Melancholy of a Dragon [Cassie]

Whilst Ophelia and Skadi was training with Valt, near the Sanctum... Cassie would be wandering the canals of Ys; simply enjoying the sights, as well as saying hello to the people she'd pass. Ever since she had started taking to swimming, it quickly became her preferred form of travel; finding it far easier to swim alongside others than it was to push herself along the ground. Additionally, there was something relaxing about being in the water; something that Cassie wasn't sure if she could really explain. A sense of safety? Belonging?

Perhaps it was something more akin to this just feeling 'right', though. This was an environment that was natural to her, encoded down to her core as a Gomamon - being the semi-aquatic digimon that she was.

Either way though, this meant that she oftentimes spent her free time simply swimming around the canals, exploring the city, and socializing with other townsfolk. It was nice, having so many people to talk to - and having so many places to check out. It was so different from home, up in the mountains, and... Even if, sometimes, she couldn't help but miss home; she also enjoyed the different type of freedom that Ys offered to her. Maybe, someday, she could convince Mom and Dad to come down here to Ys, like how they were going to convince Laertes to come down here, to help with the DATS stuff...

Eheh; it'd certainly be something, she thought, to watch Mom try to adjust to civilized life. Being such a wild digimon, it'd probably take her awhile to get used to it all; she'd probably chase off the neighbors for knocking at her door..! But, it'd also make her a little less homesick, she felt. Really, the biggest part that she missed of home, was her family... Hmm...

Cassie would continue to idly ponder over this ide for a little bit of time as she idly floated along; occasionally kicking with her hind flippers, so as to make sure that she kept moving, and wasn't getting in any other aquatic digimons' ways. As she floated along though - passing under a bridge... She'd come to notice a familiar face, sitting atop the bridge that she ended up floating underneath.

"... Valt?"

Indeed, she would see Valt sitting on that bridge, with some grilled fish - and what looked to be a portable grill as well, set up by his side. Front-flipping so that she was now floating on her stomach, and facing him, Cassie would take a second before she waved to the V-mon, but when she did... "... Hey, Valt! Mind if I join you up there?"

What was he up to, up there, she wondered...

Cassie wasn't sure what she expected, in calling up to him, and asking to join him... But it certainly wasn't Valt practically cannonballing into the water, sending up a spray as he splashed down...! Cassie would be unable to help a squeak - "Eep..!" - as she ended up hit in the face with the resulting splash - more surprised than anything - before glancing over to Valt, as he surfaced.

Thankfully, he was able to pull himself up onto land just fine - Cassie not being far behind as she pulled herself up after him - though, she still couldn't help some concern. "Are you alright, Valt..?" Cassie would ask; seemingly unawares of Valt's inner thoughts. "You seem really cold..." She'd murmur softly in observation; coming up close to him, and lifting a flipper so as to... Was she offering to warm him up by sharing body heat??

Perhaps, were Cassie an actually civilized digimon, she'd more quickly realize that this probably would be an awkward thing for the digimon crushing on her... But at the moment, she just didn't want him to get a cold or hypothermia, from the cold water...! Besides; she and Ophelia were comfortable with close contact with anyone - which probably didn't help, in her inability to realize this.

Regardless of whether Valt would take her up on her offer or not, though.. She'd tilt her head briefly at him - asking "What were you up to, sitting on the bridge there, Valt...?"

Cassie would giggle gently, as Valt - after giving her a quiet reassurance that he was okay - would accept the hug, wrapping his arms around her. Their shared warmth felt nice; Cassie always enjoyed a little bit of contact with those close to her, and the fact that she was able to warm Valt back up made her happy..! She'd happily wrap her flippers around him in turn; not afraid of accidentally knocking him over, with the fact that Valt was probably plenty strong enough, to handle her!

Which, speaking of handling her... Valt would offer to carry her up to the top of the bridge, where it's warmer, as well as where the grill was. The notion would make her think a bit; bringing a brief flush to her cheeks in the process as it finally clicked for her that they were... Actually kind of getting close, weren't they?

It'd take her a second to respond, in finding her words, but... "... Y-yeah! Sure!" She'd smile to Valt; shifting a bit in his arms to get comfortable, and to make carrying her up to the top a bit more convenient for him. This was fine, this was okay... She enjoyed being this close to him! But...

... She briefly couldn't help but wonder, what was him just being nice to her, and what was him actually courting her?

For example, the food... She'd happily accept the fish with a soft "Thank you..!" as Valt offered it to her, and begin nibbling on it. Mom had always taught her that she needs to find a mate who could provide for her and any cubs they had; and being able to cook was, in a way, like that... Right? Well.. The fish certainly was delicious, either way; her tail briefly wiggling as she nibbled down on it. "Yumm...!"

As she ate though, she'd glance over to Valt; gently tilting her head like a curious puppy. "You never did answer, though... What're you up to, up here...? Just hanging out?"

Cassie would be curious, and quiet, as she listened to Valt's response; the Gomamon-X easily settling down next to him as he explained why he was up here, hanging out on the bridge. All the whilst, they'd be eating fish together, with the warmth of the grill helping ward off the cold, and watching the falling petals that would drift down into the canal below...

