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Makoto
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Tsukistar
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Post by Makoto on Jun 5, 2021 3:53:14 GMT
As Zack coughed and staggered, Makoto would press their side close to him protectively - briefly peering over him 'through' the mask that was characteristic of any Reppamon. Given that they were sizeable - large enough to ride atop the back of - in this form, it was easy to provide some support to the staggering young man. "Deep breaths, Zack." They'd speak reassuringly as he wheezed, even if rough with the faintest of growl as they turned their gaze up towards the boughs above. "Kuro is keeping an eye out for her. It'll keep her safe, if anything happens."
And indeed, it didn't take long for Marigold and Kuro to find the perpetrator - a Wormmon, perched atop a branch in the higher portion of the canopy. The shadow was initially ready to strike - to reach out to Makoto so that they could empower it and allow it to make quick work of the insect digimon, before Marigold could get herself hurt. However, as the link was made to convey to Makoto what it was seeing...
... It'd also see Marigold digivolving once more, this time to Rookie stage. As the newly-digivolved bee charged forward at the Wormmon, she'd manage to send the larva digimon tumbling down from the canopy, to the forest floor below!
All the while though, Makoto - who was focusing on the link that they and Kuro shared - would be faced with the decision of whether to leave the Wormmon to Marigold, or whether to step in. A digimon who was plenty willing to prey upon humans was dangerous - letting it go could mean that the digimon will either ambush other humans or weak digimon all the same, or even live to eventually digivolve and become even more of a threat as well. Makoto held no qualms about having to kill the Wormmon, for the safety of others.
However, would Marigold or Zack - one being such a young child, and the other still learning about the Digital World and Digimon as whole - be able to live with that?
... Deciding to step in, Makoto would speak to Zack as they stepped towards the fallen Wormmon, a metallic hiss being heard as their multiple bladed tails slid against one another in preparation. "... If we allow this Wormmon to go free, it's likely that it will prey upon other humans and weaker travelers - you are likely not the first human it's attacked, for it to be so bold. And if this Wormmon is to digivolve, then it will only become all the more dangerous."
It was all the same logic that one would apply to a wild animal, who has become unafraid of humans in the Human World; such an animal could seriously hurt other humans, if it becomes angered or hungry, after all. A feral digimon who has become unafraid of travelers or humans was the same way; and were perhaps even more dangerous this way, given the nature of a digimon. This would likely be a grim and thankless task, but it was necessary to keep the roads safe.
With this in mind, Makoto would intercept Marigold's dive at the Wormmon; batting the bee away with the flat side of their tails as gently as they could, and using a single paw to pin down the Wormmon. "Allow me to handle this, darlings; I'd rather that the blood not be on either of yours' hands." They'd state simply, before glancing over to them, requesting "... And I'd suggest looking away, for the both of yours' sakes."
Would the duo attempt to interfere, or would they do as Makoto asked?
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Post by supesman on Jun 5, 2021 17:32:18 GMT
Zack stepped up and placed a hand on Reppamon's shoulder. His face was hard, his expression solid like he wanted to make it known on no uncertain terms that what he was going to say was exactly what he meant. His eyes however, his eyes were sparkling with a deep and potent emotion, the blue color of them almost seeming to shine in the air around them as he found the words to speak.
"Stop. Please." He said, pushing with his hand to try and get the Reppamon to move off of the downed worm without trying to shove them. "You told me that wild, feral digimon are just like animals. They're hungry and they're ravenous and they'll do whatever it takes to find their next meal...and I won't condemn an animal for simply doing what comes naturally." he said, picking a stick up off the ground and banging it against the trunk of the nearest tree so as to spook it off back into the underbrush as if he were trying to spook off a black bear or some other wandering animal in the woods.
"But dad...!" She said, hovering in the air with her stinger still at the ready. She was still seething with anger that anyone would dare attack her parent as she was still more than ready to end the life of that scurrying worm as it bolted for the bushes. He held out his hand through, stopping her in her tracks.
"Marigold...do you remember what it felt like to be hungry? To starve? to freeze out here, alone, in the woods?" He said, a line of questioning that was clearly equivalent to reaching into her chest and pulling out her still beating heart. She got quiet then, hovering down to the forest floor and looking down between her front legs. "Can you honestly tell me that you wouldn't have done something drastic, something violent just to make the aching in your stomach go away?" He said continuing to hammer home his point. "I will fight evil. I will fight injustice and I will do it without breaking a sweat or losing any sleep at night." he said, turning his attention to Makoto and Kuro. "But I won't condemn a creature that you admit doesn't know any better to death just because it did what came naturally to it. Maybe I don't know enough about this world and these creatures to make this kind of judgement call but I will tell you something. All of you." He said, stepping back so that he could look to all three of them at once.
