Time to Train? [Job][Hinoka/Closed]

Hinoka knew that whomever she was working with, was already down in the tunnels. Having being told, moments before, by the Monitamon who led this station. A small box-headed Digimon, somewhere between one of those old TVs they STILL used in the school and a cheap ninja from a late-night low-budget movie.

In fact, she had purposely waited for time to pass. Just for the chance to make a flashy entrance.

After waiting a half-an-hour up top, loitering by the station entrance, watching as a whole horde of the strange little creatures boarded on or off the Trailmon. Hinoka decided enough was enough. She picked up her wooden wand which was merely a tree branch and twirled it between her fingers. Picturing in her mind, this spectacle to come.

Smirking to herself, Hinoka followed the instructions given to her by the Monitamon. After walking away from the platforms and through a side-door, which led to a deep tunnel. This tunnel and all those that led from it, were dark, dusty and clearly underused. Judging by the amount of tools lying around, it was also under maintenance. Which led to another question, why were they being asked to do this job.

Either way, after a short time and an even shorter walk. She found the very tunnel that she had been shown by the Monitamon.

Hinoka picked up the pace, turning from a walk into a jog and finally into a run. Until, in the distance, she saw a shadow of a human. Once more, she smirked to herself.

“Have no fear! I am here! The great and amazing Arch Wizard! I’m sure you know my name already, but if somehow you do not. Allow me to enlighten you! My name is...” She threw down a lit firecracker which popped excitedly at her feet for several seconds.

“Hinoka Homura! Today, I am at your service or rather, I say, you’re at mine! Because as one, we shall succeed at this arduous task!”

She continued on and just as she reached the still shadowy human shape, slipped on a slimy pipe underfoot and nearly fell on her face. Only managing to stop herself, by performing large windmills with her arms.

At the very last second, she managed to turn the almost fall into a pose, something like an action hero might do. Holding her wand up high and smirking, impressed with her own skill and daring.

As Hinoka regained her composure, after her almost fall. The ‘wand’ or rather stick pulled from the branches of a tree spinning in the palm of her hand. “Oh the leg, just a war wound. You know big battle, can’t really talk about it. Probably, too gory for your ears. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

Smirking for the third time, she added, “I am an Arch Wizard, after all.” Before stepping forward, away from the low hanging light which swung above.

“Easy there, skippy. They’ll be plenty of time for more awesome, later on,” Hinoka said, turning and pointing a finger to the little silver Digimon. Giving a quick glance to the guy who stood beside him.

“Tall, dark, mysterious… You must be… the other guy.”

She walked forward another few steps, without paying too much attention of whatever they were saying. “Oh and it’s very nice to meet you, Pooch, Mouse.”

“Yeah, probably. I am pretty in the know around here. The boss gave me a few hints. The Monitamon looked pretty… freaked out, actually. And they’re usually deadly serious too. Barely give me the time of day, like I’m just play acting this whole thing.”

The smirking Arch-Wizard turned to look at the pair, as if daring him to answer her back. “Basically, I was told to expect stinky, gross and dank… but I’m not sure if he was meaning the tunnel or… whatever lies within.”

“But whatever it is. I can handle– ”

At that second, a drop of water dripped from the ceiling, down her neck. Hinoka jumped, lost her footing for the second time and almost dropped her wand. The epic façade she was been building up broke, instantly.

“Oh, damn this place. It’s so dark and stinky. I’m a really really cool, no no, awesome, wizard. I should be going on really cool quests, like fighting giant dragons or something. Not walking through the train version of the sewer system with resting grump face and a piece of kitchen equipment.”

The young Arch Wizard’s face had turned red, almost blushingly so. But she had fallen outside of the range of the swinging light so it was hard to tell if he had noticed.

“Let’s just go, okay!”

[WC - 374]
[778/1000]

By now, her face had turned the same red color as the tunic that she wore. She turned her face away, so it feel into shadow. Pulling her wizard hat straight and straightening her cloak which had dropped several inches.

Or she thought she had hidden her blush. Until, the big idiot came closer and shined his phone right in her face. “What is your problem!”

Now a little annoyed, she threw her hand out as if to knock him away. “Anyway...” She said, coughing to avoid mentioning her blush.

“I thought you’d know that ‘Merlin’ is a great compliment. But, I’m going to be an even better wizard than him! You just wait and see.” She stood up to her full height and stared at Rex, squarely in the eyes. “Just mark my words! I’m going to be the very best Arch Wizard this world has ever seen.”

“Now, where were we,” she grumbled, ignoring his following insult about the tunnel and herself. But her mouth continued to redden as he spoke. Hinoka took several steps forward, deeper into the tunnel. But before she got too far ahead, she turned once again. Her face filled with a mix of curiosity and increasing frustration.

“That reminds me. Why are you two… so...” Hinoka paused, questioning her next words carefully. A smirk cut across her face, for the fourth time. “Like a super secret boy band? Or what, super heroes? You gonna try to save the world, Beethoven?”

After a second, she added a verbal addendum, “I only ask because the last guy didn’t have one either.”

Hinoka continued onward. The length of tunnel seemed to stretch on for who knows how long. So hopefully it wasn’t going to be too much longer of a walk. Not to mention, the longer they walked the greater, the smell was. Like a mix of week-old garbage and that abandoned and desolate house that no-one has entered for twenty years. You know the one. Not only that, but the metal piping that formed a path was growing more sticky and gross.

“So, Snoopy. You getting that same bad feeling, I’m getting?” Hinoka asked, but before she could say another word. Fate dealt the poor Arch Wizard a foul hand.

Something disgustingly soft squished her boot. Once again, Hinoka’s façade broke. She let out a high-pitch shriek and jumped backwards.

“That’s so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so gross!”

