[] Do some studying in your white book, start learning Sorcerymons's second spell. Maybe you can help Sparks study too?
[] Continuing to interact with the KoDokugumon.
[] Try some light training with Sparks, see about trying to find more information about the gym
===
The wait for Sergeant Scratch to pick his new recruits is initially a tense one. Dracmon's word about you being one of the more likely candidates is mildly disturbing, but there's absolutely no way that you'd ever leave Sparks behind, not after your promise to him. So, you do your best to put it out of mind and just focus on the time ahead. The next few days see you falling into a rather steady rhythm of activity
Once more your nights are filled with horrible nightmares revolving around the village's destruction, excepting for the first where it's
something far stranger instead. More along the lines of your previous dreams back when Flamemon was still alive.
You're not the only one with night terrors though, as Sparks quite often wakes you with with his screaming. In the aftermath of every single one he ends up seeking comfort in your fluffy fur, not that you mind. He's your only friend left, or at least the only one still within reach. The only ones free of these seem to be the KoDokugumon, or at least that goes for Scourge and Grip. On one occasion during the second night you feel Warren shivering into your face for some reason, though he stubbornly refuses to speak on it.
The progression of the three spider-digimon is decidedly odd; they can talk, or well, they can somewhat. Enough to say their own name and a few words here and there, but not enough to actually form full sentences. When it comes to a more literal growth, they're not exactly advancing much there either. None of them manage to digivolve in the next few days even with copious amounts of food and exercise. Frigmon isn't able to answer your question in that regard as she'd never seen the like of their species before. You find yourself sadly wishing that Gramps was still alive so he could help you raise them. They're
yours after all; while they might not be siblings like Thresh and Lunamon, or friends like Sparks, they're… something else to you. It's just hard to describe what that is exactly.
Meanwhile, your mornings are still spent attending school with Sparks, who seems to be doing better after the Wizardmon teacher finally realized that the Candlemon didn't know a single shred of Digimoji. The champion spent a few minutes each class giving him a separate more basic plan. It's something he takes to quite quickly, especially with you helping him along.
Of course, it's not like you slack on your own studies; far from it. Honestly, this entire thing is odd, as you can't but feel as if you already know quite a few of the subjects being taught. Much like when you'd been learning the basics under Sorcerymon, it often feels more like being reminded of something you forgot than actually learning it for the first time. Not that you tell Wizardmon that. The happy champion instead seems to think you're some sort of once in a lifetime prodigy when it comes to learning considering how you shoot past the vast majority of his class in just those three days.
Beyond that, according to Wizardmon you're really, really, REALLY, good with numbers. Apparently you're the only one in class who manages to "pick up the multiplication table" in a single go. Which is admittedly strange, as you don't remember lifting any tables while in class...
You take all of this in stride, simply being grateful that it's so easy rather than look a gift Unimon in the mouth. After all, breezing through the normal knowledge gives you time to start working on Sorcerymon's second spell. Without your deceased magical mentor's assistance, stumbling through the High Programming proves more difficult, but you still try your best to learn the entire set. Sadly, the second set of coding in your book is both very different from the first spell and more complex, which means you can't just copy the efforts from your last spell. It's not meant to use your energy to encourage healing, but rather pull it out into the form of pure holy power. Wrapping your head around how this different type of energy projection works and how it differs from the first spell is difficult.
On the other paw, this time you're not working from pure scratch as his prior tutoring had given you a better foundation going forward. By the time three days have passed, you think that perhaps you're a fourth of the way through the necessary studying required to use the spell.
Sparks joins you in studying, though he has little interest in learning healing spells. Rather, you soon find out that you're not the only digimon from the village with with a spellbook. Much to your shock, your friend actually received one from Gramps himself (Roughly at the same time in which he'd received his one bag apparently) an old tattered red book with pages that only hold two spells. The first is roughly as complicated as your third spell, while the other…
It takes up most of a page on its own, and you have no idea what type of spell it could possibly be. Sparks is intent on learning them both though.
