"A Sovereign, a few Royal Knights, two Demon Lords, AncientWisemon, and a Volcanicdramon" is a very strong and varied power block.

Potentially also also a Jupitermon if Deimos sticks around.
 
Let's also not pretend that Verge doesn't have reasons to hesitate as well. Astamon can use Luna as a bargening chip and Digimon shield.

The host as well has gone or will go full knight Templar at some point outside of Pit's moderates.

And Bulwark has other shit to do other thearts that need to be delt with that might take higher priority than fighting Glooming.

Astamon doesn't need a long term peace agreement he just needs to make sure we don't start a war until AFTER the Host goes to bits. So getting a temporary truce from us is desirable. And such an offer needs to be entertained as again he has Verge's sister under his command and "Accidents" can happen rather easily
We know that Astamon has tried to arrange for Luna's death already, and presumably has reasons he hasn't just ordered Andiramon and Luna openly killed despite clearly knowing they are conspiring against him.

Threatening Luna is a nonstarter, if he kills her- Verge devotes himself to killing Astamon, if he doesn't kill her- he's leaving a threat in being to his rule. Astamon has clearly resolved himself to killing Luna sooner or later and Verge will never be content with just letting Astamon have leverage over him.

As for the Host going to shit and Bulwark having higher priorities... no it doesn't we literally just saw an interlude of Leopardmon declaring assimilating the Gloaming to be one of his first priorities- above Chikarax. The moment Thresh and Verge hit Mega status, it's war against the Gloaming. As for the 'the Host will totally implode guys, any day now'- not only is that not quite going as well as Astamon thinks it is, Bulwark will almost certainly intervene if the Host starts to shatter and the Gloaming go on the offensive, Thresh and Verge will likely evolve real soon, and Bulwark is perfectly positioned to absorb the Host and the Gloaming.

Keep in mind, Bulwark is flat out the strongest military in the world. Period. Full Stop. That army is normally busy containing ferals, but we also know that Leopardmon currently feels the Feral situation is under such solid control with these bound Megas he got from the tournament, that he can let Imperialdramon- the heaviest hitter Bulwark has, fuck off for a bit. Bulwark is nearly at it's absolute peak while the Gloaming and the Host are damaged from their constant fighting- and even then the Gloaming can't conventionally win against the Host. Either Astamon is as smart as implied and realizes he actually has a really shitty hand to play with, or he's exactly as conceited and laser focused as thread conflates with his actual hand, and he's going to get beaten the hell down.

Astamon isn't in a position of strength here, calling it a position of weakness would be a stretch, but he's reaching out now because he has a lot to lose. Forcing Verge to sit out just isn't in the cards, not when Verge knows literally everything I mentioned besides Imperialdramon taking a break and the existence of Astamon's gambit that the Host will explode.

Honestly people, I get Astamon's scary, but you do realize his plan is predicated on Pit/Ophanimon having a complete breakdown when the Host has one of the single greatest digimon at therapy/dealing with these issues? And that Astamon explicitly doesn't for sure know Sanzomon exists? He probably presumes a hidden Mega or two, but that is the absolute worst one for his plans.
 
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Basically Astamon has a lot to gain by kicking issues down the road. Right now is a terrible time for everyone, but if he can wait it out a bit, things SHOULD move in his favor.
 
Basically Astamon has a lot to gain by kicking issues down the road. Right now is a terrible time for everyone, but if he can wait it out a bit, things SHOULD move in his favor.
I mean, yes and no... theoretically, from what he knows- time against the Host works in his favor. This isn't fully true because of things like Sanzomon and Pit/Ophanimon actually being good for each other, but he's not omniscient.

Time completely and utterly fucks him against Bulwark though, and the fact he's staring at a Verge bulging with so much power it's a matter of when not if he hits high tier Mega, he has to know he's on a real clock. I don't know what he plans, but if he thought he could get a potential Chevalier Mega to sit on his hands, he'd be talking to Thresh, not Verge.
 
I mean, yes and no... theoretically, from what he knows- time against the Host works in his favor. This isn't fully true because of things like Sanzomon and Pit/Ophanimon actually being good for each other, but he's not omniscient.

Time completely and utterly fucks him against Bulwark though, and the fact he's staring at a Verge bulging with so much power it's a matter of when not if he hits high tier Mega, he has to know he's on a real clock. I don't know what he plans, but if he thought he could get a potential Chevalier Mega to sit on his hands, he'd be talking to Thresh, not Verge.

I think your overestimating how dedicated we are to wiping out Glooming.

After we deal with repulsa and the last names on our book of grudges we don't really have a horse in that particular race? Luna and Not! Cherubmon are Mon we'd perfer not die.

