Vulpine, Doggo and Pupper [Cion]

What a lovely and tranquil evening it had been, at least for the graceful Sagitamon. Mostly having been in 'favorable talks' with certains digimons of a certain organization with a certain reputation, she returned home happy with the knowledge that the possibility of her income being secured for a long time was within reach. Of course this was all still potential testing phase, but she had never expected that having friends who had friends in higher places could be so beneficial. She definetly had to make sure to return the favor to the 'trio de needlings'.

Their apartment was nothing special, but that was what made it so splendid to the Sagitamon. It was simple, yet comfortable, just the way she liked it. And it had a lot of space and they managed to purchase every form of furniture and tools to make it a true place to live. And considering that they were not home that often anyway due to their occupations and nature, it was totally sufficient. Anything that was neither poverty nor luxury was perfect to her.

Towards the last steps to their entrance, Cion pulled her crysal ocarina out of her pockets and started to play a pleasant tune on it. Even to open the door, she merely used a weak version of her 'Translucent Vortex'-ability to push down the lock's tumblers, so it would open by itself. Since her digivolution, she had been able to play the instrument with unrivalved musicianship. It was seemingly unreal how fast and how many notes she could play at once with only so few holes, and that her breath seemed to last forever. But that was the magic of the digital world...

With her last note ceasing, she removed the ocarina from her lips and let out a delighted sigh. Throwing her bags on one of the stands in her and Owen's aparment, she suddenly realized he heard the television running. "Oh? Owen?" She called out for the Gaomon, believing it was the only logical conclusion to be made. After all, who else had entrance to their home, if only two of them had the keys. Besides, she could clearly hear Thoraxmon's voice from 'My Little Unimon'.

With nothing on her except the all too familiar green scarf on her neck and her ocarina on in her right hand, the Sagitamon entered the living room where their fine couch and adequate TV resided, as well as some other typical furnitures like bookshelves. "What a surprise. I didn't..." She at first spoke joyfully before abruptly stopping close yet behind the couch. There he was, Owen in his rookie-form, yet... he was not alone. On his lap was... a small Offmon?

Looking at it with one of her fingers on her lips, she was both confused yet somewhat charmed by the presence of this small fellow. "Hello there, young mon." She greeted him quietly, tilting her as she tried to make sense out of the scenery. Why where they watching TV together, and why like that? And most of all... who had they even met. "Owen, who..." She at first stammered, her gaze often switching between the two. However, she felt like it was impolite to speak about someone else who was nearby in third-person, so her main focus remained on the Offmon.

"Who are you, my lad?" She asked calmly though still with a lot of wonder as she slightly leaned over the couch's ridge. This... was going to be one of those days, right?

Cion gasped quietly when she heard those strange words from the young Offmon. Remaining mostly quietly as he leapt off the couch and waddled over too her, they gazes soon met. His was that of nearly pure bliss, but hers was that of utmost confusion. "A-aunt...?" The Sagitamon stammered, uncertain about what to think about that. And since this appeared to the extent of her and the Offmon's conversation, all she could do now was look at Owen in the hope of gaining an explanation. What she did not know then was that she would rather have never heard it.

"Y-your... m-my..." Was all she could utter with her dry throat, her wide eyes starring with a blank expression at the Gaomon. Was this a bad dream, or perhaps an hallucination. After everything, all the words and acts, and... now... this? How could someone... and how, and why? Trying to reach for understanding by herself, her mind could not grasp the idea that there was more this revelation. Unfortunately, there indeed was... so... so much more to it.

While her ears often twitched, her body remained motionless as if frozen by time, as did her mind and spirit. The words Owen uttered... they were far beyond her to fathom. While she conciously realized that Offmon was talking to her, the sound of her heart beating drowned everything else. With shallow, near invisble breath, she perpetually stared at the Gaomon. The white sparkles in her eyes that marked her zest for life faded, leaving only a black sphere amidst a golden frame.

