The weight of the world (Solo (warning: l o n g))

Sometimes, during times of silence and loneliness (the once that a mere couple of days ago were so rare yet now were so common), Gio liked to think.

Shocker, I know.

He thought mostly of people living alone. People both human and digimon and all inbetween that had...no one or nowhere to go. Alone, trying to make the most out of the world by themselves. It was something he usually thought about, even before he ran from his family of his own volition. He always considered what he'd do in their place, and how much his life could change because of it.

Even now as he was experiencing said solitude, or at least the closest thing to it he kept wondering that, as if his situation hadn't fully set in for him. Or at least he would think about it, were it not for another thought.

Why the hell did people like rain so much?

Sure, the puddles of mud it left behind were good fun and all, but being stuck under it? Not nearly as fun. He would know, it had been raining for at half a day by now, and the trees of the Western Timberlands did little to keep him protected from the cold shower of nature.

At the very least he wasn't in any danger of starving, seeing how mister Shimo had gifted him a pouch filled with smoked fish for the trip, as well as a nice warm poncho to protect him from the cold, not that it stopped the rain any. At this rate if his pouch got any wetter his fish food might just come back to life! And he didn't want that to happen.

The little dinosaur's luck would soon shift however, as he spotted a large crack on the side of a rocky hillside, one that would offer him plenty of protection from the downpour. Without hesitation he thrusted himself into the crag, trying to shake off all the excess water off himself not unlike a dog would once he was deep enough inside, before letting himself fall on his rump next to one of the walls with a sigh of relief. 
Man, living on his own was harder than he expected! If it wasn't some bigger digimon trying to have him for lunch, it was just trying to find a place to sleep. No wonder Dio was such a jerk!

He took a look at the rain still pouring down outside, then turned to face the inside of the cave. It went considerably deeper than what he expected, truth be told. Well, he wasn't feeling particularly tired and the rain didn't seem to be slowing down any, so what harm would a little spelunking do? He reajusted his poncho and got back on his feet, slowly walking deeper into the cave. The deeper it went, the darker it obviously got, though interestingly it didn't seem to be cold inside. Far from it, the further he went from the light outside, the warmer the cave temperature became. It was somewhat odd but nothing Gio really cared about or was worried about. 

The noises the cave made were more than enough for that though. It started subtly at first, nothing more than a gentle vibration on the ground that could easily be mistook by his own steps. Then it grew louder and louder the more he walked, the vibration turning into a reverberating rumble that shook the cave in slow but constant intervals. A high rumble, followed by a softer one that came with a wave of warm air. Rise, fall. Rise, fall.
Even for someone as oblivious as him it didn't take long to realize these weren't random vibrations, it was breathing. The snores of a being far larger than him.

Perhaps curiosity, or just a general lack of fear kept him from just running away there and then, instead continuing his slow but careful approach to the source, the closer he got the more features he could make out even in the dark. Glistening scales reflecting what little light entered from the opening of the cave, small patches of reddish fur scattered across the rocky cave floor, and a long thing wrapping itself around the sleeping giant's body, impossible for Gio to tell if it was a tail or a neck. It was partially to this that Gio completely froze on his tracks when he saw it move, raising tall above the considerably small dinosaur, nearly touching the roof of the cave. To the sides of the long limb he could clearly make out one glowing red orb lit even in the pitch black darkness.

That was a head, alright. As his situation finally dawned on him, common sense finally returned back to the kid digimon who sheepishly began walking backwards, never once taking his eyes off the creature in front of him. This proved to be a slight mistake on his part, as the black guilmon wasn't particularly dexterous even when he could look where he was going, so it came as no surprise he ended up tripping over himself as he tried to back away, falling on his rump with a thud.

It was then the creature burst into action, moving at a speed unnatural for it's size. In a swift movement it rose on it's four limbs, letting out a deafening roar as it pounced on Gio. He threw his entire weight to a side as he rolled out of the way of a large claw that nearly crushed his head into the ground. Gio ran, he ran as fast as his legs and arms could carry him, his own heaved breathing being nearly drowned out by the equally heavy breathing of the digimon chasing behind him. No matter how fast he ran the light at the end of the tunnel didn't seem to be getting closer any faster. Just how long had he been walking?!

