Skip Navigation
The Prince of Tennis [Guest Starring Fusion] (Luke and Iko)
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 10, 2017 2:38:55 GMT
Well, this was definitely going to take a bit of thought, and for right now, Iko wasn't thinking of jumping right in to try it. Iko was sure there was some sort of trick to it - heck, maybe Isaac was a natural about it with his experiences with a partner spirit - but he wasn't sure just what this trick was. Still, the pizza comment on pizza toppings still made him snicker. "Luke still insists on mushrooms."
"Oh, like your anchovies are any better. Sheesh..." Luke rolled his eyes. But as Isaac kept up with the questions, Iko did get a small idea: with a small glow, he reverted from his champion form to that of his rookie: the squirrel perched himself right on Luke's shoulder. "No clue, really. Just going to try and stabilize on this form for a bit... might as well put myself closer to your level. Maybe it'll help get a feel for it?"
"Honestly, makes sense enough to me. Anyway, let's hit the beach!"
And that idea just seemed perfect. It was too early in the evening to try anything that took too much space out here, anyway: just like in the real world, the beach would be just a bit crowded this time of day!
Well, the good times at the beach wouldn't last all day: after a fair bit of relaxing, fun in the water, and a surprising string of service aces at a pick-up volleyball game from Luke - hey, that tennis had to be good for something, right? - the sun would start to hang low in the sky. The crowd had dispersed itself well enough to find relatively quiet areas of the beach, and after Iko had gotten used to his rookie legs, they thought it would be a good idea to try and figure out how to fuse.
And the resulting green flash of light forcing the two apart after their first few attempts proved that they had no idea exactly what they were doing. The squirrel, in particular, had recoiled backward, landing flat on his back a good four yards away! "Er... you okay over there? I think you gauged it too far-"
"No, no, this is fine!" Leaning back, resting on his back, Iko's frustrated voice broke through. "In a few hours I'll be on my back, looking at the stars... honestly, this couldn't be going better!"
"... Yeah... I think you were too gung-ho about figuring this out on day one. You alright, really?"
"Oh, never better!"
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jun 14, 2017 7:43:52 GMT
Anchovies? Mushrooms? What the heck was wrong with these guys? Did they just want their pizza to be stinking up the joint? It didn't help that half the time pizza places didn't even get good mushrooms, and just dumped on these weird slimy ones straight from the can. Honestly, Isaac just couldn't get why they didn't slather on inordinate amounts of meat and cheese like a normal person. Still, Isaac may have been opinionated, but he knew all too well that getting into a pizza war would be an exercise in futility.
He was surprised to see Iko dropping down to his Rookie level for so long, but the thought process made sense. If they could be on the same wavelength power-wise, then they could reach the next level far more simply. It also gave a little bit more point to the beach trip. It would give Iko time to get used to moving in his old form. Hell, it'd get him used to existing in his old form! This training just happened to be through the conveniently fun method of surf and sand. "Sounds like a plan to me!" Isaac said, fully prepared to hit up some waves.
The beach was all well and fun, but the primary objective of the day was fusion. And so far, that just wasn't happening. Each fusion rejection seemed more forceful than the last, this current one sending Isaac stumbling forward and faceplanting into the sand. He pushed himself off of the ground, spitting out a bit of sand that had gotten stuck in his mouth. "Agh, I thought we had it that time!" he sighed, slamming a fist into the sand in frustration.
As he scrambled back onto his feet, he looked out to the sea as if his answers would be swimming around in there. "I don't get it. I mean, each time we do this, I feel like we're hitting a breakthrough. Then we just end up further than where we started. What's dragging us down?" he asked aloud, as if hoping to hear a response. "Is there just something keeping us from being on the same page? C'mon, tell me what's on your mind right, Iko."
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 14, 2017 22:24:17 GMT
Ah, yes, and now this was happening. That was the thought on top of Iko's mind as Isaac's frustration hit his ear, as the squirrel finally managed to right himself on his feet. Unlike Isaac, there was no frustration in Iko's expression - though that wasn't to say it wasn't there internally - as he simply shook his fur to get as much of the sand out as he could. "Startin' to grow tired of all the beach 'round here..."
