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Prelude to Reconnection [Owen]
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Post by Quill on May 2, 2018 7:22:35 GMT
The night Quill had returned to his village with the power of Armor Digivolution had been met with much celebration, but it was also a bit bittersweet. While the people of his tiny village praised his new form of Halsemon, Quill explained that he would be leaving the village the next morning and wasn't sure when or if he would be back. While the mood had dampened for a moment, the other bird Digimon decided it was time for a two-fold celebration, so they celebrated both Quill's new ability and gave him a spectacular send-off.
The next morning, Quill set off for the closest place that came to his mind. The 7/71st had little bases all around the Digital World, and the one closest to his village was located to the west of the forest, in the Mainframe Hills. After a long flight, Quill had made landfall and decided to rest his wings with a stroll around the hills while he searched for the old base.
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Post by Owen on May 2, 2018 15:30:20 GMT
Since returning from his adventure in the Backup Bayou, Owen the Gaomon had had... something of an urge to return here to the Eastern Timberlands. He had bade farewell to his new friends Roy, Rex and the rest of the party that had accompanied him throughout that mission, he had rather surprisingly ignored signals sent to him from other friends. And even further still, he did not seek the advice of his fiance, Hikaru.
Mainly because, ever since Owen had clasped his paw over the golden digimental in that swamp, he had felt... memories, that didn't belong. Yes it had been a rather big fuss at the time, given that he had sunk in quicksand to receive this object, but thankfully the gift of science had kept him alive while doing so, the diving gear working as promised even under several feet of mud. But those aside, well, he had remembered things that he hadn't thought of before.
Shadows and still images of a canyon alight with gunfire; digimon at his side that he didn't know the name of, calling him "Captain" instead of "Owen". Just... what were these feelings? And that number. 7-7-1. What did that mean?
Owen would thus proceed to the place where he thought he could regather his memories. Had he thought that returning to the arms of Hikaru or talking to his son Logan would help, he would have done so, but this... he didn't think it was something to involve them in. And so Owen would walk the Mainframe Hills, trying to find what he had lost so long ago, and yet didn't even know it.
Not long after his arrival, he saw something brown in the sky. A bird digimon. Hm, nothing too particularly noteworthy about that, but, maybe if Owen spoke to him it'd let him know if what he was doing was stupid and pointless or actually worth something? Thus, Owen would approach the Hawkmon, hoping for a positive interaction.
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Post by Quill on May 2, 2018 17:34:57 GMT
It seemed that Quill's sense of direction wasn't quite back up to par. He could remember the fact that they had a base in this area, but the exact location was unclear to him. He was a little bummed, but continued the search.
After a while, Quill noticed another presence nearby. It seemed a beast Digimon was approaching him. He was too far away to see clearly, but as he approached Quill could identify the form of a Gaomon. Quill thought for a moment about how serendipitous it would be if this Gaomon had actually turned out to be the one he was searching for, but that was clearly just a pipe dream.
Nevertheless, the Gaomon seemed to be approaching to speak with him, so Quill put on his best face and tried to appear as non-threatening as possible. "Hello there," he greeted. "It's a lovely day for a stroll through the hills, isn't it?" As he spoke, Quill couldn't help but feel that this Gaomon was familiar to him, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet. If it turned out to be the Captain, he would probably know fairly quickly.
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Post by Owen on May 4, 2018 11:00:45 GMT
Most unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on the viewpoint), the trip through the bayou had ruined Owen's khaki tunic utterly, meaning that for the moment, all he was wearing was his red bandana and boxing gloves. So it was pretty easy to tell from afar that he was indeed a Gaomon. Of course he had washed since then (several times) so at least he was more blue and white and less... brown and green.
And then most fortunately, it seemed that the Hawkmon was a nice bloke, greeting him politely once they were in speaking distance. Owen let his tail wag slightly for a moment before he suppressed it as a silly puppy's reaction. The Hawkmon mentioned it was a lovely day. And then, Owen began to feel strange.
Ordinarily he'd say something like "Yep, sure is, nice to meet'cha", but, for some reason he replied "Yep, one of the better days I've seen on these hills..."
...Why did he say that? Owen surely hadn't had a bad day on these hills right? He hadn't crashed here recently, he had only met new individuals, why was he talking like this? He shook those thoughts aside and focused his attention on the bird digimon in front of him.
There was something familiar about this Hawkmon. Those eyes, that expression, the scent. Owen simply couldn't put his paw on it. Well, best be polite first. Never forget the formalities, as someone had told Owen... someone he couldn't remember.