Admittedly, while Cassie did know that Valt was older than her by a decent bit, she never did properly consider just how old he was; to the point that he even had had his own first adventures a long time ago, perhaps even before she and Ophelia ever hatched...! The little Gomamon-X's silence would become more contemplative at this thought; listening as Valt discussed all the different things that he had been through, and explained the mood that it had all put him in that led him to coming up here.

Cassie's silence would draw on for a few moments longer, as Valt stared off into the beyond and sipped his sake; mulling over the words he said, and considering what she herself might say, though...

... This was a bit of a complicated subject, wasn't it?

... Eventually, the little seal would decide to just, simply scoot over a little closer to Valt; resting a flipper on his leg in a gentle, comforting gesture. "... It sounds like you've been through a lot of stuff... A lot of hard stuff, at that..." Cassie would murmur; resting her chin on her other flipper. "... I know I certainly wouldn't want to separate, or say goodbye, to you guys; I want to be able to have those adventures, and spend time with you all, for as long as I can..! But..."

"... I suppose that sometimes isn't very realistic, huh?" Cassie seemed to be trying her best to empathize with Valt, and his troubles; trying to find the words in both her own emotions, and the emotions that she picked up from Valt.

Cassie, initially, would fluster at being offered a piece of the sausage; being hand-fed like this... She wasn't sure how to feel of it..! Her cheeks would turn red as she ate the offered piece of sausage; though, she couldn't help but wonder if this was, perhaps, a little bit 'close'? Either way, she wouldn't think on it for long; squeaking softly in surprise as she was snapped from her thoughts by the cheek poke, before giggling briefly.

Being called cute, though... Her cheeks would only grow redder at this; proceeding to hide her face behind her flippers, as she flopped onto her side. "Aaaaaa..!" She'd make a strained, flustered noise in her throat; though the way her tail was practically wagging at this attention was undeniable. "Gryz wasn't kidding, then...!" She'd mumble softly from behind her flippers, without necessarily thinking. Valt, indeed, found her cute... Why did that notion make her feel so sheepish, yet happy as well?

It'd take her a moment to regain her composure; rolling back upright, a little closer to Valt this time - though her cheeks were still flushed. She'd otherwise be listening closely, though, as Valt continued to speak; explaining the logic behind KIZNA's first rule - which was to not die. To live, to survive, because there were others who were waiting for you to get home safe... She would nod in understanding; it all made sense to her, really.

As he continued though, she shook her head. "It's okay to ramble, Valt... I like listening to you." The little seal would murmur; leaning against Valt's side, now. "But... I definitely would like to see you live long and happy, y'know?" She'd glance up to him - noting the scar on his neck. She couldn't help but stare briefly - perhaps long enough for Valt to notice, if he was paying attention - before glancing down at her flippers, thinking quietly.

"... What's... Reformatting, like, though?" She'd ask softly; a certain degree of hesitance to her tone. "Me and Ophi, we... This is our first life, I guess? We were born from Mom and Dad, so we've never experienced actually, well... Dying and reformatting."

At Valt's response regarding rambling, Cassie couldn't help but smile reassuringly to him; giggling softly. "Well, I mean... You're rambling because you're comfortable, right...? And rambling means you're getting all of this off your chest, too...! I'd say that it's a good thing that you're rambling, personally... Cause you're talking about your feelings, or the things you really like, or just whatever is on your mind...!" And, there was something nice in just... Listening to him. It was hard to say what about it she liked, exactly, but she enjoyed listening to people, listening to them talk about their thoughts and feelings... "Maybe it is hard for some people to say their piece, too, if someone's rambling, but... I think that it's okay if I have to wait for a tiny bit, personally."

The mention of having a family and retirement, though... Made her think perhaps a bit too hard on it; her cheeks dusting pink once more. To have cubs... ... What would her cubs be like? Would any of them be strong or tough like Mom, or Ophi... Or Valt...? Ahhhh, she couldn't help but briefly rub her face in an attempt to get her mind back on track, making a brief flustered sound into her flippers. She definitely wouldn't say that this was a bad idea; but she certainly was having a hell of a time with her nerves...!

To hear that Valt had gotten beheaded once, though... That certainly caught Cassie's attention; the Gomamon-X's eyes snapping towards him. "B-Beheaded?!" She'd exclaim; a definite hue of shock and concern over her face. Before she could question him further though, he'd briefly reassure her, and go into the subject of what reformatting is like.

The idea of dying, and then being born again, though... It... Certainly was a thought; the idea of having to adjust to a new body, of adjusting to being small again... Even the idea that, if she got big enough - then reformatted - that her new body might not be even able to handle it...! Cassie frowned deeply, at all of this; though continued to listen nonetheless...

... until Valt reached the point, where he would digivolve into XVmon...! Cassie would briefly forget her previous ambivalence to the idea of reformatting - instead feeling a certain awe in seeing this form of his, in watching him show off his large wings... Valt was quite a big 'mon, in multiple regards, it seemed. "So cool..." She'd softly breathe, to herself; unable to help but admire him.