Well, it seemed like Isaac wasn't up for another immediate attempt. In fact, though the Impmon's tone didn't seem to be angry, now he started trying to find reasons - from Luke's perspective, it sounded like he was calling Iko dead weight! "Hey... maybe trying to force it isn't the best way to go through it? I mean-"
"Nah, Luke, it's fine." He would like Isaac finish... and indeed, he got to the point. What was keeping them from getting on the same page, after all? It wasn't this question, but the 'last' one that got a little twitch from Iko's ear. For, the moment he said that, an unpleasant voice cropped up in his head:
Oh, that's right, Iko. Go ahead, tell him about me, and how you're scared I'll get in his head. Because I gotta say-
Tch. Shut up, already. Scraping the last of the sand out of his ear, Iko stretched out his legs. "Well, my immediate thought is 'what's going on in your mind', because that's a big question to ask out of nowhere. But if you must know, might as well list it out."
"Wait, really?"
"Sure, why not. First, I'm surprised we're even getting as far as we are, so I know we're able to fuse. But the moment our data connects, I don't see a shape in my head of what we're supposed to be, which is usually how I digivolve, so I'm thrown off.
"Second, and no offense, but it feels weird knowing that its not just a Digimon on the other end of this. Part of its that, and part of its not knowing what its like to share data with a spirit totem. Third, 'I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing'. Fourth, 'Oh god, does that mean I have to see everything in his head.' Fifth, 'Oh god, does that mean he has to see everything that's in my head."
"... I can't tell if that's you, or if the doctor rubbed off on you a little..." Luke sighed.
"Hey, he asked." Iko sighed, returning his attention to Isaac. "I expected 'emotional baggage' to drag us down a bit, of course. But I think it's less that, and more being 'physically' on the same wavelength... same breathing, clear head, full intent. That, and well, an image..."
And Iko really didn't have an idea on that last point!
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jun 19, 2017 4:31:30 GMT
Luke was probably right. DNA Digivolution really didn't seem like the kind of thing that it was healthy to force. At the same time, it wasn't healthy for him to force himself to stay as a Digimon, was it? Salvation was dangling right outside of Isaac's reach, and frankly he was starting to get impatient at having it dangle so closely. "It's okay. Really. We can do this, I'm sure of it," Isaac said, part trying to convince Luke and part trying to convince himself. Maybe if he just pushed through, everything would be okay. It had to be.
At least he and Iko were on the same page there. Why could't they get on the same page on the rest of this?
Iko called Isaac out right back. "A lot," Isaac said. "I'll go after you go, if that's okay. Figured it'd be better to ask than to just start hurling at my problems with you." He realized that he may have sounded a bit accusatory or abrasive in his initial question, and he hoped that his explanation would help Iko feel a bit less put on the spot.
At least Iko had plenty of reasonable explanations. No form visualized. Not comfortable fusing with a human. Not comfortable with them pouring their brains out to each other. And, worst of all, completely confused. "Oh yeah. We're gonna have to get in each other's heads," Isaac said. "It's gonna be really distracting and probably really uncomfortable. But it can't be any less comfortable than being stuck in a form like this, so I'm willing to pour it all out no matter how weird it feels. And hell, I know you're not the one trapped here, but I need you for this. So . . . thank you. I really owe you one for willing to go through all this with me" Already Isaac could feel Iko hearing all of his secrets, doubts, and insecurities. It made him want to cringe.
That said, maybe they should start with one problem at a time. "Data's malleable, right?" Isaac asked. "This is gonna be really stupid. But maybe we could try designing a form? Even if it's not the right one, it'd be something we could at least hold onto when fusing, y'know? I don't have any paper on me, but hell, it's the beach. We can use a stick and the sand to plan shit out, right?"
This was sure to be a terrible idea.
