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Post by supesman on Oct 11, 2021 3:03:10 GMT
Zack DID gulp deep and greedily from the water he was offered, to about the halfway line of the container before dumping it out over his head, soaking his short blonde hair walking after Jijimon without a single moment's hesitation. the pasty, northeastern bred white boy did not need to be told twice to come out of the sun, especially when he was done up in at least two different layers of custom leather.
Marigold buzzed alongside Pumamon and Kima, reaching into a small space between her neck and her scarf and snapping out a home knitted cloth about the size of a handkerchief. She handed it to Kima, her eyes brimming with glittering good nature.
"Here, dry your eyes. You can keep that by the way, I knit plenty of them for the shelter." She said, looking down just a tad to look over Pumamon's wound, humming as she traced it in the air with the point of one of her legs without touching it, clearly better than she had any right to be at inspecting wounds for their overall seriousness. "Pumamon's right, this thing will barely give him any aches for the next day or so and then it'll be gone, just like that. Digimon tend to be made of tougher stuff, or didn't you notice me smacking two digimon together hard enough to powderize a human's bones and then tossing the other one like an Olympic shot put?" She said, snickering into her "hand" at the absurdity of it all even if the insanity would probably be far more palpable for the new human woman. "Also, don't worry about me. That was the past...dad calls it my "origin story" says it makes me stronger every day I live a good life past it...he says a lot of things like that." She said, one of the little things that would throw Zack's nature in sharp relief. "I have him now, and we've made lots of friends, opened up a shelter for digimon who are like I used to be, tamers and other humans too."
She looked at her father's back, making the conscious effort to appreciate him, something she reminded herself to do every so often. She had come straight from the bottom and he represented nothing to her more than anything she could ever want. A home, a family that loved her.
"He's silly sometimes and I wish he was a bit more safe but he's the only dad I've got, yknow? And now I just appreciate the little things yknow? More people should do that. Just feel the people around you, the food in your belly, the clothes on your back. Well, neck in my case."
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 11, 2021 3:55:16 GMT
Kima watched as Zack chugged a generous portion of water before pouring it on his face before her gaze settled on the digimon that resembled an old man. There was a sense of gentleness to him and she looked at Pumamon before she asked "Is that Jijimon?" At Pumamon's nod she then said "He does resemble a grandfatherly figure like his species name suggests. In Japanese it can mean elderly man or grandfather so it seems to fit a digimon like him."
When Marigold buzzed over and offered her a handmade hankerchief, Kima said "Thank you. I guess I still haven't grasped everything due to all of the stress." Then Marigold looked over Pumamon's wounds and, though they looked painful, she little bee digimon confirmed they weren't serious. Yet judging by how stiff Pumamon was walking they sure weren't comfortable for him.
"Your dad is right in that regard. We humans have a phrase that goes like this, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I guess judging by the fact that you are still around there is some truth to those words. I just wish it was so easy for me." Kima said looking at the sand shaking her head. "Your dad does seem cool though. I love my parents and they are nice people but I don't even know how I'm going to explain what happened to me when and if I am able to go home. I still don't understand how I got here in the first place."
"Don't worry, Kima, it is possible to get you home but we would have to make our way to the station and board a Trailmon." Pumamon said catching her attention.
"Trailmon? Is that some kind of train digimon?"
Pumamon nodded before he then explained "Trailmon are digimon who give rides to those traveling to and from the Digital World and, from what I heard, there is a station in the Human World where they let their passengers off."
Soon the group made their way to the cave where Jijimon and Pumamon lived and, after a short climb, there was a cave which was clearly their destination as Jijimon began climbing up the less than steep cliff and stood at the entrance to the cave before he said "Come on in everyone." His words were gentle and welcoming before he disappeared into the cave.
Next Pumamon began climbing and, though it looked uncomfortable for him, he made it up to the cave no problem. Kima looked back at Zack and Marigold before climbing up herself entering the cave. Soon the group would see a wide cavern filled modestly with pots containing various necessities and a firepit was lit in the center of the room. There were multiple pillows set on the floor for everyone with Jijimon sitting calmly on one of them. Pumamon carefully sat down on a pillow with Kima sitting next to him. Jijimon then looked at Zack and said "Feel free to sit down you two. You look like you need the rest from being out in the heat, young man."