Her body relaxed fully, and with her hand no longer able to hold tight of her crystalline ocarina, it fell down. Impacting with the ground, its shatter echoed throughout the home, even drowning out the television. Like shards of glass, millions of little particles littered the floor around her and Logan. Fortunately, they were not sharp, so nobody got hurt. And it was the breaking of a core part of her that made her snap out of her trance-like state, hastily shifting her attention to the Offmon. "Oh my, I am sorry... Logan, was it?" She apologized as she knelt down slowly, her body unsteady and without much drive.

"Don't... don't worry. J-just... hold still for a second." She spoke as her hand started to glow in a gentle golden light. Using a very weak version of a 'Translucent Vortex'-ability, she lifted the boy off the ground in a warm aura and gently placed him on the couch next to Owen. Now using her remaining power, she made the shards rise as well, and with a bit of data streaming out of her body, they unified back into the form they belonged. Though riven and ragged, the ocarina, still functional, returned to her hand. In a weak, white light, the Sagitamon transformed back into an Arnamon, now being a Rookie just like Owen and Logan.

"The ocarina and my bow aren't just tools, my dear. They are a very part of me. Like your clothes" She corrected the Offmon with a gentle voice. Taking in a deep breath, she walked over to a window sill and put the ocarina there, safe from falling down. Turning away from the two boys, her gaze shifted between the late dusk and the familiar green scarf she carried. Stroking over it once, she let go off everything and turned around to face the two boys, especially Logan.

"I don't know about you two, but I am starving. How about... ä-öhm... a family... dinner? The fridge is full and I had planned on making myself wraps. While mainly filled with vegetables, I'm sure I still have something for meat-lovers, if you are one as well, Logan." She offered, cleary surpressing what she had just experienced. Besides, the last thing she wanted was to drag Logan into anything, innocent and unknowing as he was. "And if you want, Logan. You can take a look at my crystal-bow. It's in a stand near the entrance." She added, hoping serenity remained in the young boy.

Pushing herself off the window sill, her head tilted in the direction of their kitchen. Anything to keep her mind occupied so she did not have to think...

Having made notice of Owen's fading happiness as well, her mind lost the ability to form coherent thoughts. With that, her actions seemed unsteady and sporadic as well, as if driven solely by instinct and not intent. But for the sake of young Logan, something inside her core made her muster all willpower to remain calm and at the very least quiet. The lad did not deserve anything bad for who he was, and far was it from her to hurt him. "Of course not, dear. It was just... just a slip-up of mine." She beat around the bush.

Turning to Owen, her gaze often shifted away from him as if searching for a way to escape, or at least avoid contact. Lips dry and throat aching, she forced her eyes shut and gently shook her head. "N-nothing. Just... didn't expect this, hehe." The Arnamon answered, nervous chuckles in between words more sounding like shallow breath than cheer. Turning her attention back to Logan, she was not sure if his words were balm or bane to her soul. She believed he meant them sincerely, but she had never felt loved by Owen in this life. And the Gaomon's actions were speaking louder than any words.

Thankfully, her warm powers had eased the Offmon's mind again, once again able to enjoy his own innocence. It was as if Logan's own happiness was directly reflecting on Cion, as if she was subconciously clinging to his very core. If it was affection or desperation she did not know yet, though it was hard for her to care. As long as Logan was fine, then everything else... hurt less. Perhaps that in itself proved it was compassion she felt, not necessity.

She was relieved to hear that the two boys seemed hungry, because the hole in her belly had only grown since she had returned home. Filling it with something, especially delicious food of her own making, It was a bit odd to her that Logan seemed to no longer be interested in her crystalline items, but that was fine by her. He probably did not want to miss too much of the current episode in the television anyway. But seeing him so excited about food, even his tail wagging... enchanted Cion a little.

"I'm sure I still have sliced ham. As for strawberries..." She spoke, taking a step forward and kneeling down to Logan. Teasingly booping the child's nose with one of her soft paws, the Arnamon bore a smug grin. "Well... perhaps, perhaps not. But patience makes surprises all the greater, not?" She indirectly tried to teach Logan a bit about the joy of anticipation. Of course she would not disappoint him today, after all they had strawberries, but the equivocation alone should make him realize that there was always a possibility he might not gain what he wanted. Huh... that... was ironic...