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 20, 2017 2:54:02 GMT
Honestly, Iko didn't feel like he had said a whole lot. After all, nothing was really put on the table other than some generic statements, but it at least laid the groundwork for the two to try and figure out just how to go forward from here. And apparently that still involved opening up to the other with their most vulnerable secrets, pulling away the mask that both put up to see the world around them.
And to the squirrel, it was quite a bit unsettling. Even now, he could feel that dark presence at the back of his head, as if itching, egging him on to put the reality right on the table. Internally, Iko shook his head. No... more than that, it means figuring out just what reduced Isaac to this state!
Indeed, the Impmon confirmed it: he was willing to just put it all on the table. It was for Isaac's own sake, of course - Isaac was even willing to admit that - but to the Imp's thankfulness, Iko gave a smile. "Damn it, kid. You're willing to trust me with that much?"
"Sheesh... don't know what it is about you two, but Isaac, you somehow brought out this part of him." Luke sighed, shaking his head. "Well, whatcha think, then?"
"Hmph..." Well, there was that on his mind. But before he could even answer, Isaac thought up another idea: if Iko couldn't visualize a form, maybe they could make one up themselves? To that, the squirrel tilted his head. "Mm... just make something up, to have something in mind? Honestly, it might be worth it for a try or two. But in that case, I don't think we'd need to make up something entirely new. Why don't we just pick a champion- or ultimate-level nightmare soldier at random, and just keep that in mind?"
"Wait, random? You don't care what the result is?"
"It won't matter; as the doc said, what we will become's already pretty set. It's just to try and keep our thoughts together. And-"
Iko stopped, blinked... and let out a laugh. "Hah, but that's kind of a tone-shift, isn't it? How about we get the harder part out of the way before we get too ahead of ourselves?" Yup, there was still all that to work with. "We can just go a bit down the shoreline, should be a few places nice and out of the way. Still want me to go first?"
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jun 22, 2017 1:38:27 GMT
Isaac returned Iko's smile. "You trusted me to fuse with you, even when I've got corrupted code that could hitch a ride with you," Isaac pointed out. "I mean, you could've just told me I was on my own, or helped me look for another donor. Instead, you stuck your neck out for me. I think that's more than worth me blabbing about my stupid worries a bit, isn't it?"
If Isaac had brought out a rather gung-ho and caring part of Iko, Iko had brought out a trusting, vulnerable part of Isaac. The two may have been letting their shields down something major, but maybe that was a good thing. Isaac had been far too tightly wound since he had left the Dark Area, and with it his own human form.
Wait, were the two of them going to just pick a pre-existing dark-element Digimon? "Man, that's so boring!" Isaac teased, trying not to snicker over how petty of a complaint it was. " 'Sides, I was kinda hoping to see what you'd come up with, too. Maybe take that chance to get a read on what you're thinking. But I guess we could do that by picking premades, too." You know. If you were a coward, like Iko.
Isaac squatted down, taking a nearby stick and drawing in the sand in case Iko didn't know what Isaac meant. "Alright, you're furry," he started. "And I'm a purple demon. So maybe Sangloupmon? I mean, heck, I wouldn't mind having some big knives on my shoulderpads.
It was between this guy and Fangmon for my pick. But real talk, Fangmon creep me the hell out." Isaac really hoped he'd never bump into one in a shady alley! Or anywhere.
That said, maybe Isaac was getting ahead of himself. After all, they did have a hard part to get to, even if Isaac was dreading it. Letting the stick drop to his side, Isaac hopped back up to his full height. "Yeah. You're right. Better to have some private time instead of doing it in front of all these people," Isaac said. "Feel free to lead the way."
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 22, 2017 3:26:46 GMT
Indeed, trust was abundant here... trust, and a rather different view of how to visualize the next form! At least to the first, Iko gave a nod. "Heh... trust me, kid, I've seen a lot. I'm more than willing to lend an ear."