OOC:
Speed of the Puma: Enhances his speed by 30% allowing him to run so fast it can be hard to see him.
(Lasts 1 post)(Cooldown of 1 post)
Cooldown 1/1 post.
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Post by supesman on Oct 11, 2021 14:18:44 GMT
"Look I can't...pant pant...help it if I'm...pant...from Maine, ok?" He said, collapsing onto his stomach, his head on the pillow, huffing and gasping for breath. He was usually fairly athletic, especially for his build, but the sun and the stuffy costume were evidently doing more than a little bit of a number on the poor guy. The geographical reference was probably lost on everyone except him and Kima.
"He sunburns super easy too. Sort of a catch twenty two. he either wears something really covering and sweats out at least ten points of water weight or he spends the next three weeks walking around with five extra pounds of aloe vera on." She said, shrugging, sitting down next to him and giving him a sympathetic pat on the back of his head and shoulders. He cursed something foul into the plush of the pillow, though again the actual culture context of the words coming out of his mouth would probably be lost on everyone save his own daughter and the other human in the room.
Marigold scooted behind pumamon, rummaging in her dad's backpack for some knitting supplies, using a tape measure to measure out the length and width of Puamon's wound as well as the shape of his torso, politely asking him to sit still if he started to squirm. Her front leg parts began to click together as she hummed a little tune and began to knit a bandage from scratch, thick, stiff, white thread she carried around specifically for the purpose came together into a lengthening white shape. She eventually reached out, wrapping it in a spiral around his torso before eventually tightening it and leaving him with a neat, clean bandage around the center of his body. She looked over at her father and then winked at Pumamon.
"You can imagine why I'm so worryingly good at that." She said, jerking her head in the direction of her father who was still groaning and cursing any god he could think of about the sweltering humidity and stuffy heat even as the cold, dank shadows of the cave system helped him come back to something even slightly resembling an equilibrium. He was eventually able to shove himself up to sit down on the pillow as intended, though he silently wondered where a hermit wise man of a digimon got literal, manufactured pillows to put around his firepit in his cave house.
"Alright, I will live for the moment and as a bonus I no longer have to wonder about who is teaching my daughter so many bad words." he said, making a snarky reference to his own incorrigible cursing whenever he seemed to get frustrated with things in general. He smiled attentively at the Jijimon now though, marigold pulling up beside him. They didn't mean to be a distraction and Zack blushed more than a little bit at how he had turned into a bit of a scene but a scene like this looked like it was about to turn into some big, prophecy type stuff.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 11, 2021 21:52:32 GMT
Jijimon sat patiently waiting for Zack to recover as he said "Don't worry I understand that like some digimon, not all humans are naturally built for desert conditions but I heard of a device called an EV Suit that may help if you come out to harsh climates in the future."
As Marigold came behind him Pumamon turned to watch as she begun knitting a bandage from scratch. When it was finished she began to wrap the bandage around him. "Being able to knit bandages from scratch is a handy trick, Marigold, shame I never picked up a knack for it. I have no hands after all since I am a quadruped built for moving fast. That and I lack opposable thumbs which would make grabbing and holding things easier."
Kima had been sitting quietly thinking while Zack recovered from the heat and as he sat up Jijimon asked "What's wrong young one?" His voice was soothing and gentle for he had gotten practice when handling Pumamon when he was a cub.
Looking up from the pillow at Jijimon she answered "Oh I was just thinking that when I got home how would I explain Pumamon? He kinda sticks out mostly due to his size. That and I don't think I can hide him from my parents since they are good at reading me."
"Getting through the streets of the Human World is simple for a Xros General and their partner or partners, young one." Jijimon began as he adjusted his weight before he continued "Your digivice or Xros Loader is the key to this."
Kima looked at the green Xros Loader with gold highlights with confusion written on her face as she fiddled with various buttons with nothing happening. Before she could say anything Jijimon said "Aim your Xros Loader at your destined partner Pumamon and see what happens."