Nevertheless he never stopped running, even as his feet screamed in pain or his insides burned in exhaustion. Even he knew the alternative was worse. Just as he could finally start hearing the sound of the rain again he felt a searing pain across his back, just before a feeling of weightlessness overcame him. The world went spinning after that, but even though he lost control of both his body and his surroundings he could at least tell he was being sent flying closer to the light. A small silver lining that was hard to focus on once he finally landed back on the floor. Face first.

He tumbled a good distance away, patches of dirt being flung from the ground as he kept trying and failing to get a foothold by stabbing his claws on the muddy earth. He eventually came to an abrupt stop as he crashed into a tree, the unmistakeable sound of broken wood coming just after, before his body slowly fell into a crumpled slump to the ground. Yep, this wasn't gonna hurt later. It hurt plenty already. But he couldn't rest just yet, despite how much his head and back begged him to do just that. Witb slow, trembling movements he got back up, giving a quick look around him. The cave was nowhere to be seen, but it was easy for him to know it couldn't be too far. And even if it was, it would be easy to just follow the line of craters he had left on the ground just a moment ago.

What really mattered was that he could still hear the roars of that large digimon, yes, but he couldn't hear them close. Whatever the reason that had that Doru so angry, it didn't seem enough to get it to chase Gio anywhere outside the cave. A small mercy perhaps, considering he was back on square one regarding shelter from the storm, but it was better than being turned into dinner.

---

 
In the following half hour that came to pass didn't help improve Gio's low opinion of the rain, if anything having to limp under it for so long only soured it further. Same for the fact it was getting darker. It didn't inpair the digimon's vision much but it sure made things significantly colder.

It also however, made light all the more noticeable, as he eventually saw a small light in the distance. Clearly not having learned any lessons from his last encounter, or perhaps to cold to care, he made his to the light, the distinct smell of something being cooked only making him run faster. As he eventually reached the source of the light, he'd come to a stop to find a humble but warm fire, a pot with some boiling water inside it resting over the camp fire.

Having miraculously not lost his food pouch during his earlier scuffle, Gio didn't feel particularly inclined to steal from whoever this soup belonged to. He did however let himself pretty much fall next to the fire, letting it's warmth wash over him for a bit. It was such a relaxing change of pace he couldn't help but close his eyes for a bit, not really caring about anything else now.

He woke up to a cold, hard boot shaking him awake, the startled guilmon instinctively going for a bite at whatever was stepping on him. He didn't get far before a large hand closed around his muzzle and shoved him face fist back into the ground, a massive weight keeping him pinned on the floor.

"Didn't your mom tell you about not invading someone's property?" A gruff, metallic voice spoke down to Gio as the large armor clad digimon lift him up, his hand never letting go of the guilmon's muzzle. Gio soon found himself to eye level with a helmet wearing digimon, his startled eyes reflected on the giant's cold, emotionless yellow orbs.

"I-I'm sorry!" The small lizard tried to say, which was considerably hard to do seeing how he had his mouth forced shut. The message still went across though, judging by the Slayerdramon's head tilt. 

"Being sorry alone just won't cut it. The last thief that tried to rob me blind sounded pretty sorry too." He calmly stated, though Gio could feel the grip on his muzzle growing ever so slightly tighter. "You just came waltzing into someone else's camp in the middle of the night and decided to take a nap next to the fire.  How can I know you weren't planning something worse when I came back?"

Having said that however he soon let go of the lizard's face, letting him fall back first on the ground. He wouldn't go far (not that he tried) before he'd feel a large orange blade being lightly pressed to his side, the Slayerdramon ever so slightly tapping on the hilt with his fingers as he stared Gio down.

This lasted for a bit until he finally spoke again. "So? What's your excuse?"

