Learn from the Wise [Makoto]

Things were peaceful and quiet in the woods, as Makoto made their way along; wandering as usual, to see just what they may find - or who they might meet, for that matter - away from the beaten path. Already, having met a variety of people out here in the Eastern Timberlands had made these aimless wanderings quite worth it - and though Makoto would likely want to move on from the woodlands to newer pastures at some point, there was no harm in sticking around to what was still familiar to them for a little longer, right?

Especially when it was such a nice morning; the fox being unable to help taking in a deep breath to simply enjoy the crisp air, and the lingering scents of rain from when it showered the night before. They didn't mind that the earth, moss, and leaves underfoot were damp - instead simply admiring the dew that clung to every leaf and blade of grass, and the muted colors of the early morning sky - the sun casting a warm glow over everything as it begun its ascent through the sky.

There was a certain quiet and sleepiness that hung over the place - as if even the woods itself were still slowly and gradually stirring, awakening bit by bit to greet the morning. Perhaps that was why mornings like these were among Makoto's favorite things about living in the Eastern Timberlands. Especially during the fall, when the leaves were turning colors and drifting down, and when they could sit out on their porch to admire the falling rain with a nice cup of tea...

However, all of that tranquility would be suddenly disturbed, when the distant sound of crashing, of branches breaking, of leaves rustling, and of things thudding to the ground broke through it - easily picked up by Makoto's sensitive ears. The Renamon-X would blink and perk up some, standing to attention as they glanced in the direction that the sounds had been coming from - though just as suddenly as the crashing had started, the sounds would have stopped; the woods falling quiet once more, but with a more... Eerie and forboding edge, to it all.

What was that ruckus all about...? Had a fight broke out? It certainly sounded too brief to be a fight - so perhaps something like an old tree had fallen over? Without any proper answers or explanations, Makoto supposed that the only thing they could do was investigate the situation themself - keeping to the shadows of the trees as they moved quickly and carefully, being mindful of any twigs that could snap underfoot as they moved. Though they were pretty sure that the sounds weren't from a fight, that didn't mean that there wasn't potential danger nearby - and so they had to be careful.

However, it seemed that there was no danger to be spoken of here. There were no massive digimon crashing or rampaging about, and the ground underfoot still seemed to be as stable as ever. No, what Makoto would soon find, as they made their way towards the direction of the sounds, was instead an unconscious Spadamon - collapsed on the ground with what must've been his sword, surrounded by pieces of debris from the trees above and a nearby cliff!

"Oh dear..." Immediately, concern flickered over Makoto's face, as they ran over to the lion cub's side; kneeling next to him, as they looked him over for any signs of injury. Just a glimpse at the cliffside was enough to tell that he fell pretty far - though thankfully, it seemed as though the branches above had contributed to breaking his fall. For the most part, the only visible injuries that Makoto could find on him were some shallow cuts and scrapes; though it stood to reason that the Spadamon might also be reasonably bruised and sore from the fall. Nothing appeared seriously deep, though; and nothing appeared to be broken, either.

A sigh of relief would escape Makoto, at this conclusion; happy to see that this Rookie - who looked pretty young - wasn't too terribly hurt, at least at a glance. It was likely the Spadamon would be able to walk this off mostly okay with a little bit of rest, if Makoto had to guess - though they would make the decision to remain at his side nonetheless. The risks of internal injuries or a concussion were still a possibility, after all; and they weren't exactly keen on just leaving a poor young Digimon unconscious on the forest floor, like this.

With that in mind, Makoto would take a seat against a nearby tree - supporting the Spadamon's head on their lap, as they took the time to clean and bandage up the cuts and scrapes, and also run their claws through his fur and mane; plucking out any leaves and debris that were clinging or tangled up in it. How long would it be, before the Spadamon woke up, they wondered?

And how would young Kitt react, to waking up to being fussed over by Makoto like this?

As Makoto tended to Kitt - cleaning and bandaging any open cuts or scrapes, as well as grooming his fur with their claws - it wouldn't take long before the young cub began to stir. As Kitt groaned in pain, sympathy would cross Makoto's expression - and they would gently pet the top of his head - taking a moment to shift some locks of hair from his mane out of his face - and softly hush him in a soothing tone, "Shhhhh, it's okay..." both of which to try and comfort him.

It was more than likely that Kitt would be in pain, Makoto knew; a fall from that height certainly wasn't pleasant, even with the branches breaking his fall, and a digimon's natural resilience. It hurt Makoto, to see that a young digimon was hurting - and if they could, they'd take all that pain away. Though, for now, all they could do was tend to the little cub to the best of their ability; lacking the proper means to heal wounds like some digimon could.

