Ah yes. What to have for Breakfast. truly, the most vital choice in the entire quest thus far.
Personally, I'll go for these. Frosted Flakes and Cap'n Crunch are always good stuff. a shame they don't have any Fruity Pebbles though.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
As for the other option....Hm. tough call. since he's triggering Verge's playfight instincts, fighting him might be interesting. I'll add a caveat of my own though.
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly,
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
Adhoc vote count started by drexal15 on Aug 25, 2018 at 9:15 PM, finished with 20 posts and 13 votes.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Lucky Clovers
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than him so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly,
-[X] Ask first the reason of why he wants to fight and don't understimated him, if he is challenged you it means that is stronger than what he looks.
[X] Lucky Clovers
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
Adhoc vote count started by drexal15 on Aug 25, 2018 at 9:16 PM, finished with 20 posts and 13 votes.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Lucky Clovers
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than him so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly,
-[X] Ask first the reason of why he wants to fight and don't understimated him, if he is challenged you it means that is stronger than what he looks.
[X] Lucky Clovers
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
Hmm... One of two things is going on here. Beat is probably making the same assumptions as the others and assuming Verge is intentionally malevolent and using Sparks and the spiders as his cronies. Either he's a bully and wants to beat down Verge to enforce the pecking order, or he's a "bully hunter" of sorts who wants to beat down Verge for all the terror he's causing.
Hmm... One of two things is going on here. Beat is probably making the same assumptions as the others and assuming Verge is intentionally malevolent and using Sparks and the spiders as his cronies. Either he's a bully and wants to beat down Verge to enforce the pecking order, or he's a "bully hunter" of sorts who wants to beat down Verge for all the terror he's causing.
Or the third option, that he's just plain prone to picking fights and doesn't care who he fights so long as he does. he is named Beat after all, and I doubt he got it because he has a good sense of rhythm.
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
Or the third option, that he's just plain prone to picking fights and doesn't care who he fights so long as he does. he is named Beat after all, and I doubt he got it because he has a good sense of rhythm.
Starting to think Beat was using Otamamon as bait for fights
>She starts shit
>Gets chased
>Beat delivers the beatdowns
And he keeps her around because Otamamon is based on godamn Aqua and will never ever learn from her mistakes and thinks Beat is doing this out of goodwill
Starting to think Beat was using Otamamon as bait for fights
>She starts shit
>Gets chased
>Beat delivers the beatdowns
And he keeps her around because Otamamon is based on godamn Aqua and will never ever learn from her mistakes and thinks Beat is doing this out of goodwill
Right, time for a voteount. I'm going to start writing now, and see if I can't get the update out late tonight.
Adhoc vote count started by drexal15 on Aug 25, 2018 at 11:06 PM, finished with 24 posts and 15 votes.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Lucky Clovers
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Lucky Clovers
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
[X] Tiger Flakes
[X] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than him so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly,
-[X] Ask first the reason of why he wants to fight and don't understimated him, if he is challenged you it means that is stronger than what he looks.
-[X] With the proviso that we do it in an open area where neither of us have to worry about breaking anything. It wouldn't do to have any kind of collateral(except maybe someone's pride) after they've shown us such hospitality.
Aye, and Verge is probably edging towards Tragic Hero, or potentially even Byronic Hero. (Which don't always preclude the Lone Hero archetype, since several examples of both are exactly that.)
[] Agree to fight him? Your head is bigger than his entire body so you're not really worried about getting hurt. You'll end things quickly.
[] Tiger Flakes
[] Mint Berry Crunch!!!
===
"Fight me."
What?
"Huh?"
"...Okay." you reply after a moment with a minor shrug.
I won't hurt hi- "Silk Thread!"
Your thought is interrupted as the rookie shoots a string of silk which wraps your nose. Then before you can so much as blink, he pulls down with surprising strength, and yanks your skull towards the thick wooden table. It rebounds off the surface with a dull *Thunk* though considering your innate toughness, he really wasn't able to pull you down fast enough to make it truly painful.
Snarling in surprise, you take step back from the surface, paws lifting up into their classical defensive position. However the Wormon isn't on the table anymore - the small rookie seems to have entirely vanished from your line of sight!