"O-oh...well I was just walking and looking for somewhere to hide from the rain and-"

"You? A rookie all alone just lost in the woods?" He interrupted, clear disbelief in his words. "I wasn't hatched yesterday, kid."

"It's true though!" Gio replied, now sounding more annoyed than afraid. "I've been alone for...at least three whole days!"

"Impressive." The knight stated, sarcasm dripping from his tone. "And why are you alone?"

"Because I wanted, who cares?! Why are you alone?" The lizard spat back, now glaring daggers at the knight. This actually made the knight pause for a moment, his eyes flashing with some undiscernible emotion at last for a moment. He'd soon however would snap out of it, raising a hand to his mouth before letting out a hearty chuckle.

"You got some balls talking to someone twice your level like that." He said, shaking his head in amusement, before grabbing his sword by the hilt, the blade retracting into itself as he put the weapon away on his back. "I can tell a struck a nerve, so I won't ask again. You should get out of my sight though, before I change my mind." And with that? The tall and lumbering figure would turn away from the now confused guilmon and sit next to the fire, not even paying attention to him anymore. 

Had he been less confused and tired from this entire day, Gio would have probably cut his losses and gone away by now. Now however? Now he felt something he hadn't felt before, or at least not that he remembered.
The sudden urge of pettiness.

"But...I don't have where to go." 

"Neither do I and you don't see me complaining..." The knight shrugged, not even looking back at him. Which only pushed Gio further. 

"Well I'm staying, it's cold and dark and-"

"Kid." The slayerdramon stated firmly enough to cut off Gio's rambling right there and there. "I might have done a lot of things I regret, but I rather not add "child beating" to that list. Now would you kindly scram and fuck off somewhere else?"

Gio, not one to be easily dissuaded even by the threat, simply huffed with annoyance and stomped closer to the fire with a defiant glare, causing the knight to finally look back at him.

"I'm warning you. Don't, you, dar-" But it was too late, Gio was now not only sitting next to the fire, he was sitting cross armed, practically shoving his entire body weight into the knight's side, which prompted him to quickly get up while...letting out a rather exhasperated grumble.

"For Yggdrasil's sake did your mom dropped you as a baby?! I'm telling you to-" He didn't even get to finish that phrase before letting yet another annoyed cry groan out, hands digging into the side of his head as if trying to keep it from exploding from the sheer anger he was clearly experiencing. "It's not safe here! Less so for a coddled brat like you!!!"

"Well it's not safe out there either! I nearly got myself eaten by a big dragon mon or something." The small lizard huffed, fully expecting another annoyed reply from the knight. He didn't get any. In fact the tall digimon didn't make a single sound, prompting Gio to turned around only to see the knight glaring at him. But not with anger, or annoyance. He was back to his completely emotionless look from a while earlier.

This uncomfortable staredown didn't ease up, even as the slayerdramon found his voice again.

"This digimon...it didn't happen to be a doruguremon, was it?"

Gio didn't reply, still taken a bit aback by this change in demeanor didn't reply instantly, only when it became clear the knight was not going to ask again. He scratched his head, trying to remember if he saw any features from that massive mon. He never got a moment to take a good look at it in the dark before it tried to murder him but...

"W-well...it was dark but it did have a long neck. And I saw red fur on the cave too..."

"Did you see how many eyes it had?"

He stopped to think again. He couldn't really say but he didn't remember more than one eye at the moment, but that could have been the shadows. "I think I saw at least one?"

"Take me there. Now." Perhaps it was him still reeling from the sudden change, or simply knowing better than to argue, but Gio simply let out a sheepish "ok." before he slowly got up and began walking in the general direction he had entered the camp from, the knight's heavy footsteps following closely behind.

---

The walk took longer than Gio expected, less so because he couldn't find his way but rather how unused he was of having to share his walking with someone else. The awkward silence between the two could only last so long until Gio had to say something, anything so he wouldn't have to hear the silence.

"What's your name, mister?"

"Cuts." He replied, much to Gio's surprise, though he was unsure if that was an actual answer of just the knight telling him to shut it. At least until he added. "You?"

