A Long Due Visit [Amelie]

The thought of more of those insects sneaking around was not one that Syre wanted to think about - but it was definitely in the back of their head. Maybe the data signal of a Sistermon was just going to be a beacon that drew something even worse to their location, or perhaps the insects completely lacked fear or the sense to avoid stronger signals.

This was all a risk. But they had to press forward, or nothing would end up done about this. With a nod to Amelie, Syre led the way, and once they found the Snimon, the Sistermon felt her heart almost twist into a knot. The sheer agony the bug found itself in was grotesque, hard to even look at. If Syre could have just kept thinking of it as a monster, perhaps she would have been able to look at it more calmly.

But things were hardly that simple, and Amelie knew it as well. The aunt would likely notice a shift in Syre's voice, as she focused right on the situation at hand. A hollow, logical tone:

"... This might be a decent opportunity. I don't know if we'll be able to do anything for him, but he's weak. Analyzing him, maybe Whitewater or Terminus can get a better idea of how the fungus infects insects - and maybe find a way to prevent more cases of this happening in the future." A cure, before it got this bad. It might have sounded direct and maybe insensitive...

... But Amelie might be able to tell that Syre was barely managing to keep it together. To the Sistermon, this was just one more unfair thing that the world had to offer to them. And once again, she steeled her resolve, trying to push her own heart out of the matter entirely.

"We'll need to subdue him as best we can. Think we can manage?"

Syre didn't like this. She didn't like anything about this - but with Amelie's support, at least the answer to the situation at hand was clear. The Sistermon gave a nod to Amelie's analysis, eyes trained carefully on the insect, that sigh weighing just as heavily on the cat as it did on Amelie.

"Right behind you, Amy."

Even without talking, the two knew just how to coordinate with each-other. The large, armor-plated form of the Heraldmon was able to quickly close the gap, and pushed against the ground, the Snimon responded in kind. It hissed, wildly bucking its back, swinging its free claw at the side in an attempt to haphazardly hack right through the spirit's arm - but Syre was faster. She swiftly slipped herself in front of the insect, a dark pulse radiating from her eyes for a moment. The insect found itself entranced, and the Sistermon raised one arm, slamming the pistol down against the back of its head.

The bug crumpled, collapsing on top of itself, knocked out cold from a single blunt strike - one so strong that it caused the clip to snap right out of that pistol!

"..." Silence filled the clearing, as Syre looked carefully at the bug, getting a closer look at its condition. "No doubt. Black 'veins' right underneath the skin, just how dad described it." And truth be told, 'dad' here didn't think there was much that could be done with these sorts of patients.

It was just how it was.

There was nothing they could do.

Syre grit her teeth, those familiar pains striking deep right then and there. "This shit again, huh?" There was a mixture of hollow defeat and anger laced in the ceramic gunslinger's tone. "Let's... let's get this guy to a lab. I'll call for a landing point in Whitewater."

Fiercely tense as she was, she couldn't afford to break down. Not yet: not until they were safely out of those woods.

Honestly, Syre briefly forgot about her auntie's spirit's quirk. Amy could 'see', but she couldn't exactly 'see' in this form - and the same applied doubly for her other senses. It was why the Sistermon looked on in a bit of confusion as the Heraldmon lumbered over to pluck up the bug, and reached another 'arm' over to her -

Oh. Oh. Hearing that voice in her head, it clicked at once in Syre's head - and the momentary shock was replaced with a tired, mental sigh.

Physically, I'm fine. The Snimon didn't manage to nick me... how about you? She returned that concern, keeping her senses open to the area surrounding her. With the Snimon knocked out, the 'normal' noises of the woods started to pick back up. Distant 'crickets' of some kind, a few birds - the normal sounds one would expect here. She gave a glance towards the Snimon, and with a blink, pulled out her D-Terminal, and sent out a message to Whitewater.

Requesting landing coordinates for a fungal infected Snimon. Please provide - will deliver via portal directly.

She thought it out as she typed it, before resting herself against a tree, keeping in contact with the Heraldmon's tendril.

You'd think I'd be used to it by now, Amy. She shook her head. I've learned how to fight, sure - but I keep running into things that doesn't solve. Having to fight, both knowing that its the best thing to do - but also knowing that everything won't just be 'alright' afterwards. I... I guess that's just got me down, you know?

She shook her head. It's not how I pictured joining the Knights would be. Its more... 'real' than I expected, I guess.

Honestly, what was heavy for the Heraldmon? Though Syre was strong, the Snimon would at least be cumbersome for Syre to hold... well, that was neither here nor there.

The request was called in, and for at least a little bit, Syre and Amy were granted a reprieve, a moment of reflection between the sinewy hulk of a golem and a ceramic, gun-slinging Digimon. That's how it would appear on the surface, at least. But as Syre focused on the conversation, it felt much more like she was just speaking normally with her auntie, as if they were sitting together on a couch back in the Library.

Heh... you don't really have an easygoing outlook on all this, do ya? Syre chuckled, a smile perking at the edge of her tone. I never thought it would be easy - I guess I just never thought of how hard it could be. Like, stupidly, impossibly hard... but I guess you're right. Its all for nothing if we just throw our arms into the air and let 'whatever happens, happen', tempting as that might be.