Thanks to your tutoring on the first day and evening he's finally able to make out the instructions of how to start learning them, though with his inexperience with high programming in general, the one armed rookie needs your help to even start.
Under your tutelage Sparks picks up the basics of High Programming extremely quickly. Shockingly, it takes only a single evening of talking him through it before he's able to understand the very basics. Overall, it takes your friend perhaps half the time it had taken you to get to that point. You sure would love to see what kind of expression Sorcerymon would make if he could see this. Maybe his hat would fall off. Not that Sparks has learned any spells yet mind you, but he's advancing very fast.
You don't spend the entirety of your afternoons and evenings studying coding though, merely about half. The rest is spent hanging out with the KoDokugumon and attempting to do more physical training with Sparks. Neither of you have the equipment needed for true training, and since sparring is out for now, the two of you settle for mere calisthenics. It doesn't give the explosive growth you both crave, but even the small increase is worth it. You both have an oath to fulfill. Thanks to your ability to heal, the two of you actually manage to keep going longer than ever.
The KoDokugumon all attempt to copy your exercises with...Mixed results. Scourge and Grip end up getting tired halfway through the training and spin up a bed for themselves to nap in. Warren on the other hand actually manages to persevere to the end, albeit at a significantly slower pace than either you or Sparks. He takes particularly well to the strength training and even tries to lift you up while you're resting. You try to humor the little digimon by pretending that it's working.
Your attempts to use the town's "Gym" end up failing miserably. While there's a variety of gear there that would absolutely work for training, you're stopped from actually using any of it by the attending champions. According to the
Gorimon in charge of the massive building, (who very loudly explains the entire thing) not just anyone can work out there. In order to use it, digimon require something called a "membership", one of which apparently costs a flat one-thousand bits per month. Though at the very least the mayor has decreed that those aligned with the Blessed Host or Bulwark in an official capacity can get it for half price.
Seeing that you currently have, well,
zero bits, a membership is far out of your price range. Sparks sadly only has a few hundred bits himself, meaning neither of you can work out there in the near future.
An unfortunate side effects to spending so much time with the three In-Training mon is that Ardat makes time each day to come visit them from wherever it is she's staying. The weird overly talkative witchmon has deemed them to be "Cool and cute" and brings pieces of meat each day to feed them.
In turn your three *wards* seem to have taken a liking to the female figure, though you have no idea as to why that is.
Much to your displeasure, their playing even puts you into the line of fire. The Witchmon runs her hands through your fluffy fur more than once and even goes so far as to copy your "sparring" against the trio, cackling gleefully as the three digimon "Defeat her". You're really not a fan of it.
Another thing you find out over the next three days is that the mansion has its pair of rooms dedicated to housing baby and In-Training mon, mainly to keep them safe until they reach rookie status. The KoDokugumon are an exception, since they're more combat capable and mobile than most mon in their stage.
===
On the fourth day after lunch, Frigimon gathers the entire class of rookies together and assembles you all in front of the mansion in a single row. Naturally, you line up next to a very worried Sparks. He spends the entire time tightly gripping your fur with his remaining arm.
It's really not that hard to figure out what the cold caretaker had brought you together for, especially with the sergeant and a pouting Ardat showing up. Something that you do find odd is that for some reason, Pidmon flies in behind them too. The smiling angel digimon even waves at you and Spark after setting down. You're the only one that waves back.
You naturally begin to feel more than a little worried as the rotund digimon strides across the group for a final inspection and can't help but let out a nervous gulp as his steely gaze passes over your location. Finally his gaze settles on Beat near the left edge of the line.
"Wormmon." The Gladimon states lifting his hand to point a finger at the small rookie.
"Hmph, as expected." The bright eyed digimon nods. Despite his clear attempts at sounding nonplussed, judging by the flickering of his antennae the rookie is pretty happy about being chosen. Not that you know why he'd be happy about it. Beat proudly walks forward to stand over by Ardat, who is still pouting for some reason.
The champion doesn't waste time for suspense, or even for the newly recruited rookie to fully make his way over. He just rotates around and points a finger at you.