Still confused she aimed the Xros Loader toward Pumamon before the digivice glowed and Pumamon vanished inside. Looking at the Xros Loader shocked Kima then looked back at Jijimon. "Don't worry, young one, Pumamon is alright. If you want to call him forth from your Xros Loader all you have to do is say upload followed by the name of the digimon you want to bring forth."
"Oh okay." Kima said as she aimed her Xros Loader back toward the pillow Pumamon was sitting on and said "Upload, Pumamon!"
Pumamon reappears back on the pillow after being in the Xros Loader in a sitting position. Looking around before settling his eyes on Zack he asked the superhero "Are you sure your okay? Do you need more water, Zack? You did look like a mess a short time ago."
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Post by supesman on Oct 12, 2021 2:55:10 GMT
Marigold spoke, her voice a little bit muffled by the thread she was holding in the corner of her mandibles on one side. Which raised who knows how many questions on the relationship between her voice and her mouth considering there was no possible way that human speech could be coming out of the massive clamps on he face and yet her speech was slurred and muffled when she had the thread between her...teeth?
"Well I don't exactly have any hands either, but my stinger and the ends of my legs make for good needles, yknow?" She said, flushing a little bit at the appreciation of her talents, a slight squeak in her voice as she pulled the bandage tight and made sure it was on snug but not uncomfortably so. Stepping back so that the digitization of the Pumamon would go off without a hitch, the last things they needed was to cross the teleportation streams The Fly style. Even though a half Puma half Bee digimon sounded pretty dope.
"Now that you mention it Pumamon I would kill someone for some more water..." He said, unzipping the front of his costume, an almost visible puff and plume of broiling hot steam coming out from his undershirt, soaked to the seams with sweat as he tossed the slightly damp jacket aside, sighing as he basked in the dank cold of the cave.
"No you would not. You'd offer the water to everyone else in sight and then die." She said, raising a brow to him before giggling. He made an exaggerated face of annoyance toward her before he reached out and pulled her into a hug and a noogie. The way they talked and sniped at one another was impossible to mistake, only the love of family and friends so close they might as well BE family even compared to the way that they snarked back and forth.
"I don't even bother to digitize Marigold when we're out and about in the human world, really. It's...I don't know, dehumanizing as odd as that terminology is in this case. I just have her shrink down into a previous form so she can fit in my bag." He said, pulling open one of the side pockets of his bag in order to show off the little rat's nest she had made for herself, a tiny handkerchief repurposed as a blanket, a cotton ball pillow in a tiny scrap cloth case with more candy wrappers and snack labels than would have been healthy for a human.
"Yea repeat that line to child protective services about fitting your daughter in the side pocket of your backpack and we'll see who says what about dehumanizing." She snipes.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 12, 2021 3:17:14 GMT
"Yeah I can imagine how useful for sewing multiple built in needles can be. I don't really have anything like that except for the spines that show up on my tail sometimes." Pumamon said the spines showing up on his tail briefly before becoming its normal smooth state.
Jijimon chuckled before he rose to his feet and said "Don't worry I have more than enough water for everyone so there is no one has to worry about going without." He then brought out various containers of water before passing them around to everyone. A water bowl was offered to both Pumamon and Marigold since they both lacked hands and it would be easier for them to drink that way.
"Thank you. With all the stress from finding myself lost in a strange world water was the last thing I had in mind." Kima said politely accepting the offered water and began slowly drinking the water.
"There is a passage behind me that also leads to some hotsprings if you need to bathe yourselves." Jijimon said as he indicated the passage with a sweep of his arm. He then said "I think waiting until tomorrow when the sun is less intense to leave would be best."
"Being digitized wasn't that bad. It was actually quite roomy inside Kima's Xros Loader." Pumamon said. Meanwhile it appeared as if a thought was swirling around in Kima's brain while she sat quietly looking at the fire in front of her.
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Post by supesman on Oct 12, 2021 18:52:21 GMT
Zack downed the water when it was offered to him, throwing his head back and gulping greedily. he would also suck down a second and a third serving if he was given the chance. Evidently he had been putting on something of a brave front until now and was much closer to the edges of dehydration that he would have wanted anybody else to know. he set the container down, gasping and panting for air, reaching up and wiping his face with the back of his hand before he let himself actually settle down.