His eyes seemed to bore through Marigold, making her shrink down into her own shape as he reached the climax of what he had to say.
"I don't see evil when I look into that thing's eyes. I just see a scared, starving insect digimon that just might need an ounce of mercy and kindness. And you know where else I saw that?" he asked, rhetorically as he knelt down in front of the grown Marigold, cupping the bottom of her wide head in his hands. "I saw it when my amazing, wonderful, protective daughter dropped into my lap in the middle of the night. I gave you kindness then and I'm giving that worm kindness now." He stands up, confident that the Wormmon was nowhere around, shooed off by all of the excitement. His eyes moved over to Makoto and Kuro again. "I appreciate you coming to my aid, really, I do. But I won't have you harming a creature going through its natural motions for my sake."
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Makoto
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Tsukistar
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Post by Makoto on Jun 5, 2021 18:22:50 GMT
As Zack pushed, Makoto stood firm - even if he had tried his hardest, it'd likely take another digimon of Makoto's current caliber to push over the Champion. But nonetheless, they'd listen to Zack's words - peering down to the Wormmon as he spoke, before soon responding. "... Feral digimon are also like animals, in that they typically much prefer to avoid contact with civilized digimon or humans, except for when they feel cornered or threatened." They'd point out, continuing. "But when an animal becomes unafraid of humans, then it'll wander into cities and towns; and if nothing is done about it, it'll risk harming or even killing humans who agitate it, or when it becomes hungry."
"You likely aren't the first human it tried to prey upon; and the fact that it was unafraid of doing so despite the presence of other digimon goes to show that it may also prey upon other digimon, if allowed to go free. Would you be willing to take responsibility for it, if a traveler got hurt by this Wormmon, or worse?" Makoto questioned plainly and half-rhetorically, the vaguest hue of disapproval leaking into their tone. "Would you take responsibility if the Wormmon digivolves, and becomes a far larger threat to those it sets its eyes on?"
"Given how close we are to the Village of Beginnings and Rosewood, this Wormmon may also end up preying on not only travelers - but also other young digimon who may lack true fighting instincts or experience - if it wanders too close to either place." Of course, the Elecmon and Swanmon do well in protecting the children in the Village of Beginnings, as well as the larger digimon who live in Rosewood... But every so often, you'd get an adventurous In-Training who sneaks away and wanders from home, curious yet somewhat ignorant about the world beyond the safety of the village's or city's walls. "... Would you take responsibility, if someone's child was hurt?"
After letting the questions and statements hang in the air for a few seconds, the fox's demeanor and tone would soften. "You're a kind soul - I admire that gentle kindness you have, and I appreciate that you want to spare the Wormmon for not knowing any better. And certainly, the possibility is there that we've scared it enough that it won't try to prey on other digimon our size for awhile, if we let it go. But that's only those our size - not smaller digimon - and only for as long as it remains a Wormmon. The second that the Wormmon digivolves, it'll likely begin preying on others all over again."
"Death isn't as permanent for us, compared to a human like yourself." Makoto added, in an attempt to reassure Zack. "If a digimon's data is not loaded - which is to say, absorbed - it'll typically return to the Village of Beginnings, where it'll be born again and have another chance at life."
"I have no intention of loading this Wormmon - but it's unlikely that the Wormmon would show any digimon it preys upon the same mercy. This may be a grim and thankless task, but it's what keeps travelers and civilians just a little safer from being attacked."
"..." Makoto let out a sigh. "I apologize that this is something you had to experience so soon after coming to the Digital World. And think of me what you will." Makoto glanced down at the Wormmon once more, concluding in a firm yet practical tone "But I value the safety of my neighbors, and of the children, over a single feral digimon."
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Post by supesman on Jun 5, 2021 20:18:59 GMT
Zack considered that quietly for a long moment, this new information changed things if only a little bit. Reincarnation was a fact of life for Digimon, more or less. Whenever they fell, they began anew unless the Digimon that they had fallen to was cruel or predatory enough to absorb them and leave them no new beginnings. He looked over at Marigold, seeing the look in her eyes and he looked down at the space between his feet. Makoto made a point, a good one, but not one that he would let effect him.
"If it truly was his life or mine, I would reject that question on the face of it. I will not look at the practice of right and wrong as a game of trading lives. I will not sacrifice that which I have no right to sacrifice simply because it will defend another. Justice forged in blood is no justice at all." He said, looking down over the Wormmon as it squirmed uselessly underneath Reppamon's paw.
