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Post by supesman on Oct 16, 2021 17:37:06 GMT
"Digimon are...animal strength and human intelligence mixed up and wound so tightly that they become something...incredible, really." He said, taking another bit from the pile and biting into it, chewing greedily before tilting his head back only slightly to gulp it all down. "Maybe this firelight cave is making me a bit more metaphysical than usual, I'm not usually the broad, mythological type but the things that these creatures are capable of really is beyond just about anything that most humans could even consider. They're stronger and faster than any animal but as smart and empathetic as a human is capable of being, for better or for worse depending on how you define their morality, individual to individual." He said, his shadow rippling and dancing like a disturbance in the water as the light from the fire cast him higher and higher on the wall.
"Yea, Dad says that the Digital World is both the best and worst kind of complete madness. Anything can happen, anything WILL happen and no matter how insane the things you've seen are, it can always get crazier." Marigold said, picking out the plant based options from the pile. She was much more apt to devour plants than anything meat based, probably related to whatever data she had gotten from the actual insect knowledge floating about in the digital world.
"Again, for better or for worse, the entire Digital World exists in relation to...information, simply. All the information we create across our own world and maybe more information beyond that. Digimon like Marigold, Takoda, Jijimon they are all "born" from conceptions and ideas that exist outside of the Digital World itself. The pure IDEA of Bees, Pumas and old Wisemen, warped and twisted through the looking glass until...well, this. And that's the most EASILY understood part I've learned so far."
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 16, 2021 22:29:29 GMT
"Quite true words, Zack, digimon are more than capable of the same evils as humans and with their powers some of them use their gifts to bring pain and suffering to others instead of helping to make the Digital World a better world to live in. That and, though uncivilized, feral digimon can be just as dangerous and cunning despite almost never speaking." Takoda said and as he noticed Kima's worried look he continued "Fortunately most of them tend to keep to themselves almost never feeding on travelers. They usually only attack if they feel threatened."
When Zack mentioned that he wasn't the broad, mythological type and Takoda chuckled before he said "I understand how you feel, Zack. I was the same way when I was a cub but when Jijimon began looking after me after the destruction of our village it sort of grew on me. That and being the successor to the power of a great warrior probably had something to do with it."
"What about the digimon who tried to rob me? Maybe they were good digimon that had fallen on rough times and had gotten desperate. I feel bad for calling that one smelly before now." Kima said digging into some more of the food.
"Perhaps he was, Kima, but it didn't excuse his and his friends' behavior."
"I know. Maybe we can spend some of this journey helping digimon so they don't have to resort to stealing to survive." Kima said with a smile. It seemed she was slowly getting accustomed to the whole idea of being a Xros General.
Kima looked at Marigold when the little bee mentioned the craziness that was the Digital World at times before she said "So here crazy is normal at times. Sounds like some crazy sci-fi show doesn't it?"
"It is likely most digimon were born from information during your Digital Age which could explain why some digimon have a familiar feel to them for humans despite being from another world. Most likely a side effect of the worlds being connected to one another." Jijimon said as it seemed the meat apples were now done and he picked up his staff and pushed them into the food pile with said staff.
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Post by supesman on Oct 17, 2021 3:23:07 GMT
"Look, Kima, no one is more sympathetic to the idea that crime and evil aren't the same thing than me. My kid and I literally opened a shelter for wayward folks, digimon and humans alike. However, I wouldn't be doing the whole vigilante thing if I didn't think that crime was crossing a line, especially crime that just ends with other innocent people getting hurt." he said, pulling his custom helmet form behind him and setting it in his lap, letting the deep black visor stare back at her as if in reminder that he did have at least some broad idea of what he was talking about. "Maybe I'd be more sympathetic if they were stealing from someone who could afford it, instead of jumping young ladies for their only possessions in the middle of the desert." he said, pointing to the necklace that the Gazimon had nearly swiped as if reminding her that it wasn't some kind of crime to want to hold onto something that seemed to be important to her. "BESIDES the fact that the reason they call them "meat apples" is just referring back to my previous point." He said, picking up a piping hot example and taking a deep, juicy chomp of the salty, savory fruit. "Food LITERALLY grows on trees out here. Just like in our world any scarcity of resources is caused by bigger, stronger, more socially protected digimon hording at the top of the food chain, skirmishing with one another in the dust pits and gutters accomplishes nothing save getting people hurt." he said, showing off one of the deepest sides of his personality, a passionate ideologue with a strong central compass that directed him toward a very solid standard of right and wrong.