"So, Obi Wan, why don't we get down the important parts of why she's here and what all this vaguely new age stuff about animal spirits and ancient evil means. It sounds important and now is as good a time as any to let Kima know what she's up against. She's not going to get LESS anxious if you leave her in the dark on the details." He said, giving the Jijimon a pointed look. He didn't want to speak FOR Kima but he would speak up on her behalf. Keeping her out of the loop on whatever it was that now involved her helped basically no one, least of all her, so it was probably best to get every dirty detail in the open.
"You are about as subtle as a sledgehammer and twice as dense, dad, you know that?" She said, sipping from her bowl and he blundered head first into the next scenario over his head, same as always.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 12, 2021 22:53:10 GMT
"Tomorrow?!" Kima exclaimed after being silent for awhile whil Zack was chugging water and then she said "I can't stay here the night. My parents will worry. I'm sorry Mr. Jijimon." Kima has sprung to her feet and was looking unsure what to do.
"Kima, it's okay. Time passes differently in the Digital World then the Human World. Tomorrow we'll head to the station and catch a Trailmon to the Human World." Pumamon said in a calm voice his words reaching the teen girl and she sat back down on the pillow.
When Zack asked for answers and called Jijimon Obi Wan, Kima couldn't help but laugh but, though not understanding the reference, Jijimon said "Sounds like Pumamon only gave you an abridged version of events."
"Seeing as the Gazimon made things difficult to go into details I had no choice." Pumamon explained and Jijimon nodded in understanding.
"Very well. I can provide you all with the explanation you all seek." Jijimon said resting his staff on the floor near him before he began. "In ancient times there was a great warrior digimon of the mega level that wandered the land and had the powers of four Human World animals. He was a noble protector of the weak and spent many years wandering this very desert acting a guardian to the various small villages that used to exist in the desert. Until one dark day many years later a dark creature decended upon the village I and the cub that is now Pumamon called home. The dark one sought the power that the great warrior possessed and would level all the villages he protected in order to claim it.
As the dark one began his attack many perished and had their data absorbed in the opening wave of attacks. I had evacuated the few survivors including Pumamon when he was a fresh digimon. It was then the warrior arrived to see the carnage and began the battle with the dark one. Though the warrior put up a noble effort the dark one had defeated him in battle but before the warrior was absorbed I intervened. Though I was far weaker the warrior combined the last of his power with mine and created an artificial prison locking away the dark one and sending the gem off to the harshest part of the Dark Area. Then the warrior died but in his death his animal powers were passed on to four digimon aournd the Digital World. When I reached where I had left the fresh level form of Pumamon I sensed one of the powers, Speed of the Puma, passed onto the young one."
"But what of the other three powers?" Kima interjected clearly now eager to know more.
"Be patient, young one, I was getting to that." Jijimon chuckled before he contined "The remaining powers, Ears of the Wolf, Eyes of the Hawk, and Strength of the Bear, while I don't know where they went I do no they have found themselves to a wolf, hawk, and bear much how Speed of the Puma ended up with a Puma."
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Post by supesman on Oct 13, 2021 1:55:56 GMT
Zack and Marigold were being so attentive to the story as it was being told that it looked like they might as well be taking notes. Not a single moment were either of them rejecting this story or making jokes about how silly it sounded, just sitting there, eyes fixed, listening to old wise man like he was...well an old wise man from a movie or a book or something. They had gotten wrapped so far up in the insanity and the day to day weirdness of the digital world that something like this didn't even seem to fully affect them anymore.
Zack turned to face Kima after the story had been told, leaning forward and placing his arms draped across the cap of his knees, he gave her a little smile and held up a hand before she could actually speak after letting it all sink in. He made sure to make himself heard as soon as he could.
"Kima, before you freak out. Because I can SEE the anxiety attack welling up behind your eyes. Just take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out after a few seconds ok? This will spin so far out of your control if you let it so just...simmer alright?" He said, making sure to keep his eyes locked on hers. He figured that if he could just stay a little steady than it would help her to stay steady too. "Ok? Ok. So, this is all sounds really, IMPOSSIBLY big. and it is. BUT. and this is what you have to remember. A, you are not alone, Marigold and I got into this mess and if you need us, we will be hear whenever you shout. B, this doesn't have to get done today, alright? This quest is going to be here long enough for you to figure things out. C, you're not even alone when you're by yourself. From what I'm hearing, it sounds like there's quite a few folks who are going to be in your corner through all of it." He said, making a sweeping gesture toward the entire room, not only to himself and Marigold but also to the two digimon that had already put themselves at her disposal. "Frankly I think it's good that we're staying here for the night, I think you need to sleep on this more than anything else." He opined.