As to the second, though? Iko blinked, and then snickered back. "See," Luke interjected, "I told ya, if its not something you make-"
"Oh, trust me. We each interpret one detail the wrong way and we get a little stupid argument going in our heads. This way, at least a circle's a circle." Iko was more-or-less guessing at this point, and Luke could tell, the tamer giving a sigh. "Iko, this wouldn't have anything to do with your last attempt at trying to draw, well, anything? I mean, we both know-"
"Ahem, yes. Well... Sangloupmon, you said?" Yup, that was the big secret to share, everyone. Iko couldn't draw, and he was ashamed to tell the world! All jokes aside, Iko closed his eyes, and gave a shrug, followed by an affirmative nod. "Fits my bladed style well enough. Yeah, I guess that's good enough to picture... and sheesh, Fangmon? No, no, way too frail."
"... Wish I knew what you two were even on about... ah, there it is." And Luke brought himself up to speed, finally managing to pull up a picture of Sangloupmon on his Digivice. Yup, it looked in line with the few other wolf Digimon he was familiar with - heck, Iko was against the norm as an Ankomon, as far as that went!
And it seemed they had even decided before the pair would be whispering their secrets to each-other. And as Isaac gave the word, Iko gave a nod, and looked over his shoulder. "Luke, go ahead and get our lodging tonight settled. Three blocks in, it'll be far on the left."
"Mm? You sure?"
Iko nodded. "Yeah, it might be a bit."
And as promised, Iko led on: a bit down the way, the coast turned from sandy beach to a more rocky outcropping, just at the outskirts of the city. It was here that the squirrel stopped: he hopped upon a smooth stone, and took a look out towards the evening coast, the sun beginning to lower over that ocean. There was nothing but the sound of water crashing over, and for a moment, Iko was silent.
He was still piecing together just how to say it.
"... Shoot. All I can really say to explain it is, 'The Dark Area isn't kind'." Yeah, that wasn't the most elegant way to put any of this, and the squirrel quickly shook his head, searching for better words.
"Might as well just jump in right at the deep end, right? Well, to put it simply, there's another 'presence' in my data. Its not really like your spirits... no, its vivid, and has its own shape, personality, and motive. And I'm not entirely sure, but I think he's a consequence of the dark power I have. I don't really know, he won't explain it."
Yeah, saying something so sudden out loud like that was a lot to drop. "And I won't mince words, he's sadistic. That 'darkness' can get a word in edgewise every now and then, but it really gets to me in more unconscious moments. If you've ever noticed how different I am in the morning compared to later, well, that's why. I've been fighting this 'thing' off, trying to sleep."
He sighed. "I have him under control. In fact, ever since grabbing the blade, mister-scary-shadow has been a touch or two quieter. Right now, he's just something I have to keep in check for this... though maybe it was a bit stupid to try and jump into it without giving you a heads-up. Tch."
Yeah, that really felt like ripping off a band-aid: even now, it stung a bit. "... Feel free to ask anything about it, of course."
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jun 24, 2017 6:27:36 GMT
Isaac peeked over at Luke's display, briefly taken aback by the fact that Luke could accurately call up a picture of a Digimon at will. Now that his own rendition was unneeded, he just looked at how innaccurate it was with a huff of disapproval. "I was close," he muttered, a slight, hot blush spreading across his face. How could Maia ever love him with drawing skills like that? Maybe if he cut Japanese lessons out of his schedule, he could squeeze drawing class between sign language practice and trying to turn back into a human. Clearly, Isaac was a master at assigning priorities.
He wiped away his sand doodle with his foot, knowing that this would be the last time he could enjoy the warm sand. Their walk was taking them to a more secluded part of the beach, but also a rockier one. Isaac didn't quite mind, though. Warm sand was one of life's greatest pleasures, but cold, damp sand just felt mushy and gross. At least the new part of the beach which they were heading to had some nice stones for skipping. While Iko gathered himself Isaac tested the weight of a few in his hand, eventually hurling a good one back and watching the distance it'd get. Apparently, all of the running through jungles and slinging fireballs was good for Isaac's conditioning. That stone got quite a few bounces before sinking!