"Hi there, I'm Owen Gaomon" he said, and then did something odd. A part of him wanted to shake paws, and another part of him wanted to salute... then another part of him seemed to snarl "Are you mad?! Officers don't salute enlisted digimon unless saluted first!", resulting in him raising his paw in an awkward way. Supposing he'd best salvage things, he'd offer his paw in a handshake, that would be the best way to do things.
Wow, had Owen eaten right today? For some reason he had obtained an annoying headache all of a sudden.
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Post by Quill on May 4, 2018 15:59:01 GMT
So, this Gaomon's name was Owen. That didn't quite match up with the Gaomon that Quill had hoped it was, but he also supposed stranger things had happened. At the same time though, he had the incredible urge to salute for this Gaomon. Perhaps it was just a force of habit, and him just getting his hopes up, but it was still a big pull to act in such a manner. His green eyes stared into Owen's for a moment before regaining his composure. "I am Quill," he said, returning the handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
After their handshake ended, Quill gave a respectful bow. "What brings you here?" he asked. "I am currently searching for an old hideout. Would you care to join me?" He probably shouldn't have asked someone he wasn't sure that he knew, but he had a good feeling about this Gaomon. If anyone would be up for an adventure, Quill wouldn't mind the company.
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Post by Owen on May 6, 2018 6:24:31 GMT
"Quill, eh? Nice name" Owen said. Nice... and familiar. He thought he had met the Hawkmon somewhere before, but, not recently. He then asked why he was here, mentioning that he was looking for a hideout of sorts.
Owen then realized with a start that he was here for the same reason. "Is that right?" he asked. "Well, funny you mention that, because, well... I've been looking for a place like that too, but, I just can't put my finger on it. But I'd be happy to help you find it".
Owen would then continue the search at Quill's side, noting how familiar the terrain was. He'd note some landmarks and the height of some hills lined up in his memory somehow. Why was that though? Was this the place he had been on his earlier trip to the Mainframe Hills? Where he met Oboro and Gomamon? Or was there another reason?
Supposing that Quill might be familiar with the reasons, Owen thought he might as well ask the question. "Sorry if this is an odd thing to ask, but does the number 7-7-1 mean anything to you?" he asked. "Just... that's kind of the reason that I'm here. I've been having these weird dreams about that number, and... well, that's what got me here in the first place".
He kinda hoped that Quill had an answer to that. If not, that would be fine though.
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Post by Quill on May 6, 2018 6:43:52 GMT
The gears were beginning to turn in Quill's mind as he traversed the hills for a bit. This Gaomon was also looking for something similar to a hideout in the same area. Not only that, but he had asked about the number 771. This had to be the captain, he just knew it! Quill grinned, then turned around.
"That number does indeed mean a great deal to me," he confirmed. "I suspect it could mean a great deal to you as well, if you would be so kind as to allow me a chance to explain the situation to you...Captain." He gave a light salute after the title escaped his lips. He didn't want to overload the poor Gaomon's senses right away, but he was just so excited to find someone so quickly after setting off. Not to mention it was the Captain, out of all of them! It seemed he went by a different name these days, and his memories were extremely foggy, but that could be figured out with time.
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Post by Owen on May 6, 2018 6:59:55 GMT
Quill replied by saying that that number meant a lot to him, and it should to Owen as well, and then called him by rank. Even the salute was as he remembered.
"Captain...?" Owen repeated, then, at once, it seemed to dawn on him what it all meant. A long time ago, he and Quill had stood here as they were now. Others in their unit too - united under two flags. That of the old world - the DWR, and the emblem that they fought under - the Sword and Wheel of the Recon Corps.
The shadows of Owen's memory began to make sense now. 7-7-1, that was the 7th battalion of the 71st Recon Regiment. He had served that unit with distinction - even rising to Captain. So many digimon he had fought beside, spreading the reach of the great Digimon Republic across the world... and... watching it all fall.
Mon by mon, the battalion had dwindled ever lower. Once five hundred digimon strong, it had fallen to one hundred, then two dozen, then... just a dozen. He had been one of the last remaining officers. Every time he would be present to take the roll, there would be fewer and fewer as their nation had crumbled - when former friends had become foes. But not the digimon of the 7/71st. They were bonded like steel from the fires of war, and they fought together until the very end.
Owen then realized that there were tears in his eyes. He turned away for a moment, sniffed briefly, wiping his face dry with his bandana, then turned back.
"My apologies. It's been a while, Corporal Quill" he saluted back. "Too long... but we're here now" the old war dog smiled.
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Post by Quill on May 6, 2018 7:15:58 GMT
Corporal Quill...the title sent a wave of memories rushing back to the Hawkmon. The DWR may have been lost to time, but their memories had lived on. Seeing the Captain again gave Quill assurance that his hopes were not wasted chasing something that might not have even been realistic. For a moment, he noticed that the Captain was crying, and before he even realized it, he was as well.
