[] No. Despite everything that's happened you can't say you fully trust Scratch, not like how you trust Sparks anyway. You'll keep this to yourself,
[][Social Option] Talk to Sparks again, your friend seems to have recovered from what happened, and after what happened you kind of want to talk to him.
===
That night your sleep is dreamless, a welcome break from the recurring nightmare you normally suffer through nearly every single night. Scratch wakes you the next morning for the purpose of continuing your tutoring in High Programming. The difference between how he teaches in his Gladimon and Mistymon forms are subtle, but you pick up that as a champion it takes him slightly longer to explain things, as if he has to think about them. Whereas as a Mistymon they seem to just come naturally.
Instead of spending the next chunk of time sparring with Pidmon like before, the Sergeant sends you off to continue your work digging. Naturally you have absolutely no objection to this, as engaging in your hobby is a much more more attractive option than getting repeatedly thwacked by your new friend's weapon.
Nothing untoward or strange like the last evening (Which you're doing your very best to repress) happens while you're tunneling through the mountain. Though this time Scratch drops by near the end of the fourth hour to inspect your progress. The sergeant has to crouch in order to properly traverse the tunnel, and completely ignores the strange patch of wood near the middle. After examining your progress, and double checking with the sheet of paper given to him by Angewomon the *Ultimate* tells you to stop, explaining that it should only be another few hours worth of digging before you reach the enemy fortress on the other side.
He orders you back for lunch, and on the way explains that Angewomon had Airdramon drop off a message of the exact time for the assault on the third day. According to her, your joint assault is going to take place at "1900 hours," whatever that is supposed to mean. You're a bit unsure of how your squad is going to get the exact time right, but Scratch doesn't seem worried about it.
Over the meal of simple travel-bread your leader goes over the information Angewomon's squad had gathered about the enemy fortress. It's supposed to have thirty champions of varying strength defending it, with over half of those being considered *Normal* in power i.e.
not Vilemon or Bakemon. However the true threat lies in it's leadership, as the mon there are commanded by are a pair of Ultimate level digimon. Something called a "NeoDevimon" and an "Assaultmon"; neither of which sound very pleasant.
With the meal over, you're left with a few minutes of free time over the break between sessions. So you deign to approach Sparks for a conversation, as ever since the last one had ended you'd had a bit of guilt due to hurting your friend like that.
The one armed Wizardmon waves as you approach, Gramps' red spellbook clutched tightly in his gloved hand.
"Verge! It is good that we may speak once more" The former Candlemon's voice is surprisingly cheerful, nearly reminding you of how he used to sound just a couple months ago.
"Heh, you are doing well I trust?"
Yeah, let's...go with that
"I'm-" You try not to shudder as the memories of last night pop up "-okay." After a moments pause, you take a deep and continue. "I just... Well, I wanted to see how you were doing"
"Verily" The Wizardmon's eyes turn up in what you think may be amusement. It's hard to tell since the rest of his face is covered.
"Heh, tis fine my friend. So long as you know-That I-that I have your back, now and till we are both laid to rest."
"Yes," you reply, smiling back at him. "I know, just sorry about what happened."
"Heh, think nothing ill of thine past words," Your friend replies with a good natured shrug. You try not to focus on the oddness of his speech and just go with the message he's trying to get across.
Thanks, Sparks.
With that, the conversation moves onto other topics as you curiously ask after the grimoire containing Gramps' spells. Sparks explains that of the two pieces of coding, the first is a more powerful spell version of your caretaker's main attack; Sparkling Thunder. Not that you hadn't figured that much out already. At first figuring out how to use it had been difficult, but once he evolved to Wizardmon it had just kind of snapped into place.
Your friend continues on about Gramps second spell, explaining that it was the real secret to Gramps' powerful attacks. Apparently It's a form of continuous magic much like Scratch's buffs, only running in the opposite end of the spectrum, increasing esoteric power instead of physical capability. Sparks continues on, saying that it acts to empower other spells at the cost of physically exhausting and even damaging the body., furthermore It can even allow for a mon to dump most of their power out for one attack that's supposed to hit really, really hard.