When Iko finally spoke, however, he got Isaac's full attention. For the most part, the problem seemed similar. There was an intrusive voice taking form in Iko's mind, and it seemed hellbent on making his life miserable. Familiar territory. However, whereas Isaac's intrusive voices generally worked with him, Iko's sounded much . . . worse. It was a sadist who routinely fought him for control inside of his own mind, to the point of causing Iko horrid restlessness. Okay, maybe this wasn't Isaac's wheelhouse after all. At the very least Iko seemed to be keeping him at bay lately, but for how long?
Nevertheless, Isaac found himself grinning as Iko laid out the situation. "Well, there's your problem," he said, confidence layered thick in his voice. "You've been fighting this thing alone for how long now? Well, two on one, I'm pretty sure us stubborn bastards can back it into a corner before it even knows what's happening. And what better way to draw him out than with a stunt like this?
You said this thing's got it's own form, right? What's it look like, so to speak?"
Once he fully knew what he was getting into, he'd cough up his own end of the problems. Until then, step one was find out how to squash this intruder.
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 25, 2017 4:01:29 GMT
Some people might have thought it would feel better to get stuff off of their chest like this. But honestly, Iko didn't know what to think: whatever presence was in the squirrel's mind seemed like it would just hinder the fusion process. Past that, what would Isaac think of him for even keeping it secret to him up until now, even attempting to fuse before saying that this kind of threat existed?
Apparently, that thought didn't even cross Isaac's mind. No, what he responded with was just suggesting a challenge against the dark spirit head on, perhaps right after they fused! And with that, Iko gave a 'snrk', before breaking out into a laugh! "Oooh... sorry... its just," He stifled a further chuckle, "Just not what I expected to hear. Heh, by all means, we should be able to at least push that presence far enough away so that it won't mess with us. Then again, I don't know exactly what he can do..."
Past that, though, Iko realized he missed a question. And hearing about the form as well, the squirrel closed his eyes. "Let's see... honestly, I was dealing with something like him for as long as I can remember, but only since that Trailmon incident has he actually decided to take shape. When I first saw him, he looked like a mass of black fire shaped like me - well, the champion me, anyway - and he could split apart his form. And sometimes its still that. Others, he just looks like whatever form I am, except with red in place of green." Just thinking of him made the squirrel's fur bristle up.
Still, he at least seemed certain in his answer, Iko no longer trying to keep this presence a secret. "Oh, and as far as 'fighting' him, I honestly haven't found a good head-on way of doing it. I would just focus on 'pushing him back'... at least until we got this whole fusion thing figured out."
And with that, Iko chuckled. "Anyway, that was my big ticket item. You're up, kid."
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jun 27, 2017 1:52:33 GMT
Isaac's gung-ho attitude seemed to amuse Iko more than it pumped him up. At least, one way or another, it helped brighten Iko's spirits. That was really all Isaac could do, though, wasn't it? Maybe later they would have to confront the being inside Iko's head, but for now Isaac was basically left swatting at a ghost. Despite what previous haunting expertise may have dictated, it was far from Isaac's forte. "Pushing him back's a start, at least," Isaac decided, trying to keep his voice confident. "Once he's out of our way, then we can think on how to handle him later."
So he was a mass of black flame who could split into pieces, or simply a red doppelganger. Isaac was hoping for the former, personally. It was easier to fight an abstract concept than it was to fight what amounted to one's mirror. That said, Iko seemed sure fighting was off the table for now, so Isaac figured he'd dial back his urge to punch the spirit in the face. Besides, Iko wasn't the only one with problems here.
"Alright. I've got two major things on my mind," Isaac said, kicking a pebble aimlessly away. "First's Maia. Namely, what the heck do I do if I'm not human again in time to see her? Sure, she's fine waiting now, but will she be after a few months? Hell, maybe even half a year? And honestly, I'm not sure which would be worse; seeing her leave me for someone else while I'm left like this, or seeing her wait for a boyfriend who might not even get better in the first place. I think I'd almost want her to move on, if the alternative's hoping for something that'll never come true.
