I'm a Senpai Now? (Open)

LJ then thought back to what he said earlier about one of his dads and found it strange that Kaya didn't seem to notice anything odd about him. Everyone else except for Hawkeye had likely seen through him. 'Looks like when bragging I have to be more careful in the future. Most humans are likely to suspect something is odd about me so I have to work on passing for a human more.' LJ thought as he contemplated just telling Kaya he was a digimon since she was aware of them but was that the best idea though?

LJ noticed that Tetsu had brought out his phone again after mentioning a place that knew about digimon that would be best to get there by bus and began talking to the owner of said establishment. LJ couldn't help overhearing the conversation but looked as if he was oblivious to the other half of the conversation so as not to look like he had super hearing as humans didn't usually have hearing as good as some digimon.

Yeah, no, that part is definitely not right at all. Tetsu and his two friends just looked at him with expression that says 'uhuh, we got it, no worries'. Someone else would have done the bragging in different way. Mixing truth with lies is the way of bragging, but Luneth goes completely the truth that Tetsu could easily guess that he's a Digimon. Way too easily.

Either that or a really tall liar, so tall that if he's Pinocchio, his nose going to grow taller than Tower of Babel.

And upon the confirmation, Tetsu just made a warm expression of zen before answering. "Yep, guessed that, miles away. You're bragging too much for your own good. Someone who can lift three adults with that body? No way. That's at least four times your own body weight. Unless you have olympic body level of physique or body like mine, impossible you could do it. Not only you didn't catch yourself from blabbing too crucial of information, you ended up double downing on your mistake....

Though you know... holosuit are designed to be realistically human. So it kiiiiiiiiind of seals most of your Digimon power. So the moment you said you can lift three alone, that's already a flag. I guess LJ is in the same boat. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a Digimon too."

Hikaru have told him that holosuit's parameters are based on what you decide your form as. Hikaru's parameters does not take a sudden dip because his holosuit, under his own choice, a normal Dorumon. But it still seals most of his actives and his combat passives. The wings size difference means he only can hover in said form. 

"What, so you haven't told her and you still bragged anyway? Did you have crush on her or something?" Sora asked.

"Sora, that's so direct!" Kazu told her in surprise.

"Well I dunno, I'm just tossing things, seeing if it gonna stick. But anyway, now that our destination is fixed, let's go!"

Once Kaya returned, Tetsu carried Sora first to the bus stop. After waiting about three minutes, a bus came and opened it's doors for them. Thankfully, today the bus isn't full at all, and they immediately could find double seat. Tetsu decided to took the back seat wtih Sora and Kazu, knowing well that it'll be easier to get out if they ride on this spot. After they arrived to Scramble Crossing, or at least close enough, he guided the way...

"...Oh just so that you know... There's this thing that apparently called curse of Scramble Crossing. It's a curse where you got lost and suddenly, and accidentally entered quite the... raunchier kind of shop... apparently! Now how that happened I dunno. Just a local myth among chosens though!" Tetsu informed.

Thankfully none of that happened and they immediately found the shop. It looked like a cozy spot. The floor is made out of wood, the tables are well polished and clean. There are currently two workers there. A short haired girl and a longer haired girl. One looked sportier, while another looked more feminine. But both looked quite identical, twins perhaps.

"Ah, Ino-nee, Kizu-nee!"

"Oh, isn't it Tecchan! It's been a long time since you last came here! ....Did you got taller?" the one with shorter hair commented, trying to gauge his height with hers. "....Muuu, even Tecchan is growing taller. Not enough that you're beefy but now also tall? This is unfair.... My little cousin is turning into a hunk. He's no longer cute, hueeee. Inori-chan, Inori-chan, comfort meeee~~~" the one with shorter hair hugged her long haired sister.

"A hunk who I luckily nabbed quickly!" Sora answered with a grin.

"Official already?" the long haired one asked with a gentle smile. "Congratulations. Looks like Tecchan isn't as dense as we thought. If it's Ryou-nii, he'd probably still clueless even if someone attempted to flirt with him so directly like you did.... But I must indeed say that it saddens this oneechan a bit you grew up so fast... hic."

"Quit it with the fake tears... I dunno what with you two and your desire to have younger sibling... eh well. Anyway, have Ryou-nii told you guys?" Tetsu asked

"Oh, right, we have. Today's code is... 'When the dragon eats a cold cheesecake'..."