Standing up, she left the two for themselves while humming a slow melody. Inside the kitchen, it would not take her long to create a simpel meal like a couple of wraps for everyone. After all, they were just rolls of bread filled with sauce, fresh vegetables and a bit of ham. Two for each of them, that should have been enough. With all 6 of them on a wooden board in her hand, and 3 plates surrounded by a golden aura levitating through the power of her thoughts, she set the table. It was just fingerfood, so no need for fine cutlery.

Sitting at the table, somewhat opposite to where Owen sat, she of course invited Logan in to sit as well. "Dinner's ready. I hope you don't mind I made it a little spicy. Don't worry, no mouth-burner, just... ticklish." She said, letting go off everything so everyone could take what they wanted. There were a couple of seconds of inactivity, her mind not focused on a task, and she felt... everything... surging up again. Shaking her head, she grabbed one of the wraps and cleared her throat. "Enjoy your meal." She wished them, his gaze with a weak smile shifting to Logan. She meant it... sincerely.

Convincing the Offmon that everything was fine, for the purpose of his mind being able to enjoy serenity, had been much more difficult than expected. Neither she nor Owen had really been able to sell him the idea that everything was sunshine and rainbows, as if Logan had the ability to sense emotions. Either that or her stammering and his hesitation were all too clear, even for a child. Thankfully, the meal took all of his attention and made him forget about previous occurences.

Seeing Logan wolf down his 2 wraps made her chuckle. An implicitly biting statement, though spoken solely with a tone of delight, escaped her lips. "Clearly you two are related." She quipped, a playfully smug smile briefly gracing her face. Well, what had she been expecting? It was Owen's son after all, so asking for moderation was probably too much. In return, he was just as jolly, yet still possessed a serious core. Logan was like a mirror image incarnate. She knew why she liked him.

Unlike Owen, the Arnamon was not thinking about the conversation they would soon have. On the contrary, her mind did its absolute best to surpress any thought about it. Deep inside she of course knew the inevitable was soon to come, but every second she was still distracted from it were the fading moments of happiness she clung to as strong as she could. Because what was past it was far beyond any nightmare that could haunt her.

"Thank you. I'm glad both of you liked it." She calmly responded to Logan and Owen, a faint yet warm smile forming on her lips. Although it would not last for long, she'd savor and treasure every second of this family moment they were having. This was the reason why she was eager to maintain it. "Oh, yes. Wait a second." She requested both boys to stay put for a moment as she once again disappeared in the kitchen.

Noises of rummaging could be heard before she returned with a medium bowl of cold strawberries, a sugar shaker and a small bottle of cool whpping cream suitable for Rookies and younger. Placing all of it in the middle of the table, she motioned the others to simply use the plates they had used before for the wraps. "I seems we had strawberries after all. Fortunate, isn't it?" She teased Logan ever so slightly, hoping the kid did not mind that or her small lesson in patience. Hopefully, he'd be overjoyed.

She too took a couple of them with a pinch of whipped cream, She did not mind the bitter aftertaste of strawberries which was why she did not need sugar, but the texture and added flavor of whipped cream was simply too exquisite to not utilize.

It was... strange. Everything could at least seem so fine if... if only she let it happen, and as long as she did not think. But was she like that, or could she even be like that? And what would it leave her with in the end? Admiration, maybe based on a (self-)deception, of a child she'd forever know was not truly a part of her? The knowledge that she did not matter? The ability to move on; or even family? She did not know, and that scared her... so incredibly much.

Cion could not help herself but grin with closed eyes at the compliments of the sweet Offmon, and of course his joy. "Oh you... thankies. I give it my best." She responded, nervously scratching a spot beneath her nose. Gosh, she had never seen a digimon that was so openly blithesome like Logan. It was almost like he did not carry a worry at all. This of course was almost the complete opposite from Cion, though it cheered her up as well.