But, it didn't take long for them to return back to the talk of the experiences of reformatting, and there came the notion that... It was possible that, whereas Valt remembered his past lives... Ophelia and Cassie might not, if they were to die. Anxiety briefly showed over Cassie's face at the thought; her claws beginning to knead at the stone beneath her in an antsy fashion. "I... ... I don't think I'd exactly want to die, even if I come back, if it means that I could end up forgetting everyone..." She'd murmur; a tinge of emotion making her voice strained. "I definitely wouldn't want to see anyone in my family die, either...!"

It seemed that the conversation was, indeed, taking quite the melancholic turn. It wasn't initially Cassie's intention, to let herself get so worried over the concept of death, and reformatting, but... The themes that surrounded it all, the changes that came with it? It all, quite understandably, spooked her. Death didn't sound pleasant to her; death sounded like, well, an end to things - to the things that made her happy. It sounded like something that any digimon should avoid; which, while on paper it sounded obvious...

... She supposed that, in a world where death meant simply being born again, that it almost seems nice at first; to be able to start again.

It certainly was the impression that her parents had taught her. Neither of them went heavily into detail of what reformatting or being egged pertained; simply that it was another start, for a digimon. As long as you weren't loaded, you wouldn't ever truly die...

... But - a small part of her mind began to argue - wasn't changing into someone else completely, down to even your memories, true death in a way?

...

... Cassie would be silent, initially, as she listened to Valt; quick to try and shove down these thoughts, and to step away from the mental spiral that she realized that she was starting to go down. It'd be selfish of her, if she made this about herself; Valt seemed like the one who needed comfort - not her - after all...!

And yet...

... She still couldn't help but find it sad, hearing the things that Valt spoke of. His worries regarding Ophelia's recklessness, the many losses that he and Ryouta have dealt with and his difficulties in coping, and even...

... His own worries, of potentially losing her.

Droplets on the stone of the bridge that they were sitting on would be what first alerted Cassie to the fact that Valt was crying. Quiet, no sobbing- yet crying nonetheless; and it all tugged at Cassie's heartstrings, on top of everything else... For how long, had Valt been hurting like this..?

Cassie would be quiet at first, having difficulty finding her words; but she would not be passive or idle, at seeing Valt cry. She'd pull herself into Valt's lap, and wrap her flippers around his torso the best she could in a hug; attempting to aggressively nuzzle his chest all the whilst. "I.. I don't know how much I can really say, to all of this..." She'd murmur; her own voice somewhat choked up with emotion "... But I... I d-don't want to say nothing, either; especially when it seems like that, you, well... That you're hurting, an awful lot..."

"... Losing so many people, so much family, it... It really seems like, well... I'd d-definitely be really sad, if so many people disappeared from my life, too!" Ah, geez- was she tearing up, too..? Cassie would begin to wipe at her eyes with a flipper; not wanting to cry, when Valt was hurting far more than she was. Her emotions could wait for a tiny bit.

"I... I get concerned about Ophi a lot, too, when she sometimes does dangerous things... I worry about her a bunch, too; though I'm not entirely sure why she pushes herself like that, either - besides that... Me and Laertes think that she might've picked it up from Mom, somewhere." Cassie would begin; resting her cheek against Valt, as she returned to hugging him proper. "Mom's kinda wild, too, even if she's more... Stoic, I guess? She's fought off rival wild digimon that were bigger than her, before; just to protect her territory, and to protect us... Maybe Ophi just, wants to be like her..?"

She'd shrug faintly, before attempting to give Valt a brief reassuring smile - mentioning "But... I've always been around to patch her up, even back at the mountains, so... Don't think she's alone, either, okay? I don't want her getting hurt, either; so I'll keep patching her up for all three of us..!"

And then, all the people who Valt had lost... "... Like I said before, losing so many people... It definitely seems like it hurts, an awful lot... I'm... I'm sorry that you've had to go through that, you know...?" Cassie would pause then, briefly; needing a moment to find her words, to find her composure. But... When she'd be able to find her words, she couldn't help but half-bury her face against his torso, as she murmured "... You've lost so many people close to you, and yet... You can't even really give yourself proper closure for the ones who went missing, can you?"

"... I do want to promise you, that I won't vanish; but... It'd hurt more, if I made that promise, and couldn't keep it, wouldn't it?" Cassie would briefly nuzzle against Valt with this; peering off towards the falling petals amongst them. "... I do want to at least say that... I'll try my best, to stick around for you, Valt. I've got Ophi looking after me, I've got Lae looking after me, I've got Skadi... We're all one big family, looking after each other; and... The two of us, we're looking after each other, too, aren't we?"

Cassie glanced up to Valt once more; trying to offer another reassuring smile. "... We're all looking after each other, so... I'll do my best to make sure I'm not going anywhere, just like they're trying their best, okay? I'll try my best, so that I don't make you cry, too..!" Looking up at Valt like this; the way her eyes were wet and shining was likely plainly visible; but... She'd still try to smile, for him.