"Gio." He replied just as quickly, before silence fell between the two once again. 

"And I thought my dad was a prick..." The knight muttered under his breath, earning him a glare from Gio which he didn't even bother reciprocating. The rest of the walk wasn't that eventful outside of that, just more futile attempts from Gio to start a conversation. He eventually stopped as he began noticing the small guilmon shaped craters on the floor. They were getting close.

"There." He would soon say, an index claw pointing a the cave, prompting the knight to start walking into it without a second word. "W-wait! It's dangerous!"

"Agreed." He replied without even looking back, losing himself into the darkness of the cave soon after. "So you should leave before it gets worse."

Gio just...stood there. Unsure on what to do now. He couldn't really help him in that fight so if he stayed around he would only be a bother, right? But could that knight win all on it's own? What was he supposed to do?

The sounds of battle didn't take long to come. First a roar, then the clasing of metal and flesh. Whatever was going on in there was clearly...messy. It didn't bother Gio too much as he was already used to the sounds of a fight but...it bothered him how close they were getting. And closer, and closer, and-

He barely had enough time to throw himself to the side before a bright yellow slab of metal shoot right past him, lodging itself on a fallen tree just behind Gio. He gave it a quick glance which made his blood run cold. That was Cuts' sword...he turned back to the face fearing the worst. He was met by something close to that.

The tall, red furred dragon slowly emerged from the cave, it's body filled with cuts and bruises both new and old, it's single remaining eye and the empty socket where it's other eye should have been flowing with an evil glow, glaring at Gio with nothing but hate. That wasn't the worst part though, that came in the body of the knight being dragged outside, still skewered by the dragon's sharp tail. The knight was still struggling sure, but clearly wasn't in a good shape anymore. Not that the dragon seemed interested in finishing the job, it's eyes still focused on a much smaller, helpless prey in front of them.

But much to it's surprise...it didn't seem fearful. Or frozen in place like a scared deer. No, despite everything the little creature seemed...angry. Almost as angry as this knight had been.

"Put him d-" It didn't wait for him to finish. The creature hadn't survived this long by letting it's prey go on long speeches. The red dragon simply swiped at the little rookie, sending him flying into the air yet again. Only this was exactly what Gio wanted. Expecting the blow, he tried to veer himself towards the tree behind him, where the orange sword was still resting. As gravity did it's job and began to do it's work and pulled the guilmon back down, he put all his weight and strenght into his left arm as he pulled back, before releasing it as he plunged his fist into the side of the sword, the ensuing blow being matched only by the strenght of Gio's voice.

"CUTS CATCH!" He screamed as the sword took flight, sent flying by the strenght of Gio and the blow he received combined into a single, purpose filled strike. Almost as if he had been waiting for it, the knight reached out his hand and just barely managed to clutch the sword as it passed by his side, the left over momentum helping him break free from the dragon's tail with a nauseating sound. The doruguremon noticed this, and it quickly turned around to face the knight again. It didn't live long enough to see sword that soon separated it's head from the rest of it's body, but judging by the last roar it took it clearly felt it.

---

By the time Gio came to it was already morning, and the warm rays of sun did little to stop the cold that came from Cuts' glove as he shook the rookie awake.

"Rise and shine kid, it's over."

Gio let out a confused yawn, unsure of what was even being said to him. As his mind slowly put things together again, he asked as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming "W-what? What happened..."

"You saved my ass, that's what." The slayerdramon sighed. "Kinda embarrassing but...I guess I owe you now."

"Oh..." Gio said somewhat absentmindedly, running the back of his hand on his eyes. "And?"

"And I freaking hate that. So get your ass up.You pick something cool from the cave and we're even, deal?" He didn't wait for a reply before he dragged the lizard back on his feet and went into the cave, the sleep deprived guilmon following slowly after. The inside of the cave felt considerably different now that it was empty. Colder, not lived in. It was safer but Gio wouldn't have wanted to sleep in here any more.

"What could a doru have anyways?" Gio asked with a yawn, to which Cuts' shrugged.