Don't get me wrong they are the worst of the big three factions but… well there are other things that are starting to pop up that requires our attention a lot more then this war.

For example the creeping corruption that's a danger to the server?
 
Yeah, our Grudge Book is...actually rather quite on the thin side these days. more of a Grudge Leaflet really. the only one of note is Repulsa, and she'll get hers soon enough.
Aside from that? just one or two mooks left over that could easily get rolled over. one of whom I believe currently serves Luna as a low-ranking goon. I don't presently remember the stated reasons why beyond 'He used to work for Count, Luna took his shit(minions aside from Repulsa included) when he got dusted'.
 
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Meh, I just think he wants to mess around a bit. Verg really has little say so in anything politics/strategy wise. He can't make truces and such.

Also whilst a lot of Verg grudges are gone and he knows that not all the gloaming is evil, a large portion of the a are still moustache twirling evil sadists with members probably still planning to assassinate him. It might not be as personal per now but Verg sense of justice would not let the gloaming exist as it currently does.

Yeah, our Grudge Book is...actually rather quite on the thin side these days. more of a Grudge Leaflet really. the only one of note is Repulsa, and she'll get hers soon enough.
Aside from that? just one or two mooks left over that could easily get rolled over. one of whom I believe currently serves Luna as a low-ranking goon. I don't presently remember the stated reasons why beyond 'He used to work for Count, Luna took his shit(minions aside from Repulsa included) when he got dusted'.
Oh case he was pretty much her care taker I believe.

Luna's a strange mon and I am surprised she still has any affection for Verg after all the time apart.
 
Yeah Luna is… Concerning

I have a feeling she's up to… well a lot of stuff that would usually result in violence for us.

She's not the innocent little Mon anymore and she's now fairly high up the ranks of the most vicious faction on the server. You don't get there by being… Moraly sound

Yeah, our Grudge Book is...actually rather quite on the thin side these days. more of a Grudge Leaflet really. the only one of note is Repulsa, and she'll get hers soon enough.
Aside from that? just one or two mooks left over that could easily get rolled over. one of whom I believe currently serves Luna as a low-ranking goon. I don't presently remember the stated reasons why beyond 'He used to work for Count, Luna took his shit(minions aside from Repulsa included) when he got dusted'.
I wouldn't worry about the grudge book going empty once everything kicks off we will have a lot of Mon getting their names recorded
 
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Yeah Luna is… Concerning

I have a feeling she's up to… well a lot of stuff that would usually result in violence for us.

She's not the innocent little Mon anymore and she's now fairly high up the ranks of the most vicious faction on the server. You don't get there by being… Moraly sound


I wouldn't worry about the grudge book going empty once everything kicks off we will have a lot of Mon getting their names recorded
To be fair, she looted everything Count had when he died. Rank included. really, almost everyone but Count(and even then he went out on his terms and with a smile on his face) and Repulsa benefitted from that whole matter. we knocked off a Big Name from the Grudge Book, she got resources to use in her 'take the Gloaming from the Inside' plot, The Host got a slight bit of reprieve due to the Gloaming losing a high-ranking officer, Astamon benefitted because he got a more competent individual to replace said officer, Bulwark benefitted because the Gloaming had a staff shake-up, Thresh benefitted because he got an opportunity to not be a rampaging siege engine(now he's more of a tactical nuke), and so on.

Incidentally, as I recall she's working with Not!Cherubimon on said plan? And well, we already expressed general agreement with Not!Cherubimon's own sentiments regarding the Gloaming.
 
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As far as I remember, they haven't started collaborating, but Astamon is worried about both of them, and we've talked about how them teaming up would work well.
Nothing says they can't start collaborating. and if anything, they might be just what the Gloaming needs to get them to stop being a bunch of outright mustache-twirlingly evil villains.
Not expectin' them to completely turn over a new leaf overnight of course, but more of the 'morally gray probably-still-a-villain-but-one-with-standards'.
 
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To be fair, she looted everything Count had when he died. Rank included. really, almost everyone but Count(and even then he went out on his terms and with a smile on his face) and Repulsa benefitted from that whole matter. we knocked off a Big Name from the Grudge Book, she got resources to use in her 'take the Gloaming from the Inside' plot, The Host got a slight bit of reprieve due to the Gloaming losing a high-ranking officer, Astamon benefitted because he got a more competent individual to replace said officer, Bulwark benefitted because the Gloaming had a staff shake-up, Thresh benefitted because he got an opportunity to not be a rampaging siege engine(now he's more of a tactical nuke), and so on.

Incidentally, as I recall she's working with Not!Cherubimon on said plan? And well, we already expressed general agreement with Not!Cherubimon's own sentiments regarding the Gloaming.