Second one's a roommate in my head, just like yours. Before we went to Whitewater, I did some soul-searching and found a new spirit. His name's NeoDevimon, and he can be . . . touchy. Except don't touch him, because he reacts really badly to that. Same with strong emotions. And his personal space being violated. And loud noises or flashing lights. He's . . . kind of a work in progress. But if we don't need him for our first DNA, we're sure as heck going to need his power as a base for any future DNAs. And I still have no idea how well he plays with others, so I'm worried he'll send everything crashing down at the last minute.
Think I covered everything there. I know, it's no ancient curse I've carried since I was born. But it's still important to me, darnit."
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 27, 2017 2:35:39 GMT
Well, Iko's own problem seemed to be nice and squared away. At least for Iko's sake, Isaac had been warned about the potential threat, and there wasn't any hesitation in the squirrel's mind regarding the fusion. Sure, it was still dangerous, but if the kid was still willing to go for it? Well, more power to him!
But for now, the attention turned to Isaac's own problems. As that pebble clanked down the rocks into the water, Iko settled in, preparing a ready ear. And Isaac's problems... well, they certainly weren't as grandiose as a potential, malicious demon in his head, but they certainly were ones that could still throw Isaac for a loop. Iko vaguely remembered Maia from their conversation in the forest - his girlfriend, right? To his concern, the squirrel gave a smile. "Kid, I just gotta say, you're lucky to have someone like her. If she's waiting for you, well, she's definitely got a good heart on her. Though I've only heard the name... if you don't mind, tell me what she's like, and what kind of partner she has." Well, it was better to find out this way than having the info leak in after they fuse.
And as to the second part? The NeoDevimon? Iko blinked. "Mm... it honestly sounds like the two of you really haven't clicked yet? I mean, I don't know a lot about spirits, but Mikemon said something about them being able to talk to eachother. Yo, Neo?" He called out. "If you're listening in Isaac's head, you gotta trust us on this. We're working on making all that better. The further we go with this, the smoother its going to feel."
Would NeoDevimon hear? Iko had absolutely no idea, but he figured Isaac would pass along the sentiment. "Mikemon said it himself - your other spirits are bound and unable to talk. It's not just you, remember: I'd be terrified to be in a room full of faceless masks."
Er... that was a rather particular example, wasn't it?
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jun 27, 2017 6:28:03 GMT
Isaac smiled as Iko told Isaac how lucky he was to have Maia in his life. It was nice remembering that, and having that thought to solidly hold onto. However, he couldn't help but widen his grin a bit as Iko invited him to talk about Maia. If only the wolf knew the floodgates that he threatened to unleash. "God, where do I even start?" Isaac said, warning Iko quite early on that this was going to be a long ramble.
"I mean, you'll never meet a girl as creative," Isaac started, sitting on the rocky shore and watching the distant waves. "Your jaw would hit the floor if you ever saw her sketches. I mean, hell, she could take any Digimon we bumped into on our journey and draw it right up from memory. And the times when one was actually able to model for her? Well, those are some of the most lifelike drawings I've ever seen. I hate to brag, but I haven't done a half-bad job modeling for them, either.
'Course, that's not the only way she's brilliant. Did you know she's great at ASL? 'Cause on top of knowing both English and Japanese really fluently, she's able to use ASL so quickly that you might not even catch what she's saying. It's almost graceful, the way she just smoothly goes from one word to the next with nothing but her hands. Makes anyone wish they had the finesse to catch up with her, almost. I know I'm trying to catch up.
And she's really cute, too. When she's got an idea, and that mischievous little grin just pops up on her face, there's no question about it. It melts my heart right then and there. Or the way she gets that real focused glint in her eyes when she's trying to work on something important. Or the way her cheeks puff out a little when she's flustered. Or the way she'll touch my shoulder as light as a feather when she's trying to get my attention. Just . . . god, it's like every little thing she does is cuter than the last.