Eventually though, Kitt began to move - shifting his body, moving his limbs. As he winced, Makoto would stroke a hand along Kitt's hurt arm - gently easing it back down - and murmuring "Take it slow and easy, dear; you just took a big fall, I imagine you're hurting pretty bad right now..." Though their tone was very low and quiet though, it was likely that a beast digimon like Kitt would have the keen ears to pick up on it. Although, Makoto also wasn't sure as to just how aware the young Spadamon was right now; he seemed somewhat out of it, which was quite understandable, given what had happened to him.

However, before long, Kitt would find his bearings - and in glancing up, the two's eyes would meet.

As Kitt yelped and scooted away, Makoto would blink a bit owlishly in surprise - but the subsequent fall and yelp of pain would quickly turn that surprise into distinct concern. Hopefully, nothing was sprained - though they had a suspicion that Kitt's bad shoulder might've been. As the Spadamon gave a nervous wave and a hello though, Makoto would offer a gentle and reassuring smile in turn - responding "Hello, darling. How are you feeling? Can you tell me your name?"

It was probably a pretty obvious question - though Makoto wanted to hear it from Kitt himself, so that they had a good stock of his condition. It was pretty clear that the cub was a somewhat skittish fella, though; something that the Renamon-X would take into consideration. "I'm going to move closer and look you over, okay? I just want to make sure there aren't any cuts or scrapes that I missed, when I was bandaging you up." They'd inform Kitt, as they scooted a little closer, to better examine him - a claw gently combing through his fur to check for any injuries underneath. "Is there anywhere specific that's in pain? How's your head feeling?"

As Kitt spoke, Makoto would smile gently - comfortingly - and nod in understanding. "It's my pleasure to help out, darling; and it's very nice to meet you, even if the circumstances aren't exactly ideal." They'd respond, a brief moment of concern flashing across their face as they saw Kitt wince and clutch his head. Scooting closer, they'd pet a hand over Kitt's head in a gesture of comfort; claws gently brushing through his mane, in an almost motherly fashion.

As Makoto looked Kitt over proper though, they'd be satisfied to see that they hadn't missed any cuts or scrapes - all the while quietly listening to the young cub describe how he was feeling, and nodding along in acknowledgement. "It's good you protected your head," They'd comment - even for digimon, concussions could be serious - before continuing "Though it sounds like you're going to need some rest, before you set off again - your arm especially, I'd hazard a guess that you sprained your shoulder." On top of that, it was likely they'd want to keep an eye on Kitt for awhile, just to make sure that his head is doing alright.

Upon being asked for their name though, Makoto would blink, before smiling gently to Kitt - warm and friendly. "My name is Makoto; I'm a traveler from Rosewood. I'm sorry that I don't have any healing abilities to ease your discomfort - but I'll stay by your side for the time being." They'd introduce themself and explain.

Befor elong though, Makoto would continue - questioning "Do you have a place to stay, anywhere near here? You don't strike me as being from Rosewood - though if you have a place you can rest up at, be it yours or a friend's, I'm more than happy to escort you. If not, well..." Lightly chuckling, a humorous hue crossing their face, Makoto would add "... It's certainly not the first time I've had a visitor crash at my place for a bit, if you're willing."

The humor would soon fade back into a gentle and concerned kindness though, as they concluded "I do want to make sure that you'll be alright, though. Even if you protected your head, you still seem pretty dazed, so I don't feel comfortable leaving you on your own, dear; especially not out here, in the wilderness."

"Do you think you can stand? It's okay if you have to hang onto me, for support. Or would you rather I carry you, if we decide to make the trip to Rosewood?"

What a cute cub; Makoto couldn't help a fond smile and chuckle at the way that Kitt would purr at their touch, continuing to gently pet and scritch the top of Kitt's head. He seemed young, at least as far as first impressions went - though likely plenty old enough to take care of himself if need be, given that he was a rookie. Idly, as they continued to comb their claws, they'd pluck out any lingering bits that they had missed from before and undo any tangles in Kitt's mane; humming a soft tune to themself all the while...

... Before proceeding to blink to themself a bit, as they realized that they got wrapped up in their own thoughts! Sheepishly chuckling, they'd bring their claws away from Kitt's mane - mentioning "Ah; pardon me, dear. I think I spaced out, for a minute there."

As Kitt smiled up to them though, Makoto would smile back, reassuringly. "Oh, darling; don't you worry your head off." They'd say with a dismissing wave of the hand, continuing "I've been mostly wandering here and there, with no particular goal in mind; so you're of no trouble or disruption to me, okay?" Makoto would conclude this by giving Kitt a gentle 'boop' on the nose with their tail, chuckling humorously as they did.

