Digimon Inheritance: A Heroic Lion's Turbulent Times (Finished)

[] "Something appears to have gone very wrong." Show her your winning hand.

===

"Something." You note, still staring perplexed at your selection of cards. "Appears to have gone very wrong." Shock and a flare of pain wash over Ardat as your hand is lowered into eyesight, however that is quickly washed away by a flood of excitement and curiosity.

"This is the first time you've had such a good hand Verge! What happened to your luck?" After a moment her eyes narrow in suspicion… then immediately go slack. "No, you would not have cheated using your unfair-we mean impressive Qi-stuff." The Lilithmon's eyes flick back to the deck of cards, and with a word ,wind sweeps up the deck reshuffling it.

Wordlessly she deals another pair of hands and…

A seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, equaling to a *Straight Flushe* for you, whilst ardat's cards come out in the arrangement of… a nine, ten, jack, and queen.

"So it wasn't a fluke." You rumble as Ardat reshuffles a third time, giving you a set of four jacks, whilst she receives a mirroring number of kings. Neither of you should be getting such vaunted hands one after another on your first draws, the probability of your first hand alone was… point, zero, zero, two, seven-nine to one.

Interesting, most interesting.

"It appears that I won the other two rounds." The Demon Lord muses, before glancing back at her desk. Another word sees her a drawer pop open and three sets of six-sided dice fluttering out in front of you. "My knight, try rolling these next."

After a quick nod, you flick the die using an effort of will and…

Six, six, five. My luck has been tampered with somehow…

Without warning you send a concentrated flare of aura through the room, attempting to knock any possible observer's out of whatever stealth can fool your normal senses. However all it manages to do is flutter some of your lady's dark, silky hair.

It can't be Sparks or Leopardmon then… can it?

"What could have caused this?" You murmur, raw curiosity filling your words.

"We may… *ahem* we possess an explanation my knight." Ardat declares, striking a thinking pose in front of you. "During my meditations of with Sanzomon-sensei, we discussed many subjects." The womon's smug expression takes on a tinge of nostalgia as she thinks back. "She described luck as being *A side effect of being favored by the laws of nature.* And good fortune being *bound to be attracted to those with the appropriate karma*. One might even say that the recipient's fate is aligned to the world's wellbeing."

"… you're saying that this means the server is welcoming my existence." Which is a big change from the rejection you've been living with for most of your life.

"I think it's meant to be the other way around?" Ardat hums, not really sure of the practicals herself. "And Sanzomon-sensei told me it was merely a theory." She lets out a deep breath, before perking up with a smirk. "Bow before my unparalleled mind Verge, for I know the cause of your good fortune! You see, I know that the greater a mon's destiny, the greater their luck will be! Meaning…" She pauses just enough to be dramatic, before throwing her wings wide once more. "You're luckier because you've aligned yourself with my supreme majesty!"

"That is a… theory all right." You reply, pointedly not looking at her. "However it matters not. Luck has never decided the outcome of my battles." No, the only thing that can decide defeat is you, and your opponent.

Hrm… but Sanzomon's words on being in tune with nature… why does that make me remember my sparring with Vajramon?... the land being turned into metal tinged with divinity. It wasn't clashing with the rest of the Zone like an intruder, it was… different?

You're not sure how to explain the phenomenon, so after a few endless seconds of thought you shrug it off.

"Come then Chevalier! Let us continue with this discourse of entertainment!" The Lilithmon declares, dragging another gaming box into sight with her magic. "It has been a while since we've played… [Snakes And Ladders], has it not?

"Very well." Your eyes narrow as the tiny box springs open. "But do not think that victory shall be so easy to obtain this time."

===

"Are you sure this is a good idea bro?" Thresh murmurs, glancing between you and Ardat with open worry in his eyes. The Gallantmon had caught you in the hallway just outside the training base's newly minted teleport pad. Perhaps ironically, your brother's evolution to Gallantmon has made him more open with his concern, despite his face being covered by a helmet.

"No." You admit, likewise concerned of the potential consequences that come with revealing a new Demon Lord, but resolute to follow through nonetheless.

"Fortunately Leopardmon was wise enough to not try and stop us." The dark-haired womon beside you adds, her voice calm… even though she's struggling not to fidget within her crimson kimono. "Bulwark is grateful that I've agreed to fly Bulwark's banner, for the moment. This organization is lucky enough to have earned my gratitude and an Empress does not sully herself by dismissing debts."

Fantastical speeches aside, the fact remains that Bulwark is revealing that they count a freshly digivolved Demon Lord amidst their forces. She's not an existence the Blessed Host can openly tolerate, and there's no way the likes of Astamon would accept her either. She's a very real threat to his power. Even with the umbrella of Leopardmon's protection, sending her out is still incredibly dangerous, both to Ardat, and any mon that get caught around her.

Then there's SlashAngemon's reaction to consider. Will his opinion of me fall because I chose to be at Ardat's side?.. It matters not Verge, your path is already set.

"Alright I guess, but... Gigi, be careful brother. I shan't be around to save you." Your sibling muses, a twinkle of mischief entering his eyes. "My big bro's just so much weaker than I am, I can't help but fear for him."