"Something shiny maybe? Worth a look, it can't possibly have killed so many and not taken at least one-" He stopped in his tracks, a surprised look in his eyes Gio could see even in the dark. He didn't need to see what he looked like, because he could easily imagine. He could imagine because he could plainly see the same thing he was.

On the deepest reach of the cave, where the red dragon had been sleeping laid a pile of shining scraps and baubles. Some vaguely valuable looking jewels, some pieces of rubble and metal, even some wireframe parts. The materials weren't as important as the fact they were arranged in a circular fashion. And in the middle of them, lay a single, untouched digitama.

This was a nest. And that Doru had been this egg's parent.

The duo stood in place for what felt like an eternity, neither of them quite sure what to do now. Gio turned to look at the slayerdramon and his blood run cold yet again. He was reaching for his sword. Before the knight could even take a single step, Gio rushed forward and put himself between the lone egg and the knight.

"Gio." Cuts said, his emotionless tone returning. "Move aside."

But the guilmon didn't move.

"N-no."

The slayerdramon sighed. "Gio...do you know why I came to kill that thing?" Gio didn't reply, returning the knight's cold look with one of his own.

"That thing was infected. Rabid. It laid waste to entire villages for far too long. I had to put it down for everyone's sake." The knight said, taking a step forward. Yet Gio remained unmoving.

"And?"

"And if it had any offsprings, they could carry the same infection."

"You don't know that." The guilmon said, his voice trembling slightly. Cuts gave him a long look, before shaking his head. "You're right. I don't. That's why I can't take the risk."

"N-no." He repeated, taking a step forward of his own, though unable to look back to meet the knight's gaze. "What...what if it's not infected? You can't-"

"Well what if it is, kid? Do you really expect me to wait and see?" The knight said, his voice now raised into barely contained scream. "What if it gets up and kills more? What if it wants revenge for it's mom? Am I supposed to sit back and watch it burn everything in front of me again?!"

By the time he was done berating Gio they had both moved, Gio now standing mere inches in front of the egg, and Cuts mere inches away from Gio.

"I won't repeat myself. Move or else."

Gio moved alright. He took a step back, gave his back to the slayer and knelt down, wrapping his arms around the egg.

"It's not their fault." He stated with an even tone, but it was clear he was fighting back tears at this point.

"Kid.."

"They didn't ask for their parent to do what they did." He added, his grip on the egg getting visibly tighter, as if to comfort it. Or maybe comfort himself. "They didn't ask to be born. They didn't ask for any of this to happen...so why should they get punished for it?"

The knight didn't even bother to reply, he just grabbed the guilmon by the tail and began pulling him away. Or at least tried to, as the little mon had dug it's claws into the rocky ground of the cave.

"Kid, don't make me-"

"I thought you didn't want to hurt kids." Gio's words cut deep like a knife, the slayerdramon's grip insantly tightening to the point Gio thought he'd rip his tail off. He still wouldn't let go of the egg however.

The grip relented eventually however, followed by the loud steps of the knight walking away. The guilmon finally turned around, somewhat glad the knight wasn't looking back to see his tear stained face as he walked away.

"Cuts I..."

"Whatever." He said, his tone as flat as his march was unwavering. "If that thing grows and slip ups once you can take care of the fallout yourself, don't let me find you two ever again." And without another word he left. Gio sat alone in the dark for a while, never letting go of the egg as he sat there, just as unsure of what to do as when he started.

---

Sometimes, when he was alone Gio liked to think. Surprising, I know.

He had a lot of things to think about now, like where he was supposed to go and what to do with himself? Doubly so now that he was carrying extra weight. The egg was surprisingly not as heavy as he expected, but it's constant weight helped him remember he wasn't carrying just some useless trinket or more food. He was carrying so much more than that now.

Yet no matter how light it really was, he couldn't help but feel an extra weight he was carrying now that he had learned new things. Things about the world he wasn't sure he liked knowing.

It was kind of like carrying the weight of the world. But if there was any solace for him right now...at least he didn't have to carry it alone.