"Dad, you're pontificating again..." Marigold said, undercutting and pulling the rug out from under him, making him visibly stumble and have to readjust. What made it even more comical was the fruit she had stuffed in her mouth, something that looked like a pineapple except all in crimson flesh with a bright pink and red polka dotted leaf, like the kind out of the stem of an apple, on top. She giggled at his little mental trip up as she halted his inertia in its tracks, bending down for more food.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 17, 2021 4:45:03 GMT
"You have a point, Zack. Besides stealing my necklace wouldn't of gotten them much money as it may be old but it is more valuable from the sentimental side. What gems that the necklace contains aren't nearly as valuable as rare stones." Kima said looking down at her necklace while gently rubbing the surface of the heirloom gently before looking up to see Zack staring into the visor of his helmet. "Zack, I hope this doesn't offend you but why do you dress so oddly? You look like you escaped from a comic book. Not that the outfit doesn't look nice."
"Unfortunately greed is a vice even digimon are guilty of. Even when there is plenty for all some only crave more and, as I'm sure you know, such behavior can be very destructive. Like the night the warrior died I saw the evil ones greed and lust for power in his cold eyes. I only hope he can be stopped in time." Jijimon said looking into the fire after sighing quietly.
Kima giggled at Marigold blunt statement looking at the mess the little bee made of herself while she was eating while Takoda and Jijimon seemed to have better table manners. Takoda's next words caught Kima's attention as he said "Easy there, Marigold. There is more than enough food for everyone so you don't have to eat so fast. Maybe you should slow down before you choke on your food."
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Post by supesman on Oct 18, 2021 1:58:34 GMT
"Well Kima I would think that my coming right out and saying that my daughter and I are vigilantes would give you a clue. it's a superhero costume." he said, standing up, putting on the helmet and standing there in the firelight, one step toward her, shoulders squared, his head tilted down slightly so the bronze stripes and golden finish of the helmet would glitter and sparkle. he really did cut something of an impressive figure bringing the training of his body to bear. "I mean, you've seen me, I'm just some normal dorky twenty-something when you get a look in my eyes." he said, though talking through the helmet began to make his point for him, muffling and distorting his voice until it was made deeper and more stark. "A dorky twenty something can die, can get the tar beaten out of him or can just be picked apart as some...dude. But when I elevate myself, create something bigger than just a man maybe I can scare the bad guys into thinking twice, or inspire the right kind of people to make the right kind of choices." He said, placing his hand his chest. It was clear that he never did anything without thinking, save maybe throwing himself into the heart of danger.
Marigold did NOT in fact slow down, perhaps even speeding up her gobbling of any fruit she could grab just to spite the overprotective Puma. She already HAD one obnoxious, over protective hero over her shoulder thank you very much.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 18, 2021 2:22:07 GMT
"Well I get that but not all superheroes wear costumes. Heck some don't even have secret identities." Kima said as she watched Zack pose before she said "Though in that costume I can see why some folks could find you intimidating though I'm not sure about how it would work with digimon though."
"Kima, just like some lifeforms in the Human World, digimon sometimes resort to intimidation in a wide variety of ways. Most of the time it is used to fool those into thinking they are more dangerous then they really are." Jijimon said before pointing to Takoda's tail and continued "Just like the spines that Takoda can bring forth on his tail. Even though he is a rookie his size combined with the spines have worked well for him when it comes to scaring off some enemies."
When Zack mentioned how he was dorky, Kima snickered before she said "At least as far as being dorky goes you aren't that bad and you seem to be doing alright with Marigold." She then looked at Marigold seeing the little bee had increased the shoveling speed of her food as if spiting Takoda which was funny to her and she couldn't hold in her laughter.
Takoda sighed not pushing anymore with Marigold and chuckled as he said "I guess you like the food judging by how you are going at it. If you are doing this if you find my concerns obnoxious, I assure you it was not my intention." He then plucked a couple meat apples from the pile setting one of them in Kima's lap before chowing down on the one he got for himself.
"Thank you, Takoda." Kima said to her partner with a smile which the large cat returned with one of his own before returning his attention to his food.
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Post by supesman on Oct 18, 2021 2:34:32 GMT
Zack looked down at Marigold stuffing her face, bulging out her little Puroromon cheeks like something out of a cartoon, filling her mouth to the bursting point and swallowing like she was loading shells into a piece of artillery, just one hard motion after another. Zack rolled his eyes, squatting down and flicking the back of her head, making her choke and cough, pounding on her chest so she could swallow, turning to look up at him with an "innocent" grin
"Chew." He said, with a tone they hadn't quite heard out of him yet. Really putting a line in the sand with his authority as her father. She would be able to toss him around like a rag doll and yet she still dutifully bowed her head and took a much softer approach to her food. "Make no mistake, Takoda, she does these sorts of things to test if she can get away with it. She really doesn't mean any harm, it's just reverse psychology up to a point." He said, reaching up and pulling off his helmet, tucking it under his arm before setting it on the floor as he sat back down. "And while I appreciate your faith, Kima, really I do, I'm resigned to the parental paradox that we all mess our kids up for life somehow."