No I-
"Candlemon." his word harshly cuts your thought asunder.
What? He's choosing Sparks?!
"Me? Why-why me?"
"That matters not. Come forward."
"No!" Your friend screams, desperately wrapping his arm around your paw. "I'm-I'm not leaving Verge!"
"Tssk. Coward."
The Gladimon steps forward, and a moment later is looming over the one armed rookie. His blue eyes stare impassively down at your shivering friend, almost as if daring him to speak again. You try to open your mouth to speak up on his behalf but a sudden deathly glare from the champion prevents anything more than a whimper from leaking out. The strangest thing about those eyes is that despite how intimidating they are there's no real malice in them. More than anything, it's the overbearing sense that you don't matter that gets to you.The small champion whips his eyes back towards your friend, and says one word.
"Why?"
"He's-He's all I have left!" Sparks tearfully replies, a stream of boiling tears onto your arm.
"Everyone else. Everyone else is gone. Verge is… He's the only one who didn't leave me behind!" His fiery head roars up suddenly as a line of steel enters the one armed rookie's voice.
"S-so I'm not going to be leaving him behind!"
Sparks...
Scratch shifts at the words, though whether it's a nod or a shake you can't tell. His eyes move again, the dreadful gaze freezing you in place once more. From the way he tilts his head it's almost like he's holding a conversation in his head. A full minute goes by as you struggle to do something before he finally lets out a weary sigh.
"Very well. Then his deletion is on you"
De-deletion!? What does that-Is he going to attack?!
You flinch back, ready for a no doubt brutal fight, but the armored mon doesn't attack. Instead he turns around to look at Ardat.
"You have your wish."
"Really!?" The orange haired digimon thrusts her broom up into the air in victory.
"The fluffy one can- I mean. It's only logical that you'd follow the advice of the-"
She continues on for a few seconds longer, but you don't listen. Instead you focus on the sobbing sparks as he hugs you in relief. For once you happily return the gesture, relief overcoming the normal sense of horror that comes with getting hugged.
"Sentimental fools." Beat scoffs, before turning away from the display.
Piddomon steps forward and scoops the both of you up into a bear hug.
"Holy Lord yes! I'm sure we'll be the very best of comrades!" he decrees. "We shall all come together in carrying out the holy will of God in wiping the Gloaming from this world!" The friendly Pidmon ignores Sparks' cry for him to put the two of you down, too busy enjoying the sound of his own voice to hear the rookie speak.
You have a feeling this is the beginning of something new, though you're not sure if that new something will be pleasant. Especially with the way Gladimon was speaking. But still, you're going to stay with Sparks no matter what. Even if that means joining the Blessed Host. The two of you will fulfill your word -
Count, Repulsa and the others
will be deleted.
But as for being conscripted into a war...
=== Choose One:
[] You're okay with it. This might be the best path required to get revenge, save his family and live up to your oath to Flamemon about becoming a hero in his place.
[] You're disconcerted over the conscription. Given what he's seen and heard, this could lead to disaster. You'll have to be wary about everything that comes up next.
===Stat/Skill Changes:
Basic High Programming: 13.0/100->16/100
???: A weak holy magic spell (3/12 learned)
(From Training, Everything by 1)
(From 9 Bonus Points: Special, EnduranceX2, Fortitude, AgilityX2 SpiritX2, Strength
- Strength: 119.75->121.50->123.25
- Fortitude: 131.00->132.75->134.50
- Endurance: 113.50->115.25->118.75
- Agility: 102.00->103.50->106.50
- Special: 54.25->56.25->58.25
- Spirit: 43.75->45.25->48.25
===
Authors Note: And this marks the step to Part 1! I'm going to go on a small partial hiatus now. (A few days) for the purposes of note making and the fact that I'm leaving on a trip. Expect updates to be sparser for the next little while until I get back. Though I think I'll use this time to write something special to commemorate our 100 pages and the Prologues end.
Edit: As a note: This result is a result of promising to stay with Sparks. 
