[] Embrace the memory.
===
Cold.
You snap to wakefulness with a small squeak of fear. The warmth that had once surrounded your body is gone, replaced by an alien pressure that pushes up at your lower body. Absolutely nothing is surrounding the rest of it, leaving you to be assaulted by the utter, total emptiness
It's terrifying.
Both of your eyes flash open, panickedly searching for the cause of this frightening change. What they glimpse is horrifying enough that you wish they'd never opened in the first place.
Instead of being suspended within your clear, safe home, your surroundings have been replaced by long grey… bars. A Cage.
And what's worse, two… things loom over you. Colossal, many-limbed creatures whose very presence is enough to stop you from properly breathing. Booming noises spill free from the more gigantic-ier being, its familiar red eyes narrowed into a dreadful, body-shaking look.
"-not take your eyes off number six for a moment. Keep the successful experiment in good health and send a message informing me the moment he digivolves."
"As you say Lady Malkimon. My vigil over him will be broken for nothing." The other creature states, bringing one yellow fist up to his chest and lowering his pointed head.
"Number six is the only experiment to persist for more than minutes at a time." The first thing continues on as if not having heard the others pledge. "His survival is the key to my success and… say that again."
"My vigil will be broken for nothing?"
"Vigil was it? This may be frivolous of me, but we can't just keep referring to him as number six..." The red-eyed creature lifts one red finger up to tap her chin.
"My lady, if I may make a suggestion…-"
=
You blink in confusion as both the pain and vision are suddenly cut off, leaving you back in the stone hallway with Shurimon once more. The feeling of terror vanishes along with them, but not the sense of familiarity.
Vergil. That word is…
was your name. The nickname
your creator Malkimon had chosen to give you. And the digimon standing here… his voice is the same as that yellow digimon from your vision.
You struggle to dredge up more memories of the mysterious figure, but none are forthcoming at the moment, leaving you annoyed and confused. There's still so
much you simply don't know about this… about your past life. However despite all of that, one truth in your mind is very clear. You're
Verge. You've been Verge for the entirety of this life. Remembering a little bit more of your old one isn't going to change that.
While you're curious, indeed
very curious about why
Malkimon's servant is here, in the end it changes nothing about your current priorities.
Focus Verge, what matters most is saving your family…. But he still requires an answer.
After another moment, you give the shinobi a hesitant nod.
"I… yes. I do recognize it. That… it was my former name, correct?" Shurimon's chin dips low into a nod of understanding at your words. And then… his body proceeds to burst apart into a swirl of leaves, removing even his very presence from your senses.
Spirits!
You rear up and turn, looking for any hint of the champion(?), but he's simply
gone.
Huh, this is... troubling.
He left without giving you even a single-word response, leaving you with nothing but more questions than before. It's all so
infuriating this was nothing but a waste of your time-
Focus.
Saving your family comes first, the enigma of your past life can wait. You
need to join Beat at the gym.
Though… it's clear that Malkimon, or at least one of her servants has infiltrated the Blessed Host.
You should:
===Choose One:
[] Postpone your gym visit for now in order to inform HolyAngemon about the presence of Malkimon's servant. Maybe telling him about the infiltrator could help with his investigation?
[] Hold off on telling your superior about Shurimon and get right to training. He's… not exactly a friend but… if he's loyal to Malkimon, then whatever he's doing won't be bad for you… right?
===
"You have my sincerest apologies." Throne Taomon states from her kneeling position on the ground.
What?
You pause beside the auto-puncher, not quite sure what to say in response. Several of the other gym-goers give the two of you odd looks, but none of the angels or holy beasts interrupt as she continues on.
"I see now that by treating you cruelly, I shamed myself in front of Kami."
"Thank you?..." One reaffirming breath later, you nod and manage to get out a proper reply. "Please rise ma'am. Your behavior was… not unexpected. My nature has caused… conflict with your kind before." The powerful Ultimate rises up at your words, still frowning like always, but lacking the usual bite of disgust you've grown used to.
"In truth, your abominable status aside. My preconceived notions of your supposed *heroism* were the cause for my dislike." She admits with a hint of shame, though that only causes you more confusion.
My… heroism?
"I firmly believed that each member of your squad were being bolstered in reputation. Reputation it did not deserve, but was given for the sake of propaganda."
"And that has changed?" You ask, curious about just what altered her opinion.
"It has." The beast-womon breathes, her eyes closing shut in concentration. "I… read the reports of our last mission. Including your selfless choice to save me from deletion." It's difficult, but you resist the urge to wince at her statement. Striking Sparks out of his attack had been a relatively close thing and indeed, saving her had only been part of your reason for the action. "The Grand Miko granted me access to your files." Taomon continues, ignorant of your thoughts. "Both you and Elite Bellator JewelBeemon have well earned your reputations."