"Do you have any clues we can go off, Jijimon? Dad and I do patrols all the time, we have some connections in some places, we have a shelter that people pass through all the time. If you can tell us any of what we're looking for, we've be able to help." Marigold said, making good on the promise that Kima was not in this alone. She wanted to make a note of anything the wise man had, anything that they could use to make this quest easier. "Because if you're trying to check every digimon of those animal descriptions, she'll be checking from now till doomsday."
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 13, 2021 2:36:34 GMT
Kima took a few deep breaths trying to keep from having an ugly anxiety attack that Zack seemed to notice coming. Sure it was easier said than done but after a few moments she managed to calm down. "You're right, Zack, but this is all bigger than anything I've handled before. I have enough trouble during school with bullies as they tear apart my self esteem and confidence then I've learned I am destined to lead an army of digimon against a great evil. I don't know how I'm going to do that. Even more difficult is there is no way to keep this from my parents. They will know something is up if I try to hide what I'm doing." Kima said running her hands over her face wondering what in the Digital World thought it would be funny to have someone like her become the general of an army of monsters.
Kima's thoughts were interrupted by Pumamon gently placing a paw on her back in an effort to make her feel better. She turned and looked into his piercing green eyes before she said "Thanks, Pumamon." Pumamon only smiled and nodded.
"I do have some limited information ones who inherited the animal powers. None of the bearers are in this desert. The wolf has blades on his legs, the hawk is small and just a bit bigger than you young lady, and the bear is a large formidable female warrior with a gentle heart. There are other digimon who will join Kima and Pumamon in their journey too but my visions have not provided me with any clues other than an insect digimon with surprising talents for his bulk." Jijimon said after a vision had flashed before him again while Zack and Pumamon were working to calm Kima down.
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Post by supesman on Oct 13, 2021 4:48:42 GMT
"Ok right, nothing actually useful just a bunch of new age Nostradamus bullshit. good, great I love it when this sort of thing happens." He said, he too took the time to run his fingers over his face and through his hair, grumbling and mumbling something in frustration at the vaugeries of the information he had been granted. marigold rolled her eyes a little bit too but still stuck to committing it to memory in case something like what he was saying really did just drop itself in their laps. She sighed, shrugging.
"Well do the best we can to look for them on your behalf. If something comes up at the shelter or on our patrols you'll be the first to know." She said, sighing and sitting back, a bit deflated by the lack of any real concrete detail. Kima's worry about keeping Pumamon and the other digimon from her parents made her raise her eyebrow, looking up at her father. "I don't get it, why would she try to hide Pumamon from his new grandparents?" She said, her perception based around how close she was with her own grandparents due to Zack introducing them so early on.
"She's a bit confused but she's got a point, Kima." He said looking her deep in the eyes, there was a warmth and a comfort there even when he was being serious or grim. "Pumamon and the other digimon are a part of your life now, and trying to keep that separate from the people you already trust is going to put you through hell for basically nothing. Your parents love you and I'm sure they'd be nothing but supportive of...well whatever the hell this is. Give them a change." He said, putting on a smile that was more than a little bit strained as he REALLY hoped he wasn't pulling all of that out of his ass. If her parents turned out to be garbage then he'd just make himself look foolish
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 13, 2021 5:11:50 GMT
Jijimon chuckled again before he said "I see your father is a man of action but doesn't seem to have much patience."
"A wolf with blades on its legs, a small hawk, and a large bear that is a formidable warrior with a gentle heart." Pumamon muttered as he reworked what was said before he said "There are known species of digimon that match those vague descriptions but we'll only know for sure when we meet them up close."
"What about the bulky insect digimon?"
"That I do not know. Multiple insect digimon can fit that description big and small alike and knowing the type of insect wouldn't necessarily narrow things down any either." Pumamon said with a sigh.