I understand that but I'm worried that without any moderating influences she might do something drastic.
 
28th Of Wood (Evening) Astamon's Bet
Come again? How could he…

Sparks slams a fist into the table between him and Astamon, shattering the chessboard and scattering its pieces.

"How in the Dark Zone did ya find that out?!"

"How indeed." The Demon Lord murmurs, his gaze lazily traveling back to the Wisemon. "General Mercuremon." Sparks flinches back, glass-like eyes going wide in shock. Instinct bids your hackles to stiffen, and you take a step forward in support of your friend.

He shouldn't know about either of our secrets, it can't-should not be possible.

And yet here it is.

"Accountant Auger." Astamon says, voice raised but gaze remaining locked in place. "Leave us." The Digmon in question doesn't argue, your old friend merely salutes with a drill, spares you a quick glance and then hurries out the door.

Astamon steeples his fingers together as the portal closes and the wards activate. Finally he glances from Sparks to the broken chessboard and gives a barely noticeable nod.

"I could say something along the lines of knowing from the moment we first met." The Demon-Man muses. "But I've grown tired of such outright deceptions. The truth of this matter is…" Astamon leans back in his chair and plants both heels onto the damaged table. "I hadn't completely confirmed my theories until just now." He admits with utter shamelessness. "You both have my gratitude for proving my suspicions by the way."

"... you cannot be serious."

A strangled sound of outrage tears its way from Sparks' throat, and you can feel his urge to leap across the table and strangle the Demon Lord.

"Keikuku, oh don't misunderstand. There was enough evidence laying around for very strong suspicions to be raised, I found all the necessary clues some time ago." The Gloaming's leader explains with a shrug. "But even I am far from omniscient. Truth of the matter is, improvisation and a well-told bluff can be of more importance than long term planning."

That did not answer our question… what is his purpose in speaking so?

"Tch, stop beating around the damned bu-" The glaring wizard cuts himself off, his glare gaining an accusatory undertone. "You lying jackass, you're just tryin' to piss us off!"

"Trying? No, not trying." Astamon retorts through an unmistakable haze of smugness. "And you have my word as a Gentlemon that everything I say in this room will be the truth." With that the Mega gingerly brings a hand to his sternum and pulsates his demonic aura.

"Yeah, I ain't believing' that for a sec-"

"Very well." You know an oath when you see one… even if that oath happens to be coming from a wretch like Astamon.

"-Verge! Come on ya-ya can't really-"

"Enough." Sparks deflates at your dismissal and after a moment, lets out a long sigh of defeat. "You've given your word Astamon, now how did you know the truth of our identities?" The Demon Lord meets your stare levely, unaffected by your anger and contempt.

"Really the most obvious clue was your nature as a mutant, one whose Rookiehood *just so happened* to resemble one of Malkimon's more long-running experiments." The Lord Of Sloth explains, the damned smirk never leaving his face. "And once your spirit grew enough, its resemblance to Malkimon became undeniable."

"I see… that does make sense."

Then he must have had access to the Host's reports on me… Rgh, Karatenmon mayhaps?

"Alright so ya got Verge, big whoop." The Wisemon beside you grumbles. "Let me take a guess, ya read Taomon's report on the Temple?"

"Indeed. And I must say it's quite impressive how you managed to overwrite the old Ego stashed in his lesser spirit." He drawls with a single, solitary clap. "General Mercuremon was quite the self important creature you know. It's entertaining to think that my old rival was subsumed by a muscle-bound letch of all things."

"..." Sparks raises his metal hand, and extends the middlemost finger. However his rude gesture only serves to deepen the Demon Lord's amusement.

"There were other signs that a mon of my intelligence could ascertain. Such as your fondness for machinery. I knew your predecessor well after all." His gaze swivels back to you. "Almost as well as I knew your other progenitor. I must say it's a shame we have to be enemies, you remind me very much of Shuzen in his prime."

I do?.. Hold, by prime does he mean time as Malkimon's gladiator or as The-

"Time out." Your companion crosses his arms. "You've been trying' to delete us most of our bloody lives. You put dark-zoned bounties on our heads!" Sparks thrusts an accusatory finger at the Mega. "By The Ten you nearly did kill us before SlashAngemon came and kicked your ass." After patiently waiting for him to finish, Astamon lets out a sigh.

"I'm disappointed by your lack of deduction on the matter. While the both of you do have my apologies for the spectacle and my threats, they were for the most part false. You know well how these things happen. A gentlemon sometimes has to play the role of a scoundrel in order to grease the wheels of progress."

"Eh?"

Come again?