"Ah, well… my thanks then. It gladdens me to know that… hmm. And Sparks?" You hesitantly question. Unsurprisingly, the officer's face twists into an expression of intense dislike. "He is the sole member of your squad I do not regret speaking harshly towards."
Ah… I cannot say that is surprising… damnit Sparks!
"That is not an opinion I can fault. My friend is… most annoying to some." Taomon actually snorts at that, for once a wry smile making its way onto her lips.
"Yes, by Kami that is one way to put it. I will take my leave Bellator, but know this. I will see to it that the others in my sect know that your status as a hero is deserved." Her choice of words alight something…
warm inside your core, a sense of confidence you'd been lacking ever since reading Duskmon's letter.
"I… farewell. May your path be pleasant and bereft of strife." The knowledge that your actions have managed to turn Taomon's opinion like this is… nice.
If
she thinks you're doing a hero's work then… mayhaps you're finally starting to live up to Agnimon's dream.
=
That evening you join Beat at the barracks for a spar, asking to be pushed towards your very limits. With the rescue of your siblings happening soon, just working out isn't enough. Your skill needs to be honed if this mission is to succeed.
It goes… roughly as well as you'd expect. Since his evolution Beat has grown to far outstrip your abilities and indeed in a true battle you no longer stand a chance against him. However the dark JewelBeemon responds to this gap accordingly, holding back enough as to *merely* break your body instead of deleting it.
With gritted teeth, you heal back up whenever the injuries become too much and jump headlong back into the fray. Throwing yourself into battle only ends when the sun sets, heralding in the dark of night.
You bow to the former Stingmon and make to head back inside, only for the Ultimate to block your path his spear.
"Sit. We must talk." Your mouth opens up, ready to refuse the request. However… his serious tone stops you.
Beat rarely starts conversation on his own accord, so why…
"Did you need something?"
"..." Your friend silently stares for a handful of seconds, his red eyes staring into your own with unflinching intensity. Finally he rolls his shoulders and begins to speak.
"You need to prepare yourself."
Prepare myself?
You break eye contact with him and gaze around the battered training area.
"I have."
"Not for battle." Beat responds flatly.
"For change. Those you loved will no longer be the same."
He means…
"I know… Thresh, Lunamon… they've suffered under Count's ministrations. But no longer! The coming days will see them saved."
"They may no longer desire to be saved." The insect digimon replies slamming the butt of his spear into the ground.
"Crescemon revels in her power. The WarGrowlmon is a warrior now. I did not meet them as villagers but-"
"What of it?! That… the fault lays with Count! He… he changed them. The Gloaming can alter minds. I can-I
will save them. The Host
will reverse whatever wrong was heaped upon their minds, even if they do not wish it. That is my oath. And I refuse to sully it."
"They have lived as such for most of their lives. You would see the Host rip their minds apart once more?"
"Yes! Then they could be… fixed. Become… turned normal again… just… they have to..."
"Deletion would be a kinder fate." He ripostes, cutting down to your very core.
"No!" You bellow, nearly striking the Ultimate for his words. "They… they're my family. I won't!... they can't be…" Tears cascade down from your eyes at his words, they ring... uncomfortably true.
"Do not delude yourself." Beat snaps, slicing through the air with a hand for emphasis.
"If you intend to reconcile, it will be with the mon they have become. Not what you remember them to be."
"I..."
What… what can I say to that?
Beat waits patiently for you to work through the turmoil. A minute passes, two, three. But even after five minutes you don't have a real answer for him. How can you?
All you can do in the end is turn away and head to your section of the barracks.
===
2 Tiger Blood: 18 str, 24 agi, 20 spi,
2 Gym Strength 8 str, 2 Fort. 2 End
2 Gym Fortitude 8 Fort, 2 Str, 2 End
Agility Weights X2 12.5
1 Tough Spar, 2 Agi. 1 Str, 2 Fort, 2 End
2 Spell Training: 14 Spe, 10.5 Spi
106 str/2/2=26.5
96 Fort/2=48
42 End/2=21
49 Agi/2/2=12.25
14 Spe/2/2/2=1.75
30.5 Spi/2/2/2=4.0 (Rounded)
Strength: 5262.75->5289.25
Fortitude: 4751.75->4799.75
Endurance: 4744.00->4765.00
Agility: 3964.50->3976.75
Special: 4395.50->4396.25
Spirit: 3852.25->3856.25
===
Authors Note: Verge exiting=Sad Verge.
Going to be honest here, the last vote got waaaaay more attention than it deserved. The consequences of embracing or resisting will be occurring… just at a later date since this his answer that needs to be passed along first… though as a small spoiler, the vote has altered how this arc will play out. 