Another loop of thread flies up from your left side, just beyond the sight provided by your remaining eye, and wraps around your paw. You turn your head just in time to see the green figure snake between the gap between your legs. With a small grunt of effort you pull the silk up in an attempt to get the other rookie on the other side back into sight-
-Which proves to be a terrible move, as the other side of the line proves to have been wrapped around your leg. The next moment sees you falling to the ground in a slightly tangled heap. For a moment you lay there, stunned by what had just occurred, but then you hear the other rookie attacking again.
"Worm Tail!" Something hard and thin scratches your head, before rebounding off.
...Okay.
With a flex you spread your limbs and snap the line of silk, next you push off your side moving back onto all fours. It's just in time to see Sparks leaping into action.
"Verge!? Melt Wax!" The one armed Candlemon screams, tossing the restraining blow against your opponent, who swiftly rolls out of the way letting it harmlessly splash against the wall.
"Tssk. This was not agreed upon." He says with a low disgruntled voice. "I'm not here to defeat a mere cripple."
"Get'em Beat!" The Otamamon cheers in the background, "Hit the scary one again!"
*Beat* let's out a disdainful snort at her words then shakes his head.
"It's okay, Sparks." You say quietly, trying to reassure your friend.
"But-but… Okay" The two headed rookie sighs, turning away.
"Good. Then we shall continue." Wormmon answers, crouching back down. "Worm Wheel!" The last time he did this, you'd been surprised. You hadn't expected him to be nearly so fast or strong.
Last time.
The Gazimon. That poisonous plant digimon. Both had been even faster than this *Beat* yet you'd defeated them just the same. So as the rolling insect digimon closes in your face, you step forward and pull a single paw back.
"Mach Jab!" Your awkwardly clenched paw smashes against the airborne rookie and launches him back across the table. He skips once across the surface, then slams against the nearby wall with a meaty *Crunch*. You can't help but wince as he drops from that position and limply crashes to the floor.
Is he okay?!
"Waaaaah! Beat!"
"Heh. Looks like you *Beat* him." Sparks chuckles, his flaming head quite literally shaking in place. The Candlemon turns about and begins hopping towards the door. Warren and his hissing brothers hurry to the edge of the table and hop off to once again cling to the fur your back.
"Where. Are. You. Going?" The Wormmon's pained voice grunts. You turn in surprise, and can't help but blink as the limping mon climbs back onto the table and unleashes another glare. "Fight Me!"
...
"Is there something wrong with him?"
"Dearie Me!" The door to the hall flies open to reveal Frigimon her hands once again clasped to her face. "Beat. Sweetie. What have I told you about starting fights at the dinner table?"
"Hmph!" The insect digimon turns his head away, not truly answering her question.
"Drop. Please be a dear and help him to class." Frigimon *suggests* though not that she exactly needed to force the issue, given how Otamamon seems to be fawning over him. "The rest of you, finish your meals and hurry along. Wizardmon doesn't like it when his students are tardy."
Wizardmon… No, it can't be the same one as in the camp?
"Yes Frigimon! Come up Beat! Let's go!" The Otamamon's voice cheerily shouts as she moves to help the smaller rookie.
"Tsk. I don't need your help."
"Now. Sparks was it? Come along now. It's time for your checkup sweetie."
The Candlemon stares up at her for a few seconds clearly not wanting to agree, but finally slumps down.
"Alright. But… but only if Verge can come too!" Frigimon begins to shake her head, then pauses as he your friend tenses up again.
"Of course he can come! Don't worry your little head about anything, alright?" Sparks nods at her words, giving an intense sigh of relief. With that the two of you follow along behind the champion. She leads you out of the room and down the hall, off towards another room up on the second floor of the building. The chamber is very, very different from the rest of the mansion, sporting grey metal floors and walls instead of the normal material. What's more, there a single strange slab of metal in the corner with a weird piece of glass plastered on the ceiling above it. From the looks of things it's large enough to fit even a small champion like Wizardmon with plenty of room to spare.