And she's come so far. I mean, I remember when I first met her. Her partner, Kuu, was just still this little ball of fluff. And she was still so nervous about going to the Digital World. And god, who could blame her? Much as I enjoy it here, this place can be terrifying. And I don't even know what I came over me, but I just offered 'hey, me and my bro can keep an eye out for you if you want.' But look at her now! She's become really strong and capable. When we sit back and just talk about her days, the adventures she's got to share always blow me away. Hell, by now she's the stronger of us two by far. And she might not always have everything under control, but god, her heart's always in the right place. I'm just . . .
I'm just so proud of her. And I really miss her. And even when I just want to lie down and let the day go right past me, I know I have to keep moving on. If only just so I can see her again."
Isaac blinked, looking up at the sky. Wait, how much did the clouds move between when he started and when he finished? There was still so much to talk about!
Right. Partners, too. "Her partner's a Kudamon named Kuu," Isaac said. So Maia wasn't a champ at naming. So what? "He's . . . interesting. Really energetic. Seems to live in his own little bubble. Eats socks. He comes off kind of dumb sometimes, but honestly? I think he's got a lot more going on than most people give him credit for. He can be really clever, and sometimes knows things you'd never expect him to. And he's so loyal that I know Maia's more than safe in his hands."
Okay, NOW Isaac was done. Just in time for Iko to start trying to catch NeoDevimon's attention. "I just found him, like, yesterday," Isaac said. "Every time I try to work with him, he refuses to let me in. A lot of times, I'm less merging with him and more guiding him. I'm sure it'll get easier with time, but right now it's tough getting him to do anything that goes against his instincts. And those are real sharply honed instincts." He listened as Iko spoke, but he wasn't sure that what he said registered. "I'll just hope he heard that," Isaac said, voice a bit nervous.
. . . Wait. That was way too on the nose of a metaphor from Iko just now. "Experience again?" Isaac asked, wondering just how many thinly veiled cries for help were hidden in his pieces of advice.
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jun 28, 2017 1:40:29 GMT
Of course, Iko had expected to hear an endearing thing or two about Maia - such were the flings of someone about his age, he figured. What he didn't expect, however, was a full textbook description about his girlfriend! And as soon as the squirrel realized just what kind of gate he opened, he knew it would be a farce to try and stop it, or even get a word in edgewise... so he gave a nod, and listened.
She was an artist, she could speak more than one language... and she had all these quirks about her that Isaac just found so enamoring. Iko, loathe to admit, was only picking up half the details here, though one couldn't tell just by how the squirrel looked (at times like this, his solid yellow eyes gave quite the advantage!). No, Isaac's words were bringing something else to the squirrel's mind, a date that had gone sour a few years past. He mentally shook that thought out of his head. At the very least, he had a little warning about what it would be like to share Isaac's mind.
And thus, he mostly missed the part about Kuu. Kuu, the Kudamon? Some nice words about him? Great, Iko got it, finally giving a nod as those words came to an end. "Well, um... you're definitely enthusiastic about it, I'll give you that." Yeah, he figured Isaac would know just how much he'd trailed off there, the squirrel giving a cough.
Right. Iko would never bring that up again. Keeping that though to himself, the topic moved onto the NeoDevimon, a new spirit that Isaac didn't quite have a handle on. "Well, if we need to, I'm sure we can get along. Besides, if he's been around us all day, he at least knows who I am? Probably?" He sounded more hopeful, than anything else!
Ah, but that little slip-up didn't slip by Isaac. Except, when he brought it up, Iko tilted his head. "Hm? Oh... oh, the mask thing?" He gave a laugh! "Oh, sorry. I'm just a fair bit older than you. Um, before I met you, or even Luke, I have bits of memory from my 'past' self. And I - well, no, he, fought alongside a Mercurymon. And any memory I bring up is actually either a fight with him at my side or a fond memory, but the current me just can't get over that faceless glint on his face. Its weird to complain about, I know..."
