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Post by supesman on Oct 22, 2021 4:27:03 GMT
Zack opened his lips, closing them a few times again and sighing as he tried to find the best way to tell the story without upsetting Marigold. He had barely been alive as she had lost all grip and control both during his assault and when he had fainted after the fact, he didn't wish to dredge up bad memories.
"I don't like bullies. I found one. a Flymon, set herself up as a tin pot queen of a hive of FanBeemon. Sending them out to raid, steal and devour as much as they could, taking her "tax" to a level that left them without even the resources to care for any children who weren't ruthless and strong from moment one. That's...where Marigold came from. I refused to step back or stand by, it's not in my blood. I asked those FanBeemon if that was really the only life they could imagine living. She broke down, as despots and bullies often do when they get their fear pulled out from under them. She took a potshot at a friend, I took the shot instead." He said. he didn't describe himself in grand terms. he didn't say that he liberated anyone, from the way he told it he barely did anything at all.
"Kima...if...if you don't learn to protect the people you care about and you decide that you're going to face whatever this evil is then...I don't want you to be holding somebody close, unable to have done a damn thing about it. That is the kind of fear that will keep you up at night." Marigold warned, feeling the cold trauma of holding her only father in her arms. The images flashing behind her eyes.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 22, 2021 4:51:40 GMT
"But that doesn't explain how you survived." Kima began before looking at Marigold and shaking her head. "You know what it doesn't matter how you survived. You did and for the sake of your daughter that's all that matters."
Kima took in Marigold's warning and looked at the fire unsure of what to say next. She wasn't upset with Marigold but she didn't know how to word what she was going to say next. Marigold had a valid point but how was she going to explain to the bee digimon how she felt? Turning to look at Takoda she figured out what she would say by looking into the Pumamon's green eyes. Taking a deep breath as if gathering strength she turned back to Marigold and said "I understand what you're saying, Marigold, but please understand I'm no fighter. Even worse I have next to zero self confidence due to being bullied all my life. That and I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Maybe at least learning some self defense would help some with your self confidence, Kima. It's not like you have to learn to be a master fighter right away." Takoda said in a gentle tone.
Looking back at the fire for a bit more Kima thought through her next reponse before looking back at Zack and Marigold and said "I guess learning a little bit about self defense couldn't hurt. Gotta take things one step at a time, right?"
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Post by supesman on Oct 22, 2021 13:32:44 GMT
"How did I survive? I didn't. Not under my own power at least. I kept myself awake, fighting like hell, clawing my way against anything I could grab just to keep my head above water. I could feel it, I knew that the second I started sucking down water I would never come back up for air. I held on just long enough for a friend of ours to come through and save my hide. All I had to do was hold on. I did it for her. I couldn't leave her alone." He said, hugging Marigold tightly to his body, banishing that cold, empty feeling that still grasped him sometimes. It would be impossible to describe out loud. Cold, empty, a bony hand reaching out and wrapping around his throat.
"You're not living in the gentle part of the world anymore. You have to know how to protect the people you care about...and to protect yourself for the people who care about you. My father did know how to handle himself and I still nearly lost him on a split second decision. You don't have to be a master but you should know, it wouldn't be fair not to warn you. As of the moment you accepted this responsibility you started playing for keeps." She said, laying it all bluntly out in front of Kima. Her intention wasn't to scare her, she was simply being realistic. Pragmatic. Some Digimon, hell, some TAMERS wouldn't hesitate if that's what it came down to and she couldn't live with herself if she wasn't honest about that.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 22, 2021 22:29:31 GMT
'So a friend of Zack's saved him from death's door.' Takoda thought as he figured it must of been someone fairly gifted with healing. "Judging by the size of that scar it had to be a digimon with a good healing ability."
Kima wasn't surprised to learn that digimon could have healing abilities as she had seen Takoda move like a blur across the sands and Jijimon have visions so being able to heal others wasn't impossible for her to grasp. "Seems like Marigold gave you the strength you needed to fight until your friend was able to help you." Kima said as she watched Zack hug his daughter closer to him as if this was a memory that still disturbed them to this day. What torments did this pair suffer in their journey that Kima didn't know about.