A strange glass screen that reminds you eerily of the *teevee* rests on the wall beside it along with exactly thirty-two buttons bearing alphabetical symbols slotted into the material. Just beneath it lies a large chair, which Frigimon smoothly claims. Twelve broad shelves line the other side of the room from edge to edge, each loaded with an assortment of what looks to be medical gear. You say "looks to be" because it's almost as if the crude, simple first-aid tools of the village had digivolved into something much more complex. You even spot a few healing discs at the top locked behind some sort of display case.
"Just get on the bed, sweetie." Frigimon orders, her thumbs rapidly pushing the many buttons. That panel was clearly built for someone with smaller hands than her. "Anytime you're ready, just be careful not to get off until it's done"
Sparks takes a nervous look in your direction, then swallows as you give him a hesitant nod. The fire-type rookie hops over and leaps onto the surface before immediately laying down. Frigmon hits a final button with her left thumb, prompting the bed your friend is resting upon to let out a shudder. The one-armed mon lets out a shriek as the glass above flares to life, projecting a sudden red light down upon his shivering form. You flinch at the sudden display, but after a second Sparks finishes his shriek and opens his eyes.
From what you can tell the machine doesn't seem to be actually be doing anything. Nonetheless, a scrawl of letters begin to run down the nearby screen.
"Hmm. Loss of arm taken into consideration. Quantity of data within normal limits... Structure powerful. Element, Flame. Attribute Virus...Virus?" Frigimon's oddly intense voice reverts back to it's more matronly tone as she says the last word. She turns in her chair and looks towards your friend. "That's odd sweetie, but you're healthy and that's all that matters"
"Is... am-am I not supposed to be a Virus?"
"The other sweet little Candlemon here aren't," Frigimon admits. "But it's okay. This type of attribute kurfuffle isn't that rare. You're fine dearie." Sparks' fiery head gives another nervous nod, as he hops down from the table, though his wax face look a bit confused. "Verge, was it? Would you be so kind as to hop up there?"
"...Alright." You narrow your remaining eye at the machine, and then carefully remove the KoDokugumon from your body. With that done, you begin to step forward, passing Sparks and following Frigimon's instruction to climb onto the *bed* as well.
"Now just hold still sweetie. The scanner will be on you a bit longer"
"What? Why?"
"Your friend possess more physical irregularities than any other rookie I've seen come through the mansion." Frigimon explains, once again entering in a rapid set of commands using her thumbs. "I'm concerned he might one day suffer some sort of critical error and self delete."
S-self Delete?!
The red light from before shines down once again, scanning your body much like it had sparks. However this time it lasts a full minute instead of the simply ten seconds which your friend had layed on the table. Frigimon keenly stares at the screen as more lines of script being flashing down the surface.
"Level, Rookie. Species, Drimogemon. Type, Beast. Attribute... Virus, Vaccine?" The Frigimon's arms turn into a flurry as she types more of the symbols, prompting the scanner to come to life a third time. "Area-specific. Limited to portions...Core shows...Structure... Oh dear. This can't be right."
Is something wrong?
"Verge, was it?" The Frigimon questions, her black eyes turning to stare uncomfortably hard at you. "My scanner is never wrong but by our holy lord...This doesn't make sense!"
"What is it?! What-what's wrong with him?!" Sparks shouts, tears coming to his eyes once again.
"It says he's a Vaccine type on half of his body." The Frigimon's analytical voice explains. "The top half and drills to be specific. The rest of him and that grey fur, it's all Virus." The champion lets out a mad sounding laugh. "But! There's another, stronger Virus in his left eye! That's three different types of data in one body! It doesn't make any sense! His body should be destroying itself right now! It's like some mon just shoved two different sources of data into a mould then stitched them together!"
You get a strange feeling that maybe running away from the icy champion might be a good idea.
"But that's not happening! They're not actively trying to delete each other like they should! His body is unstable because the two are conflicting, but the structure is impossibly flexible! More than any other digimon I've ever seen! But no! It just works! It shouldn't but it does! Both attributes are still growing together like one mon!" The Frigimon begins to rapidly type another set of commands into the wall, letting the device scan you for a third time. It's followed up by a confused shriek as the caretaker leaps out of her chair. "What?!"
"Is-is he okay?"