“Why me! Why me, why me,” Hinoka could be heard muttering to herself as she tried to wipe the pink goop away from the bottom of her boot on the railing.

[WC - 436]
[1214/1000]

The poor Arch Wizard was having a rough day, that’s for sure.

First, she had been forced to deal with the likes of Poochy and his pet. Now, she had stepped in something that she assumed was the digital equivalent of...

D - I - S - G - U - S - T - I - N - G!

So, in true, 'Hinoka problem-solving fashion'. The poor girl was standing on one foot. Screaming to herself whilst trying to rub away the sticky pink goop on a railing.

But it appeared the worst was yet to come. Rex had clearly seen something that Hinoka in her panic had missed. “WhAt Is WhAt!!!” Hinoka cried shrilly, still standing on one foot. But before she got a answer. She was pulled unceremoniously off the path by Rex.

“HEY! What do you think you’re doing! Unhand me! I am an Arch Wizard!!!” Hinoka said at the top of her voice. Fortunately, by this point. Rex had pulled Hinoka, down a small shaft to the side of the path. So the gross, bug-eyed monster didn’t see them.

Judging by the clutter of metal tools scattered across the grating. This area was used to store the equipment of the works during the hours maintenance wasn’t being performed.

Meanwhile, the Numemon slithered forward, slowly. Leaving a long and rather disgusting trail of green goop behind it. The body of the creature was slug-like and violently green, except for a series of large purple dots. A long pink tongue stuck out from a mouth that appeared far too large for the body and hung limply.

It paused for a second, the large stalked eyes blinking. Blood shot and uncomprehending. “So… uh… what was that? I thought I… uhhh… I thought I heard something in the tunnel.” It said, slowly.

The bulbous eyes focused on the squished pink goop with a large footprint. “Oh my. That’s not… um… um… what is the word again…” The Numemon paused and the tongue moved from side to side, as it considered.

“I should and uhhh… do something, but… uhhh I forgot.”

Smirking, Hinoka looked at Rex. “You see that, Bones. It’s not very smart. We could definitely get past it. We just need some bait.”

“How about you send your little computer mouse to distract it and then we can…” Hinoka said, picking up some of the heavy tools and imitated bonking it on the head. “Unless you have any brighter ideas?”

It was at this point that she could have mentioned her abilities to transform into a Digimon. A skill that she was still growing used too. But this plan seemed better, at least for now.

“What say you, Scooby?”

It appeared to the young Arch Wizard that Rex was proceeding with his own plan. As her own ideas had been thwarted by the age old argument, children shouldn’t be used as sacrificial lambs or something like that.

“Fine, do whatever you want. Get yourself slimed over and don’t ask for my help!” Hinoka said, crossing her arms and looking away, now frankly annoyed by his attitude. “Maybe, I will do just that,” she spat back at his remark to ‘attack if she wanted’.

But before she could do anything, Rex stood up and moved out from their hiding place. A wrench clutched in his hand. “Yeah, beat that slug, you mutt!” Hinoka muttered, a smirk filled with excitement cut across her face.

It soon became clear that this was not his plan, though. He approached the Numemon and began to speak to it in a calm and civil sort of manner. The bloodshot eyes focused on Rex and took him in. The long lulling tongue moved from one side of the enormous mouth to the other, licking the sides of the green lips.

“Uhhhh… a party? I can’t believe it!” The Numemon said. Hinoka began to move, thinking the game was up and Rex was about to be attacked by the slug monster. But it opened its mouth again. Its eyes seemed to sparkle. “I…. I… can’t believe the boss remembered my birthday!

Hinoka paused, mid-movement. Not sure what to make of this development. Rex, meanwhile was continuing his plan. With a very basic ‘what was that’, he pointed and threw the metal wrench across the tunnel. It clanged loudly and the Numemon turned his body, distracted for a second.

“You think? Huh. Well, I got a better plan,” Hinoka said, smirking. She stood up and began to fumble in her tunic. Pulling from a pocket, the red device that she had received on her first day in the Digital World. The golden runes cut into the body of the device, glittered oddly. “You should probably wait here. It might get messy.”

Without any trace of fear, Hinoka stepped out and moved in front of Rex. “You might wanna back it up, Clifford. I wouldn’t want your fur to get singed.”

She raised the device and cried to the tunnel. “Spirit Evolution!”

A white light surrounded Hinoka’s body and subsequently filled rest of the dull tunnel. The robe, hat and tunic were replaced by brown-copper like armor. Her hair turned bright orange and puffed up and became ever more wild, like living flames. As did a tail with grew outwards. The end glittered like a series of burning embers. “What say you now, dog boy?”

“I am Hinoka. I am your undoing. I will be the final thing you see!” With a wild flourish, she span her staff which had replaced her wand. A red jewel floated at the end, glittering in the shadows. “Now, let me show you what I mean! Soon you will wish that you have never met me.”

“Woah, you look cool. Uhh…. Like a night light.”

A devilish look crossed Hinoka’s face. “Baby Salamander!” The Arch Wizard held the staff out and a series of bright orange flames erupted from the end in the shape of a dragon's head.

The flames stuck the ugly slug monster before it had chance to move. Although judging by the intelligence of this one. It likely would not have mattered in the slightest. For a second, the Numemon was bright and engulfed in dancing flames. roared in pain and then fell over. Slammed into the pipe wall and fell down, to ooze, sadly.

"Uhhhh... you could have just asked..."

“Oh yeah! How was that! I totally got him!” Hinoka said, taking a moment to revel in her defeat of their foe.

“Come on, Pluto, Mouse. Let’s go. Before more of them come.” After a second of excited jumping up and down, Hinoka ran forward deeper into the tunnel, pausing for a second to add. “Oh and Happy Birthday!”

The limp Numemon moved a little but made no reply.