Marigold's words were blunt but realistic. What if something happened to Takoda and she was left vulnerable? Running would only help so much but she wouldn't want to abandon Takoda or any future partners if she had at least some ability to help even if it was small. "I know. From what little I've seen so far the Digital World can be just as cruel as the world I came from only there are monsters with super powers native to this one. I do want to help Takoda but even if I learn to fight I can only do so much." she said before taking a deep breath to calm herself before she then said "Like I said I'm willing to at least try to learn how to fight. Even if it won't help much with digimon I won't be as easy a target."
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Post by supesman on Oct 23, 2021 21:51:55 GMT
"Everyone can only do so much, we all have to do as much as we can and if enough people do the best they're able, we'd all be living in a better world. I don't think anyone would disagree with me on that." He said, Marigold was actually relaxing, whatever the images were that were still swirling behind her eyes vanishing for the moment as she felt the heat of her father's body soaking into her own. He was her anchor and she was his, both of them creating a twin gravity that pulled them toward the center, somewhere where they could both be ok.
"Our friend Mandrake is a magician! He's super cool and can do all sorts of stuff!" Marigold said, popping out of her depressive and scared stupor. Whether it was because the change in conversation topic was actually working to make her feel better or if she was doing it on purpose just to make everyone around her feel better and to stop bringing everyone down. Zack laughed, looking at Kima and shrugging as he was about to give her another inside joke that the other digimon in the room wouldn't get.
"Yes, he really does call himself Mandrake the Magician. No, he doesn't seem like he did it on purpose somehow. You know it's...weird. Some things you take for granted, like having something resembling a shared reference pool with most people but most Digimon don't know who Superman is or most movies. It throws me off, as you can probably tell. I do a lot of references so I often get my train of thought get brought to a screeching stop as my brain tries to process someone who doesn't get a Star Wars reference." He cackles a little.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 23, 2021 22:47:49 GMT
Kima smiled at Zack's words and looked more at ease when she noticed Marigold was calming down. "I agree with you there. Makes me wonder how much of a challenge it will be when I have several digimon helping me instead of just Takoda. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around the fact I'll be leading an army one day and, not just that, other humans like myself are likely doing the same thing."
When Marigold popped into the conversation and mentioned their friend Mandrake, Takoda, being curious, asked "Mandrake? Is he the one who helped you, Zack?"
"Mandrake the Magician, why does that sound faintly familiar? I think I saw that name on the internet once in regards to superheroes though I wasn't researching that particular one at the time. I was researching one called the Phantom because my father mentioned him a few times." Kima said before shaking her head. If it was important it would likely come back to her later. "It seems like digimon through this connection to our world get only part of the information which could explain why your references confuse some of them but I'm not totally sure as I don't know much about digimon myself since this is my first day around them.
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Post by supesman on Oct 24, 2021 3:18:52 GMT
"Maybe it's just my overly fancy college education but that idea fascinates me. A lot of Tamers take for granted the fact that most Digimon can speak and interpret information to the same or even a higher level than we can without actually taking into account the historical and cultural differences between most humans and most Digimon." He said, going into something like a scholarly tone as he simmered on the idea, as if putting together the full picture of something he had had pieces of for a while now.
"You only mention Digimon being able to be smarter than people because I'm smarter than yo- OW!" Marigold was cut off during her snarky remark by his reaching down and flicking against her forehead. She giggled, rubbing the spot where the finger had landed, not actually wanting to interrupt his thought.
"Like for instance, You and Takoda grew up in worlds not only with totally different cultures but also totally different ecologies. There are no non-sentient animals in the digital world, food literally grows on trees, the basic logical factors of what does or doesn't belong where is totally thrown out in the Digital World. I've had a thought like that with Marigold and how her frame of reference is different because she's been raised mostly as a human." He said, laying out the very broad idea of what was on his mind by that point.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 24, 2021 4:12:40 GMT
"So that could lead to digimon who have had little to no exposure to humans visiting Shibuya and being involved in something considered socially awkward. I think I saw a kid like that in school once but maybe he was just a weird kid and nothing more." Kima said thinking of Zack's words while remembering a weird kid from middle school that did things that made other kids uneasy to be near him but they eventually accepted him but the bullies basically wouldn't so much as let her try to fit in with anyone. She sighed wondering why she was thinking of those bullies again when the conversation at this point didn't even regard them.