"Yes! Yes he is!" Frigimon's now shrill voice answers him. She's now sweating hard enough that tiny pieces of her head appear to be melting. You're not sure if that should be concerning or not but you're too freaked out to say anything. "His core data which should be the worst affected is actually the most stable part of him! In fact, both types are fully intertwined without any conflict!" Frigimon back away from the screen and stares at you again. " It doesn't make any sense! You don't make any sense! Your body goes against everything I've seen seen as a medic! Different attributes don't just mesh together like this! In fact, the only sensible part is the foreign data! I've at least seen that type of thing before!"
"You-you have?"
"Yes! It's rare to see a mon actually carrying one, but occasionally high class demonic digimon will inject bits of their own data into subjects to keep the surrounding data from properly healing. By the complexity of the program, it must have been an Ultimate! How or why I don't know but! But..." The white champion seems to finally notice that she'd been going on a rant and takes a deep breath. "Sorry sweeties, old habits." The female digimon rubs the back of her head, back to her formerly cheerful, slightly condescending tone and clearly chagrined by the massive outburst. "Verge, deary. I'm sorry but I can't heal your wound. You'll need someone stronger than whoever gave it to you." Repulsa was even stronger than Sorcerymon that means... Spirits Below.
"At least now I know why he's so big. His more elastic data and conflicting attributes push him towards growing more to make room. But his stable core is making evolution difficult." Frigimon continues with a tired shake of her head. "If it stays that way your big friend might not ever manage it unless something destabilizes it, but eventually even his flexible structure will have limits..." Frigimon trails off at the end of her words, and you have a deep ominous feeling that going beyond those *limits*, whatever they are, wouldn't lead to anything pleasant. Unfortunately for you, Sparks is there to ask about it.
"What-what would happen to him?"
"Well sweetie... We won't find out for a long time since he's not close to those limits, but Verge would either be forced to evolve into something unpleasant or." The champion pauses for a moment, a hint of sadness entering her voice. "I'm sorry to say this Deary, but I think his body will self detonate. "
"Oh-oh no."
That's... It doesn't sound good.
===
Frigimon hastily leaves the room after that, leaving you and Sparks together while she goes to fetch some *Sweet treats for sweeties* as an apology for her… outburst.
Sparks... He continuously cries into your fur for another minute or so, before his remaining waxy hand clenches into a tight fist. The rookie pulls away from chest and stares angrily and intensely up into your eye. Personally, you're not paying much attention, still trying to come to terms with the fact that you'll most probably explode after enough time passes by.
"Verge I-I was going to ask about this later but." The rookie takes a deep breath, and winces "But with this? I don't-I don't want to be too late."
"Alright." Your slightly dull voice replies. Sparks gives a small angry nod then continues on his voice bitter.
"Gramps, Fu, Sorcerymon,and… even Flamemon." Surprisingly the last word in his sentence is warped by a tint of anger. "Countand his soldiers deleted them all." He reaches up high and tries to places his remaining hand on your shoulder, but after failing settles for just gripping your fur. "I'm… I'm going to join the Blessed host. You said we can trust them right?" You give a hesitant nod. Sparks takes a deep breath, tears in his wax bodies eyes again, and then continues on. "I'm going to get stronger. I'm going to digivolve and get revenge, but… I don't want to do it alone. Verge, I'm-I'm sorry for asking this but can-can we do it together? Even if we can't be heroes like Flamemon wanted, the two of us can still fight together, right? We can avenge the village together."
=== Choose One:
[] Pledge to Sparks that you'll join him to delete Count and his servants. After all, you were planning to delete them all anyway. However, point out that Lunamon and Thresh are still alive. The two of you need to save them as well, and if you don't make it with whatever time you have left... You'll need his help to do it.
[] Refuse his Request. If you depend upon someone else again, then you'll only be weaker yourself. You'll have to be stronger than ever now, and you can't gain that power with Sparks. You refuse to die until you've had had your revenge and your family has been rescued. Irregular data or not, you'll just have to digivolve and prevent that fate from occurring.
=== Stat Changes: (Tiger Berries Physical stats 2 points each) (Mint Berry Crunch!!! Special + Spirit 3 points each)
Strength: 116.25->119.75
Fortitude: 125.75->129.25
Endurance: 108.25->111.75
Agility: 97.50->100.50
Special: 46.25->52.25
Spirit: 37.00->40.75
===
Authors Note: First option there isn't Verge Consigning himself to eventual deletion. Beta'd by @no.