Surprised to see a bit of moderation in Logan, all three of them enjoyed the strawberries leisurely, Sometimes sugar was added, sometimes whipped cream, sometimes nothing at all. To each their own, and it forged a fine moment of tranquil serenity between the three of them. Not only their mind relaxed, but to Cion it was also her trembling spirit consumed by confusion. Just as she had thought before, everything... could be just fine. If only... she did not even know what. Just something that eased her fear and her feeling of forlornness.

Again, Cion felt honored by the child's kindness and compliments, leading her to bear a warm smile on her lips that was directed at her. "Of course... nephew Logan." She uttered in return, the Offmon's title feeling awkward to her. While likely never coming out of her mouth again, she had felt compelled to mention this word, as if... as if he was accepting the boy into his heart. It was clear to her that if anything good came out of this... situation... then it was Logan. "Well I am glad you liked it. Though I guess it won't be too hard for me to top wraps and strawberries." She replied with a happy grin, enjoying making the little fella all excited.

Then again, it was getting pretty late, was it not? It was already dark outside, and she could have sworn she heard a few raindrops hitting the window. A storm at night, an unusual occurence at this place of the digital world. But inside they were safe, so it should hardly matter to them. His mind gaining focus again, she quickly payed attention to Owen, giving the Gaomon a nod. "It's the simple things in life... I suppose." She figured, not believing that luxury was the key to happiness. It were things like simple yet delicious food, enjoyment of every moment and... those you treasure...

Snapping out of it once more, it seemed Logan got tired from the food and the long day he had experienced. Still, he wanted to see the rest of the current episode on the television, which was just fine. To the Arnamon's surprise, Owen showed a lot of courtesy and manners this evening, probably to be a role model to Logan as well. Not that he was not helpful, but the way he carried himself was... different from both this life and his past lives. Sometimes, she honestly felt like she did not recognize him anymore, for the better or worse. Then again, considering her body and attitude shifts throughout lives, she could not blame him for that.

Immediately following Owen and Logan inside the kitchen, she prepared the kitchen sink with pleasantly hot water and liquid soap. "And up you go." She happily and casually exclaimed to Logan, lifting him up with her well-known, radiant ability to levitate other digimons, and gently putting him next to the kitchen's sink. Handing him a towel, she cleared her throat and gave the others instructions. "I will clean everything. You dry everything I give you with the towel, Logan. Owen? If Logan needs some help, you help him out, and the bring the stuff to their proper places. Everyone got it?"

With a quiet and quick melody she hummed, she immediately got to work and took the first plate, washing it as clean as she could. Handing it over to Offmon, she was certain he would do just fine. Even if not, it was a valueable lesson in disguise for Logan, and maybe even fun. "The thought of us stuck in my mind, I long for the days when we were... mhhmmmhhmm..." She briefly sung under her breath with her young, pure voice before abruptly stopping and returning to mere hums. If Logan was an avid fan, he might even recognize the song from 'My Little Unimon' as a song of both affection and sadness. There was definetly a reason why she stopped singing properly, despite her appearing and feeling unwound at the moment.

Just as awesome? No, it would definetly be better. It would not simply be some quickly made wraps, it would be a splendid meal. It would have a hearty main course, and perhaps potatoes with sour creme as side dish, and of course a mixed salad for the vitamins. And if Logan would still be hungry after that, then she would make something splendid with yoghurt and whatever fruits and cornflakes she still had. Oh the little fella would love it, and she was already so excited about the smile on his face. She... she was happy...

It was with much enthusiasm that the little rascal did his best to dry the dishes with the provided towel. Of course it was not always perfect, but it hardly mattered since it was a good experience for the boy anyway. Digimons that managed to enjoy work enjoyed life so much more, and had a tendency to be the most productive and admirable of them all. And the Arnamon was confident that with a bit of positive nudging in the right direction, Logan would be exactly that. If he already had dreams and aspirations he was working towards? Well, she would surely find out one day.