"I think...I should do it." marigold said, swallowing and stepping forward, scuttling closer to the Wormmon. "Dad's right. He's not that much more different than I was in his situation. Only by the kindness of strangers was I saved. But for the grace of God....I'd be right there under your paw the exact same way. But he also deserves a second chance. If what you're saying is right, and he can go to this Village of Beginnings, maybe to be shown a different path then that's good. But Zack is my father, I was the one who went after him, it's my responsibility and...I don't think this will be the last time that I have to do this." She said, tapping on Reppamon's ankle so that she could transfer the Wormmon into Marigold's hold, using four of her eight insectoid legs to hold the struggling insect up in the air. "One...two...three..." She counted softly before jerking her stinger up into the abdomen of the wriggling creature. It paused, eyes wide before it began to break down, seemingly melting away into swirls of random code carrying off into the distance by the wind. She slumped down into the dirt and dust, quivering and shaking from the core. Zack hunched down next to her and ran his hand down over her back, resting his cheek on the top of his head.
"Shhh, shhh, it's alright. I'm alright, you're alright. Everything's alright...I just pray that in his next chance, someone gives that Wormmon the kind of love that he always deserved." He said, snorting and standing back up, wiping his eyes on the back of his hands. "This place is harsh, Makoto, I can see that now. But I won't let that harshness make me or Marigold see the world without the kindness and empathy that I have always had." He turned to face them, letting his shoulders settle after a long, deep breath. "Someone who cannot show kindness to their enemies has very little kindness to give, and I will always have more kindness left to give than I know what to do with. If Marigold gives us the ability to do some real, tangible good for people of this world, or both worlds, then I won't hesitate to jump at that opportunity." He said, Marigold sniffing and rising up to his side, the same kind of determined look sparkling in her eyes.
Some kind of grim and brave inspiration had been awakened in the both of them, and they had a feeling that there would be very little that could tamp it down.
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Makoto
In-Training
Posts: 0
OOC Name: Tsukistar
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Post by Makoto on Jun 6, 2021 21:45:27 GMT
Makoto wasn't so sure if Marigold would've necessarily been in the same situation, like the little Fanbeemon claimed; unless she had been feral in a past life as well, it was clear that she was sapient, and that she could've been reasoned with if she had attacked someone in a given life. The same wasn't true of a feral digimon - not unless someone had some rare ability to properly communicate with one.
And on top of that, Makoto believed that this was more than just 'a trade of lives' as Zack spoke - a trade implied that it would be equal either way. This was the question of whether to let something that has displayed that it was dangerous go, and risk it becoming stronger or killing others - or to put a stop to the danger now.
But nonetheless, Makoto would keep these sentiments to themself for now; instead, as Marigold expressed wanting to be the one to finish the job, the Reppamon would cast the bee an uncertain and sympathetic gaze - even if hidden behind the characteristic mask. "Are you sure, darling?" They'd question gently, looking Marigold's face up and down to make sure that the bee was indeed certain of this. "Noone will judge you, if you can't do it; and I'd much rather that you not have to do it at all. This isn't a task that should be expected of someone as young as yourself, after all; and you shouldn't rush yourself to grow up either."
Nonetheless though, Marigold would nudge Makoto - and the Reppamon would allow her to take hold of the Wormmon; averting their 'gaze' respectfully, as the Wormmon - quickly, quietly, and hopefully painlessly - passed away.
As Marigold slumped, Makoto would devolve to Renamon-X once more; sitting with the both of them. Zack expressed an intent for neither of them to lose their kindness or empathy, to which the fox smiled gently and nodded. "The world is harsh; but it's still beautiful, and it can still have kindness in it." They'd state gently. "It's a shame that this had to be your first impression of the Digital World - for not every day is quite so heavy and grim - but you at least now see how dangerous it can be, without a proper companion at your side to protect you."
As the two rose up, Makoto would rise back up as well; extending a hand to the duo in invitation. "Let's get back to Rosewood. You can get yourself a proper bath and some laundry done, I can make us all some comfort food, and I can also continue teaching the both of you all that you may need to know about the world, the digimon, and how they all function." There was also the option of visiting the Village of Beginnings, to see how the Wormmon's next life was going - albeit it would likely be hard for the duo to identify which one was truly the Wormmon, with how many children were there.
So for now, Makoto was content to just head back to Rosewood, to help make sure the duo would be okay.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2021 22:58:14 GMT
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