Though, it would sound as though Kitt didn't exactly have anyplace to go; his friends and family alike living quite a way's away from Rosewood, let alone the Eastern Timberlands in general. The mention of Ys would make Makoto's ears perk curiously, though; having heard of the city, and the group that stations there, from gossip and the like. Was this cub related to KIZNA at all? It'd certainly be interesting, if that was the case. As Kitt accepted Makoto's offer to crash at their place, though, and thanked them for their hospitality, the Renamon-X would smile and nod; tearing away from those thoughts. "Of course, darling; it's the least I could do for an injured traveler."

An injured traveler probably shouldn't be trying to push themself, though. As Kitt attempted to be independent by insisting he could walk on his own, Makoto would stand up with a slightly concerned expression; not about to argue with Kitt if he was sure that he could handle it, but also not being entirely sure if he was in any state to walk around. Their concerns would be confirmed though, as Kitt began to sway on his feet - prompting him to move back to their side, and cling onto them, much to his embarrassment.

At this, Makoto would chuckle lightly; gently patting Kitt on the shoulder, before bringing their tails around to wrap around the back of his waist, to help steady him. "Eaaasy there; it's quite alright, darling." They'd reassure Kitt - adding "Even strong digimon can get hurt and need rest; you're not going to heal any faster if you try to push yourself past your limits, though." He might end up hurting himself if he tries to push himself too hard, in fact...!

Though, Makoto would leave that remark unsaid - instead simply beginning to walk at a casual pace, keeping him steadied with their tails all the while. "You sound like quite the adventurer, though, to have been to so many places." They instead commented, smiling with visible interest. "Perhaps you could tell me about the things you've seen and done, while we walk? Or..." Their expression turning slightly cheeky and humorous, they'd add "Maybe you could tell me about any preferences in tea or sweets? If I'm going to have a guest, I'd ought to be a good host!"

Once more, Makoto smiled gently to Kitt as he apologized; visibly endeared at his polite and friendly nature. Reaching down, they would give Kitt a brief and gentle pat on the head, softly praising "Such a nice and polite young man; if you'd like, you can show me plenty of just how strong you are when you're feeling better, alright dear?" Their smile growing warmer as they made the suggestion, they'd conclude "Just take it easy for now; don't want you falling over or hurting your shoulder any more."

Makoto's tails were long, bushy, and soft to the touch underneath his fingers, Kitt would soon likely find as he hung onto them; they prided themself on how well groomed they kept their fur, after all..! The touch would make their tails twitch a bit in surprise though, as Makoto glanced down to Kitt, before smiling fondly. "I'll match your pace the best I can, alright darling? Just let me know if I'm going too slow or too fast."

Before long though, there was the talk of Kitt's adventures; to which Makoto would listen closely. It was clear that they were quite interested, if their pricked ears swiveled in his direction - even when they were looking elsewhere to make sure neither of them tripped on anything - were of any indication. The mention of Ebonwumon, and the incident at Rosewood, would make Makoto perk up though - their attention gotten, from the looks of things. "Ah... I recall that incident." Makoto would hum, sighing and shaking their head briefly. "It could've ended up quite the mess; I am happy that there were good noble digimon there to help out."

"Though..." Glancing down to Kitt, they'd question rhetorically "I had heard of a lion digimon - a GrapLeomon, I believe - being among those helping out; you were that lion?" Smiling gently, although also with a hint of concern, they'd pat Kitt on the head - concluding "Such a brave young man; I wish we didn't have to rely on the youth so much for these situations - you should be able to have a childhood free of such stressors - but I'm, nonetheless, thankful to know good digimon like yourself are helping to keep people safe."

And what better way to show that thankfulness, than with sweets? As Kitt perked up at the mention of treats, Makoto couldn't help a warm laugh; nodding in understanding, as he mentioned his favorite being cinnamon rolls. "I think I've got a recipe for cinnamon rolls sitting around somewhere; I'll have to dig it out, once we get home."

And speaking of getting home... Makoto could see a river up ahead, in backtracking their way back towards Rosewood. On their own, it would be easy to jump across - though in Kitt's current state, it wasn't likely that he'd be able to traverse the creek with the same ease. The solution would be quite easy, though; Makoto briefly conjuring a pair of fiery rings by flicking the tips of their claws in a circular motion. One ring would be 'thrown' to the other side of the river, whilst the other would be placed just in front of them - enlarging into a doorway-sized portal, that'd easily lead the duo to the other side! "Watch your step, darling."

Smiling wryly down to Kitt as they passed through the portal, Makoto would question "What do you think of that, dear? This old fox might not be Sovereign-aiding material, but I still got a few tricks up my sleeve~" before softly chuckling.

Seeing Kitt become flustered and sheepish, Makoto couldn't help a warm laugh. "Such a humble young man." They'd muse in response to him insisting that it was nothing, briefly giving the top of his head a light ruffle. "I still appreciate that you stepped in for our sake, though, Kitt darling."