"Good catch." She found herself complimenting Owen, not a worry or care on her mind at the moment. It was so bizarre to Cion, since deep inside, she felt like she had an all too rational urge to do just that, but... at least not in the presence of the Offmon. She did not want to destroy these moments of serenity, especially since she did not know if they would be the last she would ever experience.

Delighted by Logan's excitement, she chuckled quietly and gave him an amused wink with her right eye. "Ain't a song I don't know inside out. Okay, perhaps not from all villains, but definetly the heroes. I think my most favorite is... the full version of the intro, yes. Most don't even know it exists, tihi." She calmly replied, washing the last plate before removing the sink's cork so the water could flow back into the purification planet. Letting out a pleasant sigh, she turned around and leaned against it. "So... all work's done. Wanna watch the end of the episode?"

Well, thus far she had managed to leave one good impression on the Offmon after the other. This of course pleased her greatly, as she enjoyed seeing the little guy happy. Whatever happiness he expressed she felt deep inside as well, as if there was a bond between them she could not quite yet understand. She knew that he was not her child, but maybe, just maybe... a part of his soul was also of hers? Maybe the connection she and Owen once shared had been strong enough to... to leave something good behind. If anything, she at least liked the thought.

Nodding, she calmly followed the two to the couch. Briefly looking at them cuddling, it was hard for her to not feel a bit of envy. Not since long ago, she had been the only one who had been granted this place and interaction, but... those times really were over, weren't they? Closing her eyes, she sighed quietly and simply sat there, leaning a bit backwards. It was with a neutral, somewhat dreamy expression that she followed the happenings of the episode, already knowing its contents. It was one of those specials with a big meanie, so at least the action was nice. Still, as always, it had a lesson to teach for the younger audience.

And as the episode ended, she was surprised to see Logan sleeping already. Huh, and she had actually been looking forward to tell him a bedtime story. Then again, disappointment had become the status quo of her existence, had it not? Still, Logan was happy, and gave her some resemblance of inner peace. Not turning around as Owen brought him to bed, she quietly got up the couch and walked towards a window. The raindrops she had witnessed earlier had now turned into a small rainstorm, which was surprisingly quiet though.

Feeling like getting some fresh air, she briefly looked over her shoulder to see the door to their bedroom close. With the knowledge that the noises would not wake Logan, she opened the window, the fresh air filling their somewhat muggy aparment with new vitality. Leaping up the window sill, she sat down on it, her legs crossed as she leaned against the window's frame. There was always room for another on the other side, so if a certain someone wished to join then he could.

She remained there for a long, silent moment, her head tilted ever so slightly to watch the oddly beautiful storm during the night. The only light next to the light bulbs of the other houses was the shrouded glow of the moon. She had enjoyed such nights many times, but this night she truly found no joy in. Neither dolor; just apathy. Humming quietly, her gaze shifted to her green scarf... his green scarf. Gently touching in and dragging her thumb over it, she did something she never thought she would ever even consider doing.

She untied it and took it off. How many centuries had she lived without ever having done so? They had been too many to count, but there she was, and there it was covering her entire right hand. Gently stroking over it to feel its soft texture, she shut her eyes, eventually with much force. Her mind was in a state that no one would be capable of describing, much less fathom. At this point in time, she did not even know herself anymore, nor did reality feel as if it was actually real. Everything was numb, empty and motionless, yet it imposed a weight upon her spirit she had never felt before.

And then, she heard his voice. Without moving nor opening her eyes, her head still ever so slightly tilted towards the dark outside, she let his question sink in for an unbearably long moment, even if in reality it was only mere seconds. "I don't know." She replied, her voice quiet and cracking in between single letters. Despite that, there was something... disturbingly restrained to her tone, as if she was mustering all strength her spirit still had to remain composed. Whatever it was, self-denial or the will to forgive, the always sunshiny digimon Owen knew was taken by burdening sorrow and confusion. And deep inside she wondered if there actually still was Owen inside the Gaomon; though what would come next she knew would give her the answer.