"I knew I couldn't be the only one left," he smiled. "Truth be told, I've been waiting for the longest time to gather up enough of my strength to venture out to find the others. The fact that I ran into you on the first day of my adventure has got to be a good sign, right?" After they had a moment to collect themselves, Quill began to lead Owen in the direction of their old base. His sense of direction had been somewhat restored, now that he had had that moment with the Captain.
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Post by Owen on May 6, 2018 7:47:13 GMT
Owen remained smiling as Quill's emotions got to him too. "First day of your adventure, eh?" he asked. "Well... sometimes the ways of the world have funny ways of working. Might be that we led each other here".
There was so much to catch up on! Owen had nearly a million things to tell this digimon that had fought by his side so long ago. While the new digimon that he had become would have probably given him a big hug, it was the decorum of the old officer that had held himself back.
"I see... I've been around for quite a while longer" Owen said. "Although... been reconfigured a few more times since the old DWR days. Suffice to say, this isn't the digital world as we left it. A lot of things have changed around here, and not many around here know the old history. Even I forgot it for a while, but, it's been there".
And speaking of things that have been there, Owen thus recognized the terrain ahead. There it was, hidden by many years of overgrowth from the grass and flowers of the hills around it as well as the skilled craftwork of the digimon that built it, invisible to anyone that didn't know it was there beforehand, but, Owen knew.
"Hopefully it's not rusted over..." Owen said as he knelt by the hatch in the side of the hill, pushing away the knots of grass that were covering it. It was an old round metal seal. Owen rummaged around until he had found the handle, then heaved as he pulled it open. It took a few goes but eventually with a sudden jerk, the rust gave way and it opened, revealing a ladder downwards. Owen entered and climbed down.
There, at the bottom, was the bunker as he had remembered it. Old smells filled his nostrils. Long dormant gadgets lay where they had been set down in their last use in the dying days of the old republic. Boxes and crates bearing the initials "D.W.R." laid around the small bunker. And, at the back, was the desk of a commanding officer. There was space and provisions for a platoon here. It looked like it had been abandoned in a hurry.
"I remember it now..." Owen said. "Back then the Mainframe Hills was the eastern borderlands of the DWR. Fighting was pretty heavy back then as I remember, and there wasn't nearly as much grass as there is now. This was where we were posted for a few months before we pulled out of the region". He chuckled. "The mighty republic, reduced to living like timid rodents in a burrow..." he shook his head. Day by day the tide had turned, and they had been forced underground to fight a guerilla campaign before making their escape as the republic fell.
"Spot anything you owned?" Owen asked Quill as he examined the bunker further.
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Post by Quill on May 6, 2018 8:42:00 GMT
Quill was a little shocked to learn that Owen had been reconfigured several other times since their last fight together. As far as the Hawkmon knew, this was his first outing since those times. Just how long had it taken for him to reconfigure? How much had truly changed in the Digital World? The other members of his village didn't seem to have any knowledge of the DWR or anything about its lasting effects. Perhaps Quill really was holding on too much to the past.
Finally, the two of them reached the old bunker. It was very well hidden through the passage of time, being covered by overgrowth. Owen forced the hatch open, and the two climbed down into the bunker. This hadn't been their real home at any real point, but the nostalgia of seeing the old crates and provisions was somewhat gratifying. Quill looked around and noticed a little space that felt particularly familiar to him. The little corner of the bunker was well kept, even through the passage of time. At the foot of the bed, an object caught his eye. It seemed to be an old medal, rusted and eroded to time. Quill recognized this as his old medal from his time in the 7/71st. He smiled and flashed the medal at Owen. "I'd say I found a nice keepsake," he said.
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Post by Owen on May 6, 2018 15:07:51 GMT
Owen turned and raised an eyebrow as Quill revealed that he had left a medal down here. Curious, the Gaomon approached, examining the medal. And, indeed, there engraved on the back was Quill's name, rank and service number. The medal was labelled as his.
"Heh, so it is" he said. "Surprised you left it down here, although, whatever made us leave probably complicated things..."
Owen knew that he probably should have been more careful to check for traps and mines down here, but, he supposed that since everything seemed to be in fairly pristine condition, there probably hadn't been enough time. The Gaomon proceeded toward the officer nook, memories of his time here filling his mind. Yes, a long time ago he had been commander of this bunker, holding out against the ever shrinking front lines of the DWR's barbaric enemies. Those were hard days. Previously plentiful supplies had been stopped, morale had dwindled to very low levels, and all that faced them in the end was defeat. And yet, they never gave up the cause.