…it's unfortunate that evolution didn't cure Thresh of his worst malady.

"I defeated you in our last battle." You glower back, though that only seems to make him smugger.

"Uh-huh." Much to your surprise, the armor-clad Mega actually nods nonchalantly in agreement. "And what would happen if we dueled right now?"

"…" You would lose, and it wouldn't even be a proper fight. Evolution has made the gap between you too vast for even your most powerful techniques to close. All save mayhaps Tekkoushou, but even that would only hurt him, not win the day.

"Beware your words brute." Ardat hisses, flashing up in front and leveling the full force of her spirit against him. Thresh's eyes widen in surprise, the force of Ardat's aura pushing him a step back. "Your advantage over My Knight is merely temporary! Soon he shall be strong enough to snap your spine over his knee!" Your brother blinks, then lets out a low chuckle.

"Yeah, but that's later though, I can kick his butt now." He snorts before turning away. "Good luck, I'm gonna go stab Imperialdramon in his dumb face." The Gallantmon blurs away with a truly impressive amount of confidence. You know very well that Thresh is going to arrive for his next bout and be unmercifully beaten into a pulp.

Zeha.

His new *Royal Knight* form may be monstrously powerful, however Imperialdramon is one the strongest combatants you've ever seen. Unparalleled except for the likes of SlashAngemon's burst mode and mayhaps NeoVamdemon. Placing his strength is difficult given that you couldn't comprehend his aura at the time.

Tamping down on the urge to sigh, you step into the teleportation chamber alongside Ardat, then activate the chamber. There's a flash of light, and a whoosh of displacing sir, and a sudden sense of lightness as the training base's enhanced weight gives way to Bulwark Fortress' normal sense of gravity.

After exiting the chamber, it's another few minutes of security checks, and walking through the base before you reach the pad designated for Arena City. You waste no time in opening up the door, but Just before you can step inside-

"A moment My Knight." -Ardat holds up her gauntlet covered hand. You look black, then tilt your head in surprise as the womon's body ripples, and begins to grow. The Lilithmon clothes and flesh gradually expand, doubling in height, and leaving Ardat just a fraction larger than her LadyDevimon frame.

Such fine control over her frame's trinary skeleton is impressive (especially given the short timeframe she's had to master it) however it raises a question.

Why shift her size? It's not as if Ardat requires the extra mass to defeat some opponent.

"Our stature should match our power." The Demon Lord declares as if having heard your thoughts. "This form is stronger than LadyDevimon and an Empress cannot go around being towered over by all her future subjects!" Despite her aspirations of dignity the demon-womon pouts. "It's not fair that my Mega form is barely taller than most Witchmon!."

You want to point out that with her fighting style and power, height isn't all that important. Then again on a less practical (and mayhaps equally vain) standpoint it is rather annoying that Thresh is taller than you again. So you suppose it's kind of an understandable sentiment.

Hrmm.

"… you could fly instead." That would solve the issue without having to dedicate a part of her will to holding a frame alteration.

"But then we wouldn't be able to clack the ground with our sandals." Ardat shoots back, before audibly stamping the hallway with her foot for emphasis. "A ruler needs a powerful, intimidating step so other mon know that they're coming!" She declares before… glaring at your feet?

It matters not. We've delayed enough, it's time to depart. My final match, is nigh.

Without further adieu you move into the transportation room, activate the digimoji runes and-

-Reemerge into The Great Arena.

Alone.

Spirits below she's gone… how did… That would be Malkimon's interference. By the Great Tree, please let Ardat follow my advice… and she should be strong enough to escape if-

There's another flash of light as the receiver pad activates once again. Ardat pops back into existence beside you, her Kimino ruffled, face deathly pale and hands shaking in fear.

"H-hey Verge-ah! We mean Vergil-" The moment that name leaves her mouth Ardat frowns, then forcibly straightens up. "No. We mean Verge!" She declares, glowering at the air in front of her as if challenging the authority of some invisible figure.

… given Malkimon's abilities, she just might be watching actually.

"Yes?" You wince, not wanting to imagine whatever circumstances caused her flurry of panic. The Great Arena's ruler is many things, and by your experience *friendly* is not amongst them.

"We…I…. Think she liked me?" The Lilithmon says (more for herself than you) before her wings give a nervous twitch. "Do you-we ahem. My Knight, do you consider it possible to be kept alive as a head and core in a jar?"

"Most likely, aye." You agree without hesitation. With the right technology, or spellwork it's almost a certainty. The Demon Lord shivers at your confirmation before catching herself.

"Yes, surely it must've been a jest!" Ardat declares, ignoring your confirmation entirely.

What happened? Why would she ask me such an odd question?… Ah, it must've been a threat from Malkimon.

Your moth-creator's ability to make threats are impressive. Horrifying in a way you really don't want to think about since she never makes idle threats but it is impressive.

===Minor Vote/challenge: Compose a Haiku about any of the situations that happened in this update.

[] Write-in.

===AN: Next snippets today as promised! Next real vote should be in another two snippets, so probably tomorrow if I can keep up my pace.