"Oh yea, making your kid your sidekick in your vigilante schemes, real A plus parenting there." She said, holding up one of her arms in a pantomime of a sarcastic high five, which she couldn't completely pull of since her Puroromon form didn't even have any thumbs on its tiny nub hands.
"See? She even agrees with me." She said, both of them snickering as they shared the same slightly dark joke about the insanity of their lifestyle that would get any other parent up in front of a court.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 18, 2021 2:56:23 GMT
Now Marigold had her cheeks stuffed reminding Kima more of a cartoon chimpmunk or squirrel rather than the bee larvae she resembled. The cheeky little Puroromon's antics were brought to a halt with her choking and coughing when he flicked her on the back of her head and told her to chew. The tone was one Kima knew all too well as her parents used it on her even if it was heard rarely since Kima wasn't a troublemaker by nature. She didn't seem to have enough self confidence to tell her bullies off so being a rebellious teen was very unlikely to happen for her.
"Yes she is pushing boundaries. Reminds me of when Takoda was a cub. He wasn't a bad child but he could be a handful at times." Jijimon said chuckling as he remembered dealing with Takoda before he became Pumamon.
"Yes I remember trying to push you to see what I could get away with and how you were so patient with me when I became aware of my Speed of the Puma ability at the in training level causing me to hop around the desert at high speed without listening it was a miracle I didn't get eaten before you were able to catch up." Takoda said with a laugh as he looked back on his early days as fondly as Jijimon did.
Kima shrugged before she said "I know not all parents are perfect." Then she smirked before she added "At least you can help her become a responsible vigilante while you two are helping others in need and she can look out for you too."
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Post by supesman on Oct 19, 2021 1:41:32 GMT
"Responsible vigilante might be a contradiction in terms depending on who you ask. There are some very fair and respectable questions to be leveled at me about my accountability and my flagrant disregard for the rule of law." he said, placing his chin in his hands as he considered the idea. Again, he wasn't the kind of man to do something that would effect other without thinking, he only failed to think when the only ass on the line was his own. "I try to think of it in terms of doing more good than harm. Could I be spreading the wrong message to angry people who want an excuse to punish someone or something and don't actually care or consequences? Absolutely and I would be the first one to admit that without The Batman there is no Punisher." he said, his tone making it clear he wasn't overly fond of the skull motif sporting gunman. "But all of the high ideas about the rule of law and societal cohesion doesn't mean much when someone gets shanked in a back alley or has everything they own stolen by someone looking for a quick buck."
"Dad, eat. You've had like two things since you sat down and you've been working since six o'clock this morning." She said, shoving a small pile of foodstuff in his direction. She was the anchor that kept his feet on the ground, placed his high ideals in the realm of achievable reality and reminding him that he wasn't any good to anybody if he ended up dead because he was more worried about running on fumes until he dropped rather than feeding and resting himself.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 19, 2021 2:21:59 GMT
Kima chuckled when Zack brought up how contradictory her words were before she said "You have a point, Zack. What you do is considered illegal back home but at least you are trying to help others when the law can't."
"I can also understand wanting to help others in need because, sadly, the law can't be everywhere. That and at least you seem to care about the potential consequences of your actions. Though I try my best to be law abiding I understand sometimes the vigilantes can bend the law without breaking it." Takoda said taking a break from his eating. Yes if he chose to he could of been a good cop but it seemed his destiny seemed to be more vigilante like and the thought was amusing to the Pumamon the amusement clear in his green eyes.
Marigold's insistance that her father eat something caused Jijimon to laugh but said nothing. "You haven't eaten since six o clock this morning. I may not know much about humans but don't they need more than one meal in a day to function properly?"
"You're not wrong, Takoda, humans need anywhere from two to three meals a day to be healthy though three is best." Kima said before giggling at Zack being told off by his own daughter.
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Post by supesman on Oct 19, 2021 2:38:23 GMT
"Alright, alright, alright, point taken, from all of you." he said, pointing an accusing, though mostly sarcastic finger at Jijimon and Kima. "It's not bad enough that I hear it from my own kid I have to hear it from two people I just me too?" he said, rolling his eyes, reaching down for another meat apple and chomping into it. His demeanor visibly changed though now that he was actually tasting it. He wasn't going totally, absurdly all out the way that Marigold had before he'd stepped in but it was clear that one he broke open the dam of admitting that he was hungry, his stomach was finally able to scream at him for going most of the day working off fumes and adrenaline.