Curiously, Owen took a look inside the officer's room. He glanced inside the drawers and saw little. But, when he opened the wardrobe, he was startled to see something that he had long ago abandoned.
There, on a coathanger, was a khaki green tunic. On the right chest were the letters "D.W.R". On each shoulder was the emblem of the 7/71st Recon group - a yellow sword and wheel on a red diagonal stripe over black. On the shoulders were two pips. And on the left chest pocket was a series of ribbon bars - symbolizing the medals that the officer that wore this tunic once earned. Owen took the tunic down, realizing that it seemed to fit exactly a digimon of his size.
But the biggest discovery was what Owen saw written on the inside of the tunic. There it was, in old marker, the service number and name of the digimon that wore it.
"...Jaelin" Owen breathed. That... that was the name of the digimon that wore this. That was also the name of the digimon that he had been reconfigured from.
He remembered now. Captain Jaelin Gaomon, of 7/71st Recon. His friends called him "Jay", while the soldiers serving under him called him "Sir". This tunic was his. Curiously, he put it on, glad to see it still fitted nicely. He noted that the pips on the shoulders were for that of 1st Lieutenant rather than Captain, supposing that he had received his last promotion after evacuating from this bunker. Glad of this knowledge, he fixed up the buttons, fastened the cross-belt, and returned from the officer nook, looking for Quill.
"Well... guess I found this" Owen said, grinning at the Hawkmon.
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Post by Quill on May 7, 2018 11:10:16 GMT
Quill took another look around the room, seeing how the other members had lived. It was clear that they had left this bunker in quite a hurry, since all the other beds were in disarray. Of course, that could have just meant that Quill was a much tidier person than the rest of the squad, but then again he always tried to leave places better than he found them, even in the most dire of circumstances.
Owen came out of the officer's room wearing his old tunic. Another rush of nostalgia soon followed for Quill, seeing his former commanding officer dressed in his old clothes. "It suits you," he smirked. "That tunic has probably been sitting there for a long time, though. Perhaps it could stand for a washing?"
Quill looked around once more, then back at Owen. "I still can't believe how long it has been since those days," he said, his tone shifting to something a bit more somber. "I wonder if anyone else is still around. Even if they are, do they remember like I do?" He had been told by Sethmon to let go of the past, but it just wasn't that simple for him. His memories were almost entirely intact, even if it seemed that nobody else's would be. Would anyone remember him?
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Post by Owen on May 7, 2018 16:13:58 GMT
Owen kind of agreed about the state of the tunic. "Yeah, could do" he chuckled. "Although given that my last tunic was ruined by peat bog a little dust on this one is nothing" he winked. Then Quill remarked that he wondered if anyone else was around that remembered.
"I think there is" he said. "Probably out there, like me, getting on with their lives. All they need probably is a prompt to remember...".
But did they even need to remember? Did they not have the right to live their current lives and put the old world behind them? Owen pondered this, sitting down on the edge of an old bed, looking up at the 7/71st's banner on the wall. They had fought, they had lost, and now they were rested.
...But no. A unit such as theirs, no, they did not deserve to be lost to history. Like how the humans remembered what happened to them 300 years ago, they as digimon deserved to know their story. They deserved to be a part of it - to be rewarded for staying true, loyal and gallant to their comrades. None of the digimon that Captain Jaelin stood side-by-side with back in the day would have blanched from this. And now, even if he was Owen now, he at least would try to carry the story onward.
"Say, Quill..." he spoke to the Hawkmon. "Do you think... what with the digital world as it is today, there could be a place for the 7/71st to ride again?". He paused as he gathered his thoughts a bit more. "I mean, not the DWR, since that proved to be a failure, but, the 7/71st - a group of digimon prepared to fight to protect those we care about. These things happening. Control Spires, Corrupted Elements, D-Reaper Agents... I'd fight as hard as I did back then to prevent those things hurting my son or any of my friends".
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Post by Quill on May 7, 2018 21:39:29 GMT
Quill listened intently to Owen's words, taking what he said to heart. It seemed the Digital World wasn't exactly at peace in this time, either. The world needed a group to take on these threats. Even if the DWR was no more, there was nothing saying that at least a small part of it could live on together in this modern age.
"I know not yet of the Digital World's issues in this age," Quill admitted, "but if you say it needs protecting, then I will stake my life in your cause, just like I did all those years ago." There was a strong conviction in Quill's words, as there always was. Owen would easily recognize that he hadn't changed a bit in the time since they had last met. "Our first order of business is to find whoever is still remaining and ask them to join us. That was my primary goal to begin with. Do you have any ideas on where any of them are located?"
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