clear that Elliot believed in him above all else. "I bet he's only taking so long because he found something really important. It wouldn't be good to rush something that matters so much, right?"
Isaac nodded in response to Coonaimon's question. "Not a scratch on her. Just a bit shaken up from the cave in. She's with my brother, safe and sound," he explained. Realizing that a masked, demonic stranger might not necessarily be the best envoy, he tried to keep his voice calm and gentle. Elliot was way better at it, but Elliot was also the social butterfly of the two by a large margin. Isaac generally preferred to be the brains of the operation, leaving Elliot to be it's heart. Upon being asked his identity, Isaac simply said what Elliot had said beforehand. "I'm Isaac. And you're Coonaimon, I presume?"
He turned back toward the cave system that he had come out of, briefly stepping in to peek at one of the walls. Thankfully, his hasty markings remained readily apparent. He turned to Coonaimon, saying "Alright, I marked up the walls to trace my path when going over to save you. Follow me, and we'll be back with Sparmon in no time. Cave was clear of any other Digimon, so it should be a pretty peaceful walk. And if it turns out something followed us? Well, you're not getting hurt on my watch." With that Isaac walked off, swords held in a defensive position as he motioned for Coonaimon to follow.
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 3, 2016 19:53:04 GMT
"Oh yeah, that's right" Sparmon agreed. Heroes don't go back on their word, and rushing things wasn't always the best. She was being a little impatient again, wasn't she? She looked around with her ears perked up. There wasn't much to do here was there? She supposed she could try starting some random conversation, or... "Hey Elliot, do you know any games?" If nothing else it would pass the time, but for the most part Sparmon was betting on it being a lot of fun.
With a bit of hesitation, Coonaimon started to follow. He had a tenancy to judge others before getting to know them, but with all the things Isaac had gone so far it was hard to see him as a demon. Or maybe it was just a part of some elaborate trick, but that was highly unlikely. So instead the rookie let himself relax. Everything seemed to be looking up now, but he couldn't sake this feeling of unease. Maybe it would go away once he got back to his sister again. While following the other, he decided to pay close attention to the path they were taking. He felt a bit guilty for distrusting Isaac so much. He didn't know why he was being so suspicious of the other, but he figured that even if he didn't have to use these tunnels again it was better to be cautious. At least now he'll be able to plan an escape if things do go south. "Thank you" He said finally, for all his distrusting he was grateful. There wasn't much need for the precautions he was taking if Isaac was telling the truth. Isaac had protected his sister from harm and then came and saved him. Really the least he could do was say thanks.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 3, 2016 20:09:03 GMT
"Huh. Good question." Elliot blinked as he tried to come up with ideas on how to pass the time. It wasn't like a cave had a lot of stuff to do within it. There wasn't any paper for something like hangman or tic-tac-toe. It was too dark to really play any charades. But there had to be something they could play, right? Elliot looked around, trying to think of something, before finally coming to an idea. Looking at the stony walls of the cave, he said "I spy, with my little eye, something . . . grey!"
Elliot. Elliot no. I Spy is the worst possible game to play in a cave.
Isaac could tell that Coonaimon wasn't the most trusting right now, but he couldn't bring himself to mind it. He was pretty much the exact same way when push came to shove. If he was separated from Elliot in a big, scary cave complex, he'd be just as on edge as the cat was. Hell, he'd already had huge worries and scares when Elliot went missing on him. Why would today be any different for him? However, the cat was still thankful for his help, and that meant a lot to hear. Sometimes, suspect people needed to stick together. "No problem," he said, unsure what else he was supposed to add to the matter. A reassurance? A question?
"So, what brought you two here?" Isaac finally asked, figuring he'd learn a bit more about the two cats and their purposes for being somewhere so dangerous. Judging by how much more quiet and reserved this cat was than his sister, it was likely that he had a few extra reasons up his sleeve.
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Post by Yuma-Lyn on May 3, 2016 20:24:41 GMT
Sparmon looked around eager to have something to do, there certainty were a lot of grey things here. "Is it... the floor?" That was grey. But then again it could be the wall... or the ceiling. What if it was a rock? "How many guesses do I have?" What if the rules were different in the human world than they were here? Maybe she'd already lost. Or maybe she'd already won. It was hard to tell in these situations sometimes.
"Why?" Coonaimon said almost immediately. He regretted it almost as soon as he asked. No point being rude, it was just a question. He took a breath and collected himself before answering. "An expedition up the mountain, we were following up on some rumors we'd heard and decided to see things for ourselves. Then of course a snowstorm hit and now we're here." He explained briefly. Okay good, less rude sounding this time. It wasn't a full explanation, but he figured that would do for now. Coonaimon continued what he was doing without saying anything else. There wasn't much need to talk, right? But he figured if the other wanted to make small-talk than he could humor him. It wasn't hard to answer a few questions after all.
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Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on May 3, 2016 20:35:57 GMT
"No, but close. And feel free to guess as you much as you want. It'll help pass the time," Elliot decided. Maybe he'd luck out and find his brother soon. He couldn't be too far away, could he? As much as he liked spending time with their new friend, he could tell she was getting antsy about all the waiting. If they started walking off, it'd be too easy to get separated again. He was sure that their patience would be rewarded if they were to just wait a tiny bit longer. Surely enough, he could hear very faint footprints in the distance. It wasn't much promise, but it was better than nothing!
"Rumor chasing, huh? Seems pretty dangerous," Isaac commented. "It's what got me and my brother left up here, too." Okay, sure, it wasn't rumor so much as fast. But it didn't change the fact that he and Elliot didn't know about the location of the organization they were chasing after. Or who the higher ups were, beyond that Myotismon and OmnimonZwart that had ambushed them. Or even what they were going to do if their scouting turned into a fight. The wrong foe in the wrong place would lead to the two brothers being trapped in a fight for their life. It was one of the biggest risks of proper espionage, and half of Isaac's reservations about this trip were that Elliot could get grievously hurt by it all. In a way he was almost glad for them getting stuck in the cave-in. It'd be better than the alternative by far.
"You have any idea where the way out is? Figure once we catch up with our siblings, we'll be able to put our heads together and make it back to the surface."
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