With that though, they'd be off through the woods - and soon coming across a river, which Makoto used their portal to cross with ease. They could feel the tight grip on their tails from Kitt as he carefully stepped through - though they paid it little mind, given that the tails were well-cushioned. Instead, what caught Makoto's eye was the way that Kitt's expression lit up with a youthful curiosity; something that brought a fond smile to the older fox's face. Children were always so endearing, and their excitement was always so contagious to Makoto as well.

And it was no different here - as Kitt began to excitedly speak up over Makoto's portals, the Renamon-X would gently laugh; smiling brightly. "I'm happy that you're so enthused over them, darling." They'd respond, as the both of them continued walking onwards. "I used to be quite the troublesome little vixen when I was younger, and that was my trump card for getting out of trouble - or for getting into trouble - to say the least..!" Laughing briefly, Makoto couldn't help but think back - musing over when they used to be quite the thief... In a way, they still had that spark and urge to cause a little mischief from time to time - though they would say that they have mellowed out just a little bit since then.

Old habits were hard to break, sometimes.

The mention about their portals being like Digi-ports, though, would make Makoto hum a little. "They're sort of like Digi-ports, yes. Although Digi-ports are more long-distance than my portals are." Makoto would respond thoughtfully, tapping their chin a bit. "Though I have a little more flexibility for how I can place my portals, I still can only throw them so far, and I still need to wait to use them again, even if it isn't a very long waiting period."

"However," Smiling wryly, Makoto would briefly form a folded fan from what looked to be shadows - the object wispy and pitch black, yet solid in the fox's hands. "That doesn't mean that I can't get creative with my portals."

As if to prove their point, Makoto would place a portal flat on the ground just to their left, and then another flat against the side of a nearby tree trunk. With a deft flick of their wrist, they would throw the shadow-fan into the tree portal with a practiced precision. As soon as the fan would disappear into that portal though, it would pop upwards out of the portal on the ground; clearly having maintained its momentum, as Makoto snatched the fan out of the air. "Any tool at your disposal can have creative applications, if you think outside the box a little. Think it over a little on your own time, darling."

"But, enough about me." With a flick of their wrist, Makoto would dismiss the fan and the portals, before glancing back to Kitt with a warm smile. "I noticed that you have quite a unique weapon - certainly different from what most Spadamon have, if I recall correctly." They'd comment, gesturing to Kitt's Blue Queen. "Mind telling me a bit about that weapon of yours? I don't believe I've ever seen a digimon with a weapon quite like that."

Makoto chuckled, nodding to Kitt. "You get it - or launching myself by jumping from up high, into a portal below. The momentum is preserved between my portals, after all." They'd respnd with a wry smile, their tails swishing contentedly. "Although, you shouldn't sell yourself short, either, dear. You have plenty of useful abilities or tools, I'm sure." Winking in a somewhat cheeky fashion and lightly tapping their temple, they'd conclude "The question is just thinking outside of the box to figure out what those useful applications are."

Before long though, the subject of Kitt's Blue Queen came up - to which Makoto would listen curiously, nodding along in understanding and acknowledgement. "It's okay, darling; don't hurt yourself, okay?" They'd reassure Kitt with a gentle pat on his good shoulder - smiling warmly. "I'm happy enough to just talk about it, and you can always show me when you're feeling better."

"In any case... It sounds like your Blue Queen packs quite the punch, if it causes that much recoil." They'd hum in observation, looking the weapon over. The make of it didn't ring any bells in particular - so it was hard to say who, what, or how Blue Queen was made. Though, the colors certainly were Spadamon colors - albeit that was the most Makoto could glean from just observing the weapon. "Does the fuel replenish on its own, or do you have to refill it manually?"

Though... It seemed that Kitt - and those he'd show the weapon to - didn't have much of a clue about his own weapon either; only that he had it ever since he became a Rookie, and that it seems to 'hum' in Digi-code related to Kitt. Makoto would make a thoughtful expression, idly tapping their chin as they pondered it over. "Hmm... Trying to go someplace quiet like out here, to try and get 'in tune' with the Blue Queen, might be the best way of going about figuring it out on your own; you could always try some meditation, once you're feeling well enough, although..."

For a few moments longer, Makoto would tap their chin, before glancing over to Kitt. "Have you considered - instead of taking it to a blacksmith - perhaps seeking out someone who is more magically or spiritually inclined, to see what they make of your Blue Queen?" They'd suggest, continuing "If it's not an ordinary weapon, I imagine someone who understands magic, the spirits of our world, or even the 1's and 0's that make us up, would better understand what's going on than your average blacksmith."