"'...It'll spins three times in joy'."

"Ufufu, that's right. You can go to over there then." Inori points at a back door. "Now now, Kizuna-chan, let's return to work before we got scolded shall we?"

"But Tecchaaan..."

"Yes, yes, it's alright, it's alright... Yoshi yoshi..."

Tetsu just smiled wryly and heads toward the backroom door. When the door is opened, there are several Digimons and humans already inside, enjoying their meal and chitchatting. There are several cakes in display, and the worker inside seem to be Digimon rather than human. Free from prying eyes, this secret room seem to be only for chosen and Digimon.

Tetsu picked a huge table with comfortable cushioned chairs. He first sat Sora down and took a seat himself.

"Welcome to Le Petit Draco," a Vorvomon greeted and passed the menu to them. "Please do call us with the bell if you have decided your order. Your complimentary tea will be here soon. What tea would you like, dear customer?"

"I think some iced lemon tea would be nice." Tetsu answered.

"Will do! Please excuse us then!"

Tetsu then pointed his phone at the seat beside him.

"Gryz, Re-Arise"

Then on the chair next to him, Gryz appeared, looking as composed as usual. The blue colored Bearmon variant looked slightly sleepy.

"Mmmm, joyful, joyful! After nap I got to eat some cakes! Yes, yes, very joyful occassion this is! I'm beary happy, yes!"

"You really like this shop's cakes after all, huh? Anyway, I think I'm going to order some salisbury steak with rice. What about you guys?"

"I'll just take some baked salmon sandwich." Sora answered.

"Oh oh! Give me BLT! I think I'd like two portion of them." Kazu answered.

"Mmm, the usual for me," Gryz answered.... Salmon steak with sides of bread? Yes, that."

There were some who would call Isa Miyako paranoid for assuming that the light in general would harm her. Those people were idiots that didn't realize the very real potentiality that everyday life would cause harm. Also, they were morons for assuming that she couldn't pull off a jacket.

Either way, it had been a good day at school for the most part. Well, branching out from being homeschooled to proper schooling had been a much smoother transition than she had thought it was going to be, so she figured some lunch with Mantis would be nice.

So, how'd she end up in Le Petit Draco? ...Well, turns out the Digimon had recalled a place for Chosen to eat at. Nice? Nice. There were memories from Mantis' time as Kappy that were turning out to be more useful than Miyako had thought.

That's how they got here for the present moment, both the albinistic chosen and her Kotemon enjoying some sandwiches at a table right next to a particularly large one. The Kotemon looked up from his sandwich, and seemed like he was about to say some vitriol, except he recognized...someone.

"Gryz." Miyako swallowed a piece of sandwich. "Who?" "Old friend. Over there." He pointed. Oh. ...Well, that was neat. Maybe Miyako'd probably be able to make more chosen friends. Maybe.

"Right, I guess that's all. Mmmm, Can I also ask for a fruit juice? Let's see... I think for spring, I'd like some strawberry juice." Tetsu told the Digimon waiter.

"Certainly! I'll repeat your order, please make sure that the number is right..." and he began to repeat the order. Tetsu nodded right after, confirming that the number is correct. "Very well, we'll bring your order as soon as possible. For the meantime, please enjoy your drinks!"

As they wait in the shop, Gryz gently hummed a tune while beating his belly. Of course the sound that came out isn't as pronounced because all the furs. But at the very least he seems to be very much relaxed. That's when he heard something from the other side of the place. "Oh, Kappy-- ah wait, Agito told us to call you Mantis now. Long time no see," he waved, then approached the Kotemon. "I'm glad that you're still around. Is this one... Miyako, was it? Good to meet you, young lady. Gryz is my name. Just a regular teddy bear," he joked, and fofered a paw for a handshake.

"Huh, that was Kappy, huh..." Tetsu mused, rubbing his chin. "I didn't expect him to be here..."

"What with the guy?" Kazu asked. I heard he also changed his name or something?"

"...It's complicated matter... But... let's just say that he's on his second life."

"Second life... huh."