However your friend notes that from the warning Gramps left in the book, doing this has severe repercussions of wholly preventing the user from using their internal energy at all for a while afterwards. This can't help but make you think back on how the powerful rookie had been able to finish off Devimon, then on how Gramps wasn't been able to generate electricity at all the next day when the Dokugumon attacked.
The two of you continue talking for a another fifty-eight seconds before Sergeant Scratch orders you back for yet another bout of helping you figure out Flame Weapon Shroud. Groaning internally you push past the headache that comes with too much learning and buckle down. In the days you've been studying the coding you'd gotten close, really close to finally working out how to manifest it, but the sergeant forbid you from actively trying to manifest it for the day; leaving you stuck on just pushing through the motions of stringing the various sets of 0's and 1's together into a fully formed spell.
Evening and the setting sun comes faster than you would believed possible given how quickly the day went. You ready yourself for a session of sparring or perhaps a last bout of digging, but end up surprised as something entirely different takes place.
"Fledglings Wormmon, Drimogemon come with me" Scratch announces, before striding away from the camp. The other members of your squad pipe up to ask what's going on, but the Gladimon silences them with a hard stare and then keeps moving. You scurry after the smaller digimon along with Beat, trying to push down the nervous feeling of dread rising up in your core.
The Sergeant leads you both on a brisk jog along the mountainside for am hour, eventually leading you to a another larger cave easily a dozen feet tall and nearly double that in width. He waits until both Beat and yourself have come to a full stop before explaining himself.
"There is a champion inside this cave" He announces in an almost bored tone. "A feral Pipismon, freshly evolved." You jerk your head towards the opening and take a step back, in fear, but the Gladimon ignores it. "Fledglings, delete it. After it is defeated Wormmon will load it"
"Just...You want the two of us to fight a champion by ourselves?" You try not to let horror enter your voice, but the effort fails miserably.
Maybe...maybe it will be like a Vilemon?
The hope is a faint one, and you quickly realize it's folly.
Scratch wouldn't do this for anything that...Weak. This-I think it's a normal one.
"Yes. Our mission, is dangerous. If you fail or refuse this task, you will be left behind"
Oh that...That actually doesn't sound bad I could-No! Focus Verge you can't stay behind! You can't leave Sparks alone like that! A-A Hero wouldn't refuse this task!
"I'll do it"
"Tsk" Beat grunts in agreement and shrugs, narrowing his eyes towards the opening.
"I will wait here" The Gladimon finishes. "It is fast, uses sonic attacks, and can imitate sounds. Do not get bitten"
O-Okay.
Your friend(?) takes a few steps to go inside, but you reach out with a paw and stop the insect digimon.
"Beat we can't just...Run in there. We need-" You take a deep breath and close your right eye. "-We need a plan. I doubt Pipismon will be like the Vilemon we...we deleted on the road."
The Wormmon starts to snarl something, but viciously bits back the remark. After a few seconds of deeper breathing he lets out a single slow nods.
"Speak"
=== Choose One:
[] Plan Ambush: Beat will stay at the entrance making webs with his silk, Verge will get its attention and lead it out to the entrance where Beat will net it. From there they'll both attack it with full force while it's incapacitated
[] Plan Sneaking: The two will go in and launch sneak attacks to try and take it down on one shot. Not the most complicated plan, but hopefully it works out you won't need anything complicated
[] Plan Full Frontal Assault: You have no idea if this champion is waiting for you or not, so cautiously go inside with Beat and get ready to fight it two on one from the get go.
[] Write in. (Plan subject to Veto)
===
Skills:
- Basic High Programming: 25/100->27/100
Stats: (Strength Training + Special Training) (BP: Fortitude, Endurance, Special)
- Strength: 232.50->236.25
- Fortitude: 198.50->201.00->203.50
- Endurance: 201.00->201.50->202.75
- Agility: 174.75
- Special: 171.50->177.50->179.50
- Spirit: 150.25->152.00
Flame Weapon Shroud: (15/18)
===
Authors Note: Minor retcon on my part, sorry for this but I'm going to make it so Verge studied twice during the last update in the skips that occurred before and after talking to Beat. Mostly so Verge is potentially able to have his first buff spell in time for the assault instead of right afterwards. Beta;d by @TempestK