[X] Refuse his Request. If you depend upon someone else again, then you'll only be weaker yourself. You'll have to be stronger than ever now, and you can't gain that power with Sparks. You refuse to die until you've had had your revenge and your family has been rescued. Irregular data or not, you'll just have to digivolve and prevent that fate from occurring.
Now, I know what you guys are thinking, but hear me out.
Verge will fucking explode if he can't become a champion. It's true that by working with Sparks we'll be better able to get shit done, but there'll be a greater risk that we'll die while a rookie because of our condition. And this isn't just about Verge's life; we simply cannot succeed at getting back our loved ones as a rookie. It's just not possible. We have to evolve to do it, and if we don't evolve soon enough we'll die. Thus, it is unfortunately in Verge's best interests to try and force out an evolution sooner through pressure by going his own way.
[X] Refuse his Request. If you depend upon someone else again, then you'll only be weaker yourself. You'll have to be stronger than ever now, and you can't gain that power with Sparks. You refuse to die until you've had had your revenge and your family has been rescued. Irregular data or not, you'll just have to digivolve and prevent that fate from occurring.
Nope I think I prefer not tying Verge down to any specific faction, plus need to focus on getting stronger, don't need to be distracted by sidequest, also pretty sure that Virus and Vaccine thing will be fine and would be an advantage if wielded right, don't want to lose that.
On a slightly lighter note: Boy Verge's body is fucked up and weird. Like, I know I just harped on this, but apparently it's even weirder than I ever could have imagined before. What the fuck is this guy!?
Verge will fucking explode if he can't become a champion. It's true that by working with Sparks we'll be better able to get shit done, but there'll be a greater risk that we'll die while a rookie because of our condition. And this isn't just about Verge's life; we simply cannot succeed at getting back our loved ones as a rookie. It's just not possible. We have to evolve to do it, and if we don't evolve soon enough we'll die. Thus, it is unfortunately in Verge's best interests to try and force out an evolution sooner through pressure by going his own way.
How does not helping Sparks somehow make us more likely to evolve? It's like saying putting milk in your tea instead of honey will make it rain. Also, you've vastly overstating how little time we have. Frigimon said we were nowhere near our limits. We've got time. And I, for one, refuse to abandon the poor little guy. Just because Sparks joins the Blessed Host doesn't mean we have to commit. We use their resources, and act as a volunteer, but we don't have to tie ourselves to them. At the very least we can make it easier to get Sparks set up; as well as possibly finding someone to heal our eye.
[X] Pledge to Sparks that you'll join him to delete Count and his servants. After all, you were planning to delete them all anyway. However, point out that Lunamon and Thresh are still alive. The two of you need to save them as well, and if you don't make it with whatever time you have left... You'll need his help to do it.
How does not helping Sparks somehow make us more likely to evolve? It's like saying putting milk in your tea instead of honey will make it rain. Also, you've vastly overstating how little time we have. Frigimon said we were nowhere near our limits. We've got time. And I, for one, refuse to abandon the poor little guy. Just because Sparks joins the Blessed Host doesn't mean we have to commit. We use their resources, and act as a volunteer, but we don't have to tie ourselves to them. At the very least we can make it easier to get Sparks set up; as well as possibly finding someone to heal our eye.
[X] Pledge to Sparks that you'll join him to delete Count and his servants. After all, you were planning to delete them all anyway. However, point out that Lunamon and Thresh are still alive. The two of you need to save them as well, and if you don't make it with whatever time you have left... You'll need his help to do it.
I might agree with you if it weren't for the very strong wording of the vote; that tells me this is a pretty major decision point, something that will shape the plot to come.
The reason I think working with Sparks will make evolution harder is because verge will get more comfortable working with Sparks, or in a group, depending on others. If he ends up going it alone, he'll be forced to push himself, exceed his limits, grow as a person. That's the kind of thing that triggers evolution, something the Frigimon said Verge is likely to have a difficult time with. Thus, I feel that taking the lonely path will make it less difficult for Verge to evolve.