That 'mental' cat bit her lip, shaking her head as Amy moved the conversation along. 'She wouldn't live to see the world change'? Amy... She gave a sigh. I... I don't think it has to be the world. So long as you can make things better for the 'world around you'? I think you'll at least put a good foot forward! She gave a smile, the thought interrupted as the device she was holding finally buzzed back.

Secure area... portal coordinates... perfect! Looking it over twice to double check, Syre would stand up and create that portal - a metal floor visible on the other side. All we need to do is drop him there. The 'mons there will take care of the rest... and I guess we'll at least walk through the rest of the route while they sort that out?

Were Amy's words bleak? Well, somewhat! To be told that the goal you're trying to reach for was probably going to stay out of reach confirmed the cat's frustrations. But maybe it wasn't about that. Maybe it was about starting to re-frame her thinking, to try and pursue her own way forward.

'Mom always rushed in headlong'. Despite the danger, she pushed through - but was that the best way to go about this? The Sistermon blinked as Amy pressed on with her response: despite this 'impossible' task, every person had the ability to push forward, to make a better world. She even managed a small chuckle about hearing how this wasn't mirrored in the human world.

Maybe... but I think you'd have a good shot on that side as well, Amy.

She shook her head. Amy spoke of her own brevity again, the ultimate giving a small sigh as she tried to piece her thoughts around it. Was that really enough? To know that you pushed the start of something that would be seen tens, if not hundreds of years later?

You've spent a lot of time thinking about it, haven't you?

Her thought there was cut off, as the amorphous spirit dropped off the Snimon through the portal. Disaster averted - as Amelie dropped down to her human state, Syre similarly slipped back down to that of a BlackGatomon, stretching and cracking her joints.

"Yeah, let's get back on track... um..." Syre picked up her bag, surprised at the weight of it. Had they really found this much in such a short span?

"... Let's just get the map done in our heads and report it at the end. This is getting ridiculous." To that, though, Syre actually managed a smile and a chuckle. Her outlook picked up a bit!

Syre wasn't used to sharing a mindspace, that much was clear! The thought that she had for herself was something that Amelie had picked up on - Syre startled for just a moment as her aunt brought up K! The Sistermon blinked, listening to what she had to say, ultimately giving her a short nod.

She did what she felt she could. Never satisfied to simply sit on the sidelines when she could do something. I'm... well, proud of her, of course.

She was silent for a few moments after that. The topic soon dwindled down, and the Sistermon would soon find herself using her own voice talk to Amy. They still had a job to do, even if they didn't have enough hands or bags to completely pick through these mushrooms themselves.

"Sounds good to me. I'll keep an ear open for any more of those infected Digimon, but if its this ingrained into the woods, maybe the wildlife's already learned to steer clear." Syre was a bit hopeful on that, but for now, the two would press on as they would before.

---

And for the next two hours, things would go relatively as Syre expected. It took them only about a half hour to fill up their bags the rest of the way - Syre opening a portal so they could drop off that weight somewhere safe and secure - and the two would keep pressing on, Syre first mentally documenting, then moving to make a rough sketch, of the area and the most-infected spots of the woods.

"... As expected, it seems to prefer dead trees and logs, but I don't think we've seen any near water. If it was originally native to the Dark Area, maybe it just doesn't do well in the rain - but the trees around end up taking most of the moisture, so its able to grow where its darker and the canopy is thicker."

She scratched the back of her chin with her glove, lost in a bit of that tangent as she looked over that rough map. After a moment, she chuckled. "Sheesh, I think dad's rubbing off on me with that kind of thinking. I do wonder what happens if you take a 'healthy' mushroom and put it underwater, though... not that I'd want to try it with a stream out here."

An idle thought, but it might have been the start of finding an answer to this! Syre chuckled. "I hope you're enjoying the walk, anyway. I'll have to make this up for you at some point so we can actually do something fun!"

Syre always had a knack for observational skills - whether it was frustrating the gang on Uno night, spending a little too long thinking on a board game, or in this case, just noticing something that might have been missed in a write-up otherwise!

"Sheesh, sounding like my dad..." She playfully shook her head, but then nodded at Amelie's point. "Definitely something we should check. For all we know, it just prefers shade, or it doesn't like to root up where the dirt is loose, or something. But if this is an answer..."

Well, then it would be quite interesting! Maybe all it would take was a thorough rain, or maybe they'd get a bunch of Divermon to do a few sweeps through the forest? It was about there that Syre's line of thinking became less exact, but heck, she didn't have to have all the answers!

"Heh... I guess compared to trying a build a city out in the rocks, this might be a nice change of pace." Syre gave a nervous chuckle at that - she did worry about Amelie spending so much time out there. Sure, she meant well and the place probably could help a lot of people, but it was the Dark Area. All it would take was a power-hungry warlord or two wanting Amelie's spot -

Nope, different, better thoughts, Syre! "Um..." Spinning that topic out of her head, Syre spun to a different question. "How has that city been doing, anyway? All I really know about it right now is some bits and pieces."