When Zack corrected Marigold by bopping her on the head, Kima smirked. Marigold seemed to be an outspoken little lady which was something Kima was not. She may have been long ago but she was sure the constant bullying killed that all together. Kima then began rubbing her face and sighing in frustration. Why couldn't she keep those poor excuses for people out of her head? Why did the thought of them keep sticking around like a persistant form of mold?
"Actually there are non sentient animals here in the Digital World though digimon seem to be the most common. We digimon eat things like the non sentient fish and small prey items especially if we can't find the food that grows on bushes and trees or we can't find things like mushrooms or sweet potatoes." Takoda said politely correcting Zack about the lesser known things that can be found in the Digital World.
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Post by supesman on Oct 24, 2021 21:37:57 GMT
"Huh, well today I learned. Though that also brings up the fact that the biology and the general biosphere of the Digital World isn't...well there's no natural selection here. Digimon are born from data that leaks in from the human world, it's why he's a puma, he's an old man and she's a bee. Digimon seem to just sorta pop into existence when a concept in the Digital World somehow becomes a living being in itself. I dunno, maybe I think too hard about this but this would be fascinating for someone to study. The Digital World seems to function on fundamentally different systems down to the most basic natural level." He said, rolling the idea around in his own mind more than anything else though he was glad that the topic seemed to be keeping Kima focused on something more stimulating and positive.
"It seems weird to me, you know, when Digimon try to be humans. I've never really had the urge." She said, sitting herself down on her father's lap, kicking her feet again like she was in a chair that was much larger than she could ever require. "I like who I am and I don't really like the idea of hiding any of that just so that I can look like a human. I guess it'd be convenient but it'd feel like lying to myself." She said, imagining having to work in the world around her in a body with only two hands all of the time when she was much more used to multiple pairs of appendages. Even just that made it sound uncomfortable and strange to her.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 24, 2021 22:35:06 GMT
"Sounds like the closest thing this world has to natural selection is that when a niche needs to be filled a species is created and appears for that purpose. Though it would be interesting for someone to study, no offense, I don't see you as the studious type, Zack." Kima said with an amused glint in her eye at the thought of Zack being the scholarly type as well as a superhero type.
"Before meeting Kima I never thought of using a holosuit myself either. Not just because I like myself the way I am." Takoda said picking at a piece of food that escaped the feeding frenzy. By this time Jijimon had returned to the room with an armful of warm blankets but didn't want to interrupt the conversation. Takoda then stopped picking at the food before letting out a soft chuckle before he said "Besides can you imagine me in a human disguise when I'm used to walking on four legs. I would think getting used to a form so different would be awkward at first for many reasons."
Jijimon gently set down the blankets before his calm voice was heard saying "I have brought out some warm blankets for when you young ones are ready to sleep." Jijimon then calmly sat down on his pillow once again as if he had never left the room in the first place.
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Post by supesman on Oct 25, 2021 1:24:02 GMT
"I'm not, well at least, not about this." He said, tucking his hands into his pockets and shrugging. "My interests ARE cultural in nature, pop cultural admittedly but still. If I'm a scholar of anything it's of a literary genre." He said, the grin on his face making it clear that even HE was having a hard time taking the label of "literary genre" for his beloved superheroes seriously. "You'd need to be some kind of...sociologist slash evolutionary biologist slash philosopher in order to make heads or tails out of any of the drivel I've been babbling about here." He admitted.
Marigold jolted out of his lap and buzzed up to where Jijimon was handing out the blankets. Zack rolled his eyes, understanding the message and grabbing her one, wrapping the tiny humanoid bug up in the cloth like he was swaddling a baby, leaving her tiny golden head popping out of a mass of blanket as he plopped her down onto the floor in that mass, steam rising up around her as she simply soaked in the perfect warmth of the comfortable garment.
