A Minor Setback [MPC 83X|27]

"Why isn't it turning off? Why isn't working?!"

Sitting upright in her bed Raimei clutched at her face in frustration with both hands. She had woken up to find that her holosuit had turned itself on during the night. At least that's what she thought had happened. As the morning rays of sunlight crept into her room through a window she could better see what she was already privy too. Her human toes wiggled at the ends of her human feet as she stared at them through the gaps in her fingers.

This didn't feel like a holosuit.

If it was her holosuit she'd at least be clothed. Yet here she was, sitting in bed naked as the day she hatched out of her digitama. However, instead of the red skin of a punimon the only thing red right now was her face. This was not her body. Maybe the body of her holosuit if her new raven colored hair was any clue, but this felt real! An experimental tug on her long hair didn't feel like she was pulling at her Black Gabumon horn or pelt. In fact it kinda hurt, even!

Rubbing her head to ease the pain as she scrambled out of bed Raimei groaned as she saw her reflection in a small mirror on her dresser. There was no doubt about it, she had taken on her holosuit's appearance for whatever reason and become human! Out of desperation she tried to use her special abilities.

Her attempt to use Blackout projected no black energy from her mouth, however; the only thing to leave her lips was a pathetic wheeze. She couldn't even control her own shadow anymore.

"C'mon!" she shouted in exasperation as she slammed both palms down on the dresser. Rai clenched her teeth as her eyes darted around her room looking for an answer that wasn't there. Maybe there were others within the tower that had been affected like her? Even if there wasn't surely someone within the Knights might have a clue about what was happening to her.

She was also supposed to leave Vander Tower this morning to go out on patrols with one of Silence's mercs later. Being the ever dutiful soldier she was Rai wasn't going to let this development change that if it couldn't be helped. She'd just have to make do with a sword or something. ... And maybe a better fitting uniform as well. As she turned back to the dresser with a grimace on her face she fished out one of her jackets from a drawer. Since it had been made for a Gabumon to wear it would be a tight fit on her. Then there was the pants that would look like summer shorts given their length.

Raimei sighed and shook her head. This was going to be a long day.

After she got her clothing problem sorted out she had gone around Vander Tower asking if anyone had ever encountered a problem like hers. Unfortunately everyone was drawing a blank, but at least they would ask around their own contacts. Until a solution was found Raimei was determined to keep a semblance of normalcy for her own peace of mind. She headed out for patrol with Sepulchure the Leucrotamon in a brand new uniform, and with a sword and two daggers on her belt.

As the day wore on though it was becoming increasingly obvious to both Sep and herself that her human body had nowhere near the condition and stamina of her Black Gabumon form. The added weight of weapons on her belt wasn't helping either. They had to take more breaks than was normal on her behalf, and it was only making her more self conscious. Initially she had refused the Leucrotamon's offer to ride on his back, but after denying the second offer the decision ultimately seemed outside of Rai's jurisdiction.

For at least a mile he had carried her by the back of her uniform, and for at least half of that time Raimei had stubbornly tried to convince the other Knight to put her down. Normally she wouldn't be so adverse to help from others, but she was especially frustrated today all things considered. Eventually she just became silent as she begrudgingly accepted the free ride. The reprieve gave her time to catch her breath as well as brood on her situation.

For the time being this body would be her reality. She swore it wouldn't be her future, but for the present the situation couldn't be helped. With a sigh Rai glanced back over her shoulder at Sepulchure, her defiant glare having dwindled down to an indifferent stare.

"Sep, enough already. If your teeth put holes in this new uniform I'll actually have to buy it. I'll.." Her voice trailed off as her lips pursed tightly together. She was prideful, yes. However, she wasn't a lone warrior anymore. Softly, she continued, "..if it's all the same to you, I'll take that ride, now. Thanks."

After she had been moved to sit on Sepulchure's back she idly drew her sword from its sheath. The weapon was balanced for humans, but Raimei had never really trained with weapons in her holosuit before. Lightly, she ran the tip of a pinky finger down a small length of the blade's edge. As expected her skin gave way as a thin red line formed on her finger. The action caused her to wince, but she remained silent and lost in her thoughts.

Humans seemed all the more fragile now that she was one. Was this a lesson from Yggdrasil? Perhaps. Even as a Luminas born digimon she didn't believe in divine intervention. Especially not for relatively trivial reasons like this. Before her blood could dribble all the way down her pinky Rai stuck her injured finger in her mouth to suck on the wound. She had seen humans do this before, but it didn't seem to help with the pain any.

"Don't ask," she quietly told Sep as the Leucrotamon craned his head to glance back at her. He had probably smelled her blood. Returning her sword to its sheath Raimei sighed and avoided eye contact with her fellow Knight.

Maybe this wouldn't be permanent, but she was never going to live this day down.