And it wasn't as if they were each going to go through their entire history. They just had to know enough to get along and fuse, right?
|
|
|
Post by Elliot and Isaac Sunderland on Jul 16, 2017 2:50:09 GMT
Isaac smiled sheepishly as Iko mentioned his enthusiasm. "Heh. Sorry about that," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "She's just . . . god, she's made my time in Japan something really special. And right now, keeping her on my mind's been a huge part of what's keeping me going. If I'm going to be human again it's good to hang onto what makes me human, right?" Sure, Digimon could love too. But they couldn't exactly date Maia. That was the part Isaac would've really missed out on! Then again, he had the feeling she'd be waiting for him longer than he could've ever expected.
Iko was more interested in the big, gangly cyberdemon than Isaac's cute girlfriend. Figured. "He's a really good listener, but he doesn't seem to pick up on new stuff that well until he's experienced it personally," Isaac warned. "If we need to depend on NeoDevimon for this, you're going to have to meet him one-on-one. So I'm warning you now; no sudden movements, no aggressive gestures, and if he starts making this horrible groaning noise you should probably change topics as soon as possible. He hasn't outright lashed out at anyone . . . yet, but I'm afraid if given too many pushes in the wrong direction he'd just snap." It was a sobering reminder of just how wild spirit users could be. Was this how Elliot felt every time he used Gargoylemon?
The slip-up was entertaining at least. A small snicker escaped Isaac, even after he had just delivered his rather grim reminder. "God damnit, the worst part is you're totally right," Isaac said, trying not to look too amused. "I've seen a Mercurymon before, and it's just so weird to look at. I mean, god, I thought looking in a mirror was only supposed to be terrifying when you had a bad hair day."
He recovered from his snickers, turning to Iko and sighing in slight relief. "So. Now we're on the same mental page. I dunno what we should do now to keep syncing up. Deep breathing exercises? Solve a jigsaw puzzle together?" he asked, fishing for ideas on just what to do.
|
|
|
Post by darkblade on Jul 16, 2017 19:05:42 GMT
"Hm... what makes you human, huh?" Though that was an interesting way for Isaac to word his relation to Maia, Iko just gave a smile and a shrug. This was more of something that Iko didn't really have so much to say for - any motivation was good, after all - and he wasn't going to delve further into it. Or, rather, the squirrel didn't want to.
And as for the NeoDevimon, well, he'd likely have to get used to him at some point anyway! With admittedly more interest than with Isaac's explanation of Maia, Iko quickly picked up on Isaac's warnings. "Hm... he sounds like either quite the sensitive type, or quite the feral type. Either way, if you're able to work with him on some sort of level already, then I think I'll be able to figure something-or-other out." At least with this much warning, Iko knew what he needed to do.
As for the Mercurymon, Iko rolled his eyes. "Honestly, its just the fact that 'his face is your face'. No matter what, it just feels awkward talking to someone while looking at yourself, and I don't even want to think about what its like squaring off against one." Then again, Iko was speaking solely from memory, and really didn't know too much about it himself. It made his tone rather casual, managing his own chuckle to keep up with Isaac's laugh.
But, that couldn't last long. There was still a fusion to figure out, and with the mental barriers hopefully dealt with, the squirrel looked towards Isaac, who was once more fishing for ideas. "Well... even before we talked this through, we were already close, right? Sure, we needed to do this to iron out the kinks, but maybe being on the same wavelength isn't all there is to this. Besides, after those failed attempts, my data's kind of on-edge as is. Heh, and I'm not used to..."
In the middle of that smirk, Iko blinked. And he looked down at his front paws, a clear 'light-bulb' going off in his head. "... That's it. I'm not used to being a Rookie, my resting state is at Champion." It 'clicked' in its own head, but he looked over to Isaac a moment later, realizing that might have not seemed like a big problem. "Like, think of it this way. What I'm trying to do is to weaken myself from a resting state to match your power level, to try and evolve. That's like dumping half a bucket of water out to try and fill up a full bucket. Sure... I can match your level like this, but I'm losing power while you're trying to gain it. Of course we're going to split if that happens!"
It clicked, and it seemed so obvious! "So... I either need to somehow change my resting state, or just figure out how to work with NeoDevimon. I think that's where we're at..."
|
|
|