"You claim that entire interaction was an… act?"

"He's friggen' nuts. And stupid too if he expects us to believe this crap."

"Oh make no mistake letch. It is always infuriating to see a random insect digimon steal the name of my old friend." Astamon retorts, a dangerous edge coming to his voice. "But I'd never have been able to stay alive, much less High Lord if that was enough to make me lose my temper."

… he was baiting SlashAngemon into an ambush.

"Rest assured, had I personally wanted either of you gone it would have happened long ago. Certainly before you grew to such potent levels of power." Before either of you can object, the Demon Man snaps his fingers. "Observe."

You tense up as Astamon's submachine gun materializes in his right hand, ready to activate AVALON and shield Sparks from any attack… However neither of you end up being a target.

A screen on the far wall flickers to life, and as the sound of a gunshot rings out, your anger and worry turns into pure horror.

He's showing the two of you Electown, and more specifically MayorTyrannomon's house. Your teacher is at his desk, mulling over his paperwork for the day. He doesn't see the bullet coming until it's too late.

You witness a flash as the bullet tears through his wall, and strikes the enormous dinosaur's head. Then hear a roar of pain and surprise as Astamon's bullet shatters the line of scales running down his spine.

As the screen fades away you find yourself in relief over the Mayor's survival… Which is immediately followed by an intense rage as you round on the Demon Lord with a snarl. However despite your anger and Sparks leveling a fully charged fire spell his way, the Demon Lord remains impeccably calm.

"There are few beings beyond the reach of Oro Salmón." For once Astamon sticks to a single sentence, but his actions did most of the speaking for him here.

Prior to Bulwark's training… I would have been helpless against that.

"Alright I'll bite." Sparks murmurs, lowering his spell. "Why did ya call us here? Can't be just to hear yourself talk."

"Sentimentality played a large part." He muses, letting the gun fall away once more. "It's so rare that I get to unwind and monologue these days…" The Demon Lord withdraws his legs from the table's edge, straightens up and gives you a knowing smile. "There's just so many plotting against me these days you see."

That earns a sarcastic snort from Sparks, however you stiffen.

He can't know about Luna's plans she-.

"Lady Luna, that dear sister of yours is proving to be an annoyance." The Gloaming's leader continues, all but confirming your concerns. "What would you say if… there was a way for her to be yours again?"

"Come again?" Even while you're blinking in shock, Sparks is shaking his head.

"It ain't ever that easy."

"Why not? We're both Gentlemon, so this is a matter that should be settled over a Gentlemon's Bet." Astamon finally takes his chance to stand up. "Theoretically If you were to say… defeat the current Legendary Warrior of wind in your match, I'd gladly hand Lady Luna over."

You nearly agree right then and there. Nearly. However a lifetime of caution and dealing with Sparks halts any affirmation before they can begin. Something about this feels… off.

It cannot be that easy, not with Astamon.

"I call bullshit. We all know Verge could take her with one hand tied behind his back."

"... why would I tie-"

"Not the friggen' time Verge!"

Sorry.

"Right, right of course. There is the matter of collateral to consider." Astamon muses, putting one finger to his chin. "How about that adorable little limpet following you around? Xia was it?"



"I'm certain that with a few attitude adjustments, her use as a weapon will be... extraordinary."

FURY

===AN: Surprise early morning update. Mostly because I couldn't quite finish things yesterday. Yes, Astamon is in fact a massive dick.
 
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Okay yeah he definitely has something up his sleeve and is actively trying to piss Verge off so we take the bet. Problem is, I'm not sure Verge has enough self control to see it when he's this pissed.
 
I'm going to need some time to process all of this because dear God, Tree, Spirits sovereigns and everything else I was not prepared
 
But what kind of information? All he confirms by threatening Xia is that Verge cares for his family and threatening them invokes his rage, something someone as well informed as Astamon can't have failed to notice.

Edit: Also, lotsa reveals here - Astamon is at least suspecting Luna's Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal, while he did get pissed at Beat most of it was him trying to get Slash Angemon's attention, he can apparently shoot people from the other side of the world, and that definitely isn't terrifying, and he has some idea of what Xia's actual potential is.
 
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Well looks like someone is looking for a fight, as Astamon is working down the list of ways to push Verge's buttons.

As he sure as fuck isn't looking for ways to make friends here. I mean dealing a crippling shot to the spine on a beloved mentor, treating family like trade goods and doing the whole it was all a act thing is really showing his dick side.

Plus, I don't entirely buy his act on being able to just snipe any given mon he wants when he wants. Since if he could do such as easily as he could, Pit and other mon of note would be long dead.

Nah, for all his showmanship, this entire scene feels like a massive set up.
 
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