"Digimons works in reincarnation system. There are those who kept their personality of old... but there are alos who are completely born into new form and new life. Sometimes, when you reincarnated, there are times where you'd rather put your past behind.... So they took new identity and name them differently. The son of this cafe's owner's Digimon--I mean, Ryou-nii's partner, is like that. Before he was a Dracomon named Ryu, but after a certain event he decided to rename himself Valt, and is now a Vmon. Valt is indeed Ryu, as he still have Ryu's memory... but... Valt insists that he's now Valt, and that he have left his past identity for the sake of new one. Even if everything else is pretty much the same.. the circumstances are different."

"What are your view about it? I mean... someone who tossed away their past for their current self?" Sora asked.

".........to be honest...  the moment they assumed a new identity, whether it's because lack of memory, or decided to move on... I'd honor that. You know what makes an identity for someone?"

"Isn't it their heart?" Kazu asked.

"Hmmm, wouldn't that be memory? Even if their base personality the same, if the memory is different, don't you think that identity is different altogether?" Sora asked.

"You two aren't wrong, really... 'Sense of Self'... in other word, your 'Ego' is created by both of them. If you have the memory but not the heart, then you're pretty much like... watching a movie of someone's life. if you have the heart but not the memory, then you won't quite understand what brings you to that point of life, and sometimes your action could be really different from what happened if you have both... and if you lack both? You're guaranteed to be another person entirely."

"So you're saying...?" Kazu asked.

"The moment a Digimon assumes a new identity after a death, at that point it's best to just respect that... and that they're no longer their past self. If you keep clinging on them without respecting their wishes, then you're just selfishly imposing your own ideal upon their own."

"...But what if they have done really unspeakable things?" Sora countered. "...Should we just forgive them?"

"...That's a topic that honestly have been questioned so many times... Like, revenge... at that point, should you get revenge at them? Or should you just forgive them? But personally... this is my opinion, alright? In case that they have the memory, but they become a clean slate in personality, at that point they are also a victim. Imagine waking up and suddenly you know that you have killed so many people. The disconnect might makes you think it's a dream, but the surrealness will slap you and make you live on with that guilt. Aren't you a victim?

If you don't have the memory... but the heart... i'd argue that everyone in this world is born innocent. So without the memory and pain that causes them to change into whatever monster they were... if you came to them and try to enact your vengeance at them, doesn't that also makes them a victim?

Of course at a point if they lose both their memory and heart as the previous Digimon, and you still come at them, that makes you no different than a lunatic that will only get target painted on your back." Tetsu answered. "Either way, revenge targeted at a derivative reincarnation of a dead Digimon is honestly, to me, is something that will only destroy you, as at that point they're new person entirely. You'd be no different from the one you swore to destroy."

"This is some philosophical talk huh?" Kazu mused wryly.

"I mean they taught this in Ys. Moral and Ethics on Digtal Lifeform, it's called." Tetsu answered, shrugging. "This reminds me when they told us to sit and play a shitty game where a daughter is looking for her father's killer to get a revenge and it becomes all out revenge between two party, innocent people got puled. Ugly it was. But it was definitely a lesson how grief and revenge is played."

For someone who didn't get out very often, it might usually be seen as fairly difficult to enjoy themselves. But for someone who usually stayed out of the outdoors for very valid reasons, Miyako was actually enjoying herself a lot more than she thought.

It felt like some weird sort of adventure, even if it was mundane. Miya looked up as the person Mantis addressed addressed him right back, first calling him by the name of the dead partner, and then the name he picked when Miya had caused him to hatch.

"Yes. It has been a while, it's good to see you're doing well." Miyako would accept the paw, snickering a bit. "It's nice to meet you too." She nodded. Upon hearing the reincarnation talk start, though, Mantis felt he should at least help explain things a little bit. So, he in turn would hop up and move over.

"...Most have reasons behind assuming a new identity. Be it the lack of memories or the need to cope with those memories. In my case...I had a rather gruesome loss. And I felt like I had died with that loss. So, when I hatched again thanks to Miyako--my current partner, I felt like keeping the identity of Kappy...was disrespectful to him, and to his partner."

His greatest failure.

...

"It genuinely depends on the Digimon, though. If they seek repentance for anything they did, even if it's not 'them' anymore, then I wager they're innocent. But like I said, it depends. Revenge itself is a bitter draught. One that eats at you until you're an empty husk. Like I am."

Miyako by this point had gotten up and walked over herself.