"He'll live. He's gotten very good at ignoring every ounce of practical advice he can ever be given until the last possible moment. He'll starve until he's forced to eat, stay up until he's forced to sleep. It's a viscous cycle really. I've told him that maybe Superman can run for twenty three hours without stopping to breath but he's not Superman. He's only an alien in the digital world on a technical level." He said, stabbing at the heart of her father's bad habits by using one of the things that would cut right into the way he thought: comic book references.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 19, 2021 3:30:23 GMT
Zack's response only made Jijimon laugh more which turned out to be contagious as Kima and Takoda began laughing as well. When the three settled down, Jijimon said "Other than your habit of forgetting to take care of yourself, Zack, you remind me of Takoda in multiple ways. You and he share a strong sense of justice. You two also are willing to sacrifice yourselves to protect those in need and at times you can be stubborn. You two may learn more from each other over time."
Takoda's ear twitched as he picked up the sound of Zack's empty belly and it seemed the tamer couldn't ignore the effects of running on fumes anymore and began eating. When the name Superman was mentioned Jijimon and Takoda looked at her confused so Kima decided to explain "Superman is a fictional character in the Human World who came from a dying alien world and was sent to earth by his parents when he was an infant. His rocket made it safely and he was adopted by a human couple. As he got older he had powers emerge that he never would of had on his homeworld and he began using his powers to help others. Technically a vigilante, yes, but he was handy with his super strength in many other situations."
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Post by supesman on Oct 19, 2021 20:00:38 GMT
"She's making a joke about the fact that Superman is an alien and technically ALL humans in the digital world are aliens if you actually think about it because we're not lifeforms native to the environment. It's a paper thing comic book reference that wasn't clever in the slightest..." He said, sounding a tad harsh before he bent at the waist and kissed her on the top of her head softly, making her giggle. "Just the kind of thing her dad would say, makes me proud." He said, showing that the joke about the questionable relevance and quality of the reference and the joke were self-critical, not critical of her at all.
"Well it's just about the only thing that comes out of your mouth most days so I figure I might as well lay back and accept it." She said, continuing to eat her fill. How Jijimon had the resources to feed himself and Pumamon, let alone himself, Pumamon, Marigold AND the two humans nibbling at the edges of top of that was anybody's guess. Even one digimon could eat most humans out of house and home let alone three who had to save some food for the humans in the party.
"I don't mind being compared to Takoda at all. He really proved himself out there today. He was driven, dedicated, just and not afraid to jump into action when someone else was in trouble. Not much else anyone can ask for really."
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 19, 2021 20:49:41 GMT
"You have a point about humans technically being alien to this world. Just as digimon are alien to yours. I've heard some digimon live in the Human World or even regularly travel between. Though most humans aren't aware of them as many digimon disguise themselves as humans through use of an item called a holosuit." Takoda said smiling at the interaction between father and daughter.
"So there is a chance I have passed by some digimon on my way to and from school and never realized it since they disguise themselves." Kima said thinking aloud now curious as to if she had been around any digimon on a regular basis without realizing it.
"Possibly but remember, Kima, that digimon are a minority in the Human World just as humans are a minority in the Digital World. That and not all digimon are welcoming of humans with some even resorting to violence." Takoda said striking home how vulnerable humans were in the Digital World and why digimon were their best means of protection in a world foreign to them.
"I may have been brave today, Zack, but I was reckless while trying to stop Gazimon. I should of been more wary that he was up to something. If I was I might not of gotten hurt." Takoda said with a brief glance at his back.
"No one is perfect, Takoda. We all make mistakes. The best we can do is learn from them so as not to repeat the same mistakes in the future." Jijimon said his gentle soothing voice grabbing Takoda's attention. Jijimon's simple words of wisdom were right on the money. Which made Takoda smile and nod in response.
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Post by supesman on Oct 19, 2021 21:01:27 GMT
"You hear that dad? You hear the wise man and literal prophet say that running off half cocked with no plan into situations that could end badly is a mistake and something you can learn to be better about? Fascinating, it's almost like I've heard it someplace before." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she turned and cocked her head slowly to look up at him with the most deadpan, comedically annoyed expression she could make. She didn't keep it for very long, both of them bursting out with a good natured cackle. "Nah, never change. You wouldn't be you if you did." She said, waddling up and hugging his pantleg, he reached down, picking her up and setting her in his lap.
"Well Kima you can rest assured that you'll always be able to recognize us out in the human world..." He said, looking down at the VERY distinctive outfit he was wearing and adding on something to his point before he continued. "I mean when I'm NOT dressed like a KISS reject biker from a seventies tv show that is. What I'm getting at is, Marigold doesn't have or use a holosuit. When we're out and about she looks like this, peaking out of the pocket of my backpack someplace." He said, patting the side pocket of his bad where she had mad a little nap nest for herself where she snoozed away more than a few hours. "I personally just don't want to encourage her to feel the need to be someone or something she's not in order to fit in. She's gorgeous and perfect exactly how she is." He says as she laid down on her side, snuggling into the fabric of his pantleg.
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