Zack's words made a lot of sense and she knew it but the trick was how to go about introducing her parents to a large red puma and then mention the whole Digital World thing and being the general of a future army. "You have a point, Zack. It's just the thought of bringing home a red puma with stripes on his legs from another world and explaining what and where he came from sounds like it might be tricky." Kima said slumping her shoulders for a few seconds before she began chuckling as a funny thought came to her mind. "If it does go well I can only imagine that my mother would likely adore him. She is a bit of a cat person at heart."
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Post by supesman on Oct 13, 2021 22:53:27 GMT
"Calling him a man of action is an exceedingly kind way to put it and I'm sure he's nothing but flattered. The way I would put it is that he's a wanna be action hero who often ends up running off half cocked with no plan." She said, sniffing and snorting with a little laugh as she called out her father in the way that she always liked to do. He appreciated it, her nailing his feet to the ground when and where she could. It kept him honest and aware that he wasn't invincible no matter how successful he became. That wasn't the thing he needed to say though, not right at that moment.
"What, are you worried about them thinking you're crazy. HE is the evidence for what he proports to represent. You tell them about the talking puma, well, there he sits!" he said, gesturing very frantically at the Pumamon. He might have a point, ti would be a little hard for her parents to reject what she was saying when the thing she was saying was going to be sitting right next to her saying it was all true. "I'm sure it'll be fine. I know MY mother loves this one to bits." She said, poking him in the stomach and making her giggle, batting at his hands as she nodded along with his pint.
"Yea, my grandma's the best and I'm sure your new grandma will be the best too." She said, looking up at Pumamon with a brimming joy before she looked over to Kima and then Zack and then up to Jijimon. "Sorry, I can't be your bulky insect. I already have one human to take care of, I don't know how to deal with a partner who is actually worried about the physical consequences of their actions, I'd have nothing to compare it to."
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 14, 2021 0:22:10 GMT
"I'm sure he appreciates you for your honesty. Maybe with time he will become more patient even possibly a bit wiser even if he has to learn that from his daughter." Jijimon replied with an amused tone to his voice. Yes it felt good to have more visitors than he planned. "While the thought of adventure does have its appeal, I don't plan on adventuring at this time though who truly knows what plan destiny has for anyone."
Zack's frantic motioning made it hard for Kima or Pumamon to keep a straight face as they quietly giggled. When they calmed down, Kima said "You have a good point, Zack. I guess I can just hope things go well." Kima looked at Marigold confused before she said "Why do you keep calling Pumamon my kid? If anything he is Jijimon's cub not mine. We barely know each other. Besides I'm only fifteen. By human standards that's a bit young to be a mom"
"If anything we are more like allies at this point but with luck will become friends fairly soon." Pumamon replied in response to Kima's words.
"Sounds like looking out for each other is a full time job for you two. Especially you, Marigold, since you said Zack doesn't plan ahead." Kima said before she continued "As for the bulky bug I guess we'll find this digimon when the time comes but hunting for these partners is definitely going to wait till after I let my parents know about everything."
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Post by supesman on Oct 14, 2021 1:56:47 GMT
"I suppose it comes down to the life she's lived and the biases that that life has given her, you know?" Zack said, running his hand down the back of her head and torso so that she wouldn't be too caught up in feeling silly for her assumptions. He had always taught her that the only stupid question was a question never asked. "The way our relationship is between partner and tamer isn't totally unheard of but from what I've been told it IS the minority of cases as far as these things go. Not to mention I'm only twenty one. I'm her father and so she doesn't see age as an obstacle to that and because it was the way things worked that she was most freshly introduced to and the one that has the deepest effect on her day to day she makes assumptions. We all have connections our brains make without consulting us first, I'm sure a digimon's digital brain isn't immune to the way that our preconceptions can make fools of us all. Besides, you can't expect TOO much from her, her main role model is me after all." he said, winking though Marigold elbowed him in the side enough to make his gasp a little bit. SHE was allowed to make fun of him but she never took well to hearing him make fun of himself. No matter what she said, he was her hero and everything she aspired to be in life and she wouldn't stand for him not seeing that.
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