"Mmm thass nice...~" She shuffled slightly in order to get as comfortable as possible, slurring her words as she was wrapped up in the perfect sensation. Zack reached out, helping to pass them out to everyone else, folding the warmed up cloth over his shoulders, shivering as it banished all of his late evening goosebumps.
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 25, 2021 1:53:48 GMT
"Zack, I think a lot of logic minded humans would be confused by many things digimon consider normal such as evolution lines that have gone beyond what humans might consider a bit of a stretch, floating mountains, and even various random anomalies that turn the somewhat loose sense of logic this world has on its head." Takoda said as he laid down easing the pain he had been ignoring for awhile but was laying on his side facing the others.
As Zack swaddled Marigold the little bee larvae and placed his wrapped up partner on the floor it seemed Marigold was quite comfortable within the warm blanket even voicing so. Jijimon smiled before he said "You're welcome, little one."
Kima had gotten up to get a couple blankets herself taking a large one and draping it over Takoda and he said "Thank you, Kima." He then stretched his fore paws out grabbing the blanket gently with his claws reminding Kima more like a housecat. Was this behavior typical of other animal like digimon? She guessed she would have to discover that for herself.
Kima then noticed Zack was trying to help pass the blankets out so she accepted one from him and said "Thank you." She then began wrapping herself in it as she sat down and it was as comfy as Marigold had indicated it was.
"Nights out in the desert can get quite cold even here in the Digital World so I always made sure I have a large amount of spare blankets." Jijimon said as he used his cane to pull a blanket to himself before grabbing hold of it and wrapping it around him. He then checked on the fire which was still burning strong from the fire pit but he would likely get up later in the night to put more wood on just in case.
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Post by supesman on Oct 25, 2021 2:14:46 GMT
"Mmm, well it seems there are a few things that make sense no matter what world you're in. And one of those things that it making a whole lot of sense to me right this second is falling over and passing out." He said, slumping over to one side, placing his head in the pillow that had been made out of the blanket bundle he had made for Marigold, her head coming to rest right next to where her head was poking out. She purred slightly at that, leaning in and letting her head fall to rest next to his on the blanket pile.
"Mmmhmm, sometimes the only thing you really need to worry about is being warm, and full and...safe..." She said, that last word book ended on either side by a big, stretching yawn, though with the miniscule size of her body the yawn was more of a strained squeak as she stretched out her entire body and rolled over slightly. "Good night, dad. Good night everyone."
That was indeed how she felt now. She felt safe. That was the blessing she was always going to do her best to remember that nothing would ever make her feel as helpless and alone as she once did. No matter what happened she truly believed that her father would always be with her, and their new friends that they had made along the way on top of that. There was nothing that would keep her alone, never again.
Both of them must have been much more exhausted from the day's events than they either knew or let on. It was debatable whether they were awake long enough to hear any reply to the good night from Kima or Takoda, it took only a few minutes, maybe even less for both of them to be laying on their sides, totally passed out in the warmth.
(Zack Exit)
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Post by ricochet9-Kima on Oct 25, 2021 2:32:25 GMT
Kima was beginning to realize how tired she was as soon as she wrapped the blanket around herself. Hearing Marigold say goodnight to everyone made her smile and she wished everyone good night herself before laying down wrapping the blanket tightly around herself. She and Takoda had a big journey to begin in the morning even though she still had no idea how she would handle things other than head home first and tell her parents everything before making her next move. Closing her eyes she fell asleep fairly fast despite the many thoughts swirling around restlessly in her head. It seemed she was too tired to care about them so that might of made things easier for her to fall asleep.
Soon only two were awake in the cave, Takoda and Jijimon. Takoda looked in Jijimon's direction seeing the older digimon had something on his mind. "What's on your mind, Jijimon?"
"I was expecting your new general to be young but to have suffered so much trauma that she is unable to emerge from the cocoon of self confidence trapping her so she can become a butterfly like the meaning of her name suggests. Takoda, you must take care of and guide her so she can recover her long lost confidence while you two are on your journey."
"I will try my best. Good night, Jijimon."
"Good night all of you." Jijimon said as he was the last to drift off to sleep.
[EXIT]
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2021 12:07:07 GMT
Everyone gets 2500 bits!
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