At the very least he was good enough that Flamemon and Gramps couldn't do shit to him, so he can't have been weak. Though he did leave the least of an impression among his group. Still, considering how far from Count's new territory Ogremon is, I'm going with the mercenary theory.
[] Sparks and Ardat. Sadly, Sparks does not share the same wariness of Ardat you do. Seeing that wind spell has interested him in learning some more magic, but he wants your help in approaching the Witchmon about it.
===
Once the conversation with Pidmon finishes, you fall back to the side of the wagon along with Sparks and focus on studying Sorcerymon's second spell. You've been learning *Holy Light Strike* (as Ardat had translated from the binary) for the past week, and arere now only a hair's breadth away from being able to actually cast the darned thing. In the past four days, you managed to memorize the series of one's and zero's exactly, figured out the theory behind how the energy should be manifested, and even practiced the physical motion of tossing the resulting attack.
The only problem is that it's almost like the spell itself doesn't actually want to properly manifest. Every time you try to draw out your internal energy to form the holy sorcery, it seems to go downwards, almost like the energy is just sinking into the ground! Ardat glances at your grumbling form a few times over the day, but your glare keeps the champion away.
It takes ten attempts, and ten subsequent failures, over lunch and the next couple hours before you finally lose your patience and take a break. Though, the project all truly comes to a head in the evening, when you try it one last time for bedtime.
"-01100101...." And nothing. No light show, no lance of holy energy ready to cause havoc. Just the fatigue as your energy fades away and the sense of frustration as the power sinks down into the hard earthen road.
Darnit. What's wrong?!
With a growl of frustration, you raise a paw up and thrust your drill claws into the ground-
-and are instantly met with a horrific screeching sound as your claws bite into something hard. Your flinch back, and hurriedly your arm away from whatever it was that your drills hit.
"Verge? What-what's that sound?!"
I don't know.
You grit your teeth, and force a shred of wrath back into your digicore. The possibility of this being a coincidence is unlikely at best, no you have a feeling that this is exactly where your energy has been going.
"It's fine." you angrily whisper looming over the tiny hole. Sparks audibly gulps beside beside you, and takes a single hop away, allowing a little space to open between you. Glaring down at the little hole, you grit your teeth and start digging down. Over the next few seconds, you clear away the patch of dirt surrounding the vaguely round object, then seize it with your paws. It's heavy, so much that you can barely manage to lift the construct out of the ground.
When it's finally out, you're left staring at... A rock. A bleached white rock that almost looks to be made of the same materials as the hard objects growing out of meat plants.
...I-what? This is it?
"...Heh. It was just a rock." Your friends relieved voice laughs, but you ignore it and just frown at the fossil. A small, somewhat insistent part of you mind insists that you should just go ahead and throw it at something. You shrug both it, and the sudden factoid off, heft the heavy object in your paws, then (with some difficulty) throw it towards the side of the road where the forest lies. A strange voice echoes with it, and it takes a second for you to realize that it's your voice uttering the words.
"Crusher Bone!"
The newly created projectile hurtles through the air at far faster speeds than you'd have expected, and slams into a thick tree with a mighty *Crack*, easily ripping through the bark and embedding itself deep within the hard wood.
"Woah."
Huh that's... neat?
===
Verge Has Learned The Technique:
Crusher Bone: A technique which unearths a conjured fossil and throws it at a target.
===
During the next day, things continue on as normal. A nightmare during the night, exercising using bonded weights in the morning, and then lunch. Only this time, the meal your party is treated to is something a little more substantial than plain old travel bread. *Agent* Greymon is more than happy to supply a few small fruits and some meat as thanks. It's a nice little bit of tasty variety to the meal, but unlike Sorcerymon's nutritious portions these don't seem to actually power a mon up in any discernible way.
It's actually during the afternoon, when you'd normally be tutored by Ardat, that something odd happens. Due to the pace your leader had set up over the past days, Sparks' stamina has improved quite a bit. By now he's semi-used to the speed and length of the marches the Sergeant Gladimon has set, so he's now finally able to move fast enough to keep up and talk at the same time. Something he utilizes by jogging up beside you, and then timidly asking for a favour.
"Hey ah, Verge." The one armed Candlemon huffs to gain your attention. Your friend takes a deep breath as you turn your head, then sets his wax mouth into a determined frown. "I-I know what she did to you in-in that ah, eating place" He mumbles, "But you-we saw the power of her sorcery and well. I saw you learning from her earlier and..." The rookie nervously swallows, his clenched fist shaking. "Can you-can you get her to help me too? Please?"
Naturally your first impulse for getting involved with theRepulsa-like digimon is, or would be, a solid no. However, this is Sparks. If talking to that crazy Witchmon can help him get more powerful, help him succeed in your mutual goal, then you have a responsibility to help him.
"...Okay." you hesitantly reply, trying and failing to hold back a wince. Sparks fiery head flashes you a mad grin of approval, but his wax face stays firmly planted in a determined mask of stone.
Together, the two of you move over from the cart's side and up towards Ardat, who's only now finishing up a conversation with the Greymon. She lets out a laugh, turns to leave, then nearly trips over her own feet as you come into her line of sight. The humanoid slams the haft of her broom into the dirt to keep herself from falling, then thrusts her other claw out to the opposite side, triggering a gust of wind that sends her clothes and cape billowing *Dramatically* as she tries hide the fact that she tripped with a sudden pose.
"Have you come crawling back to learn from the master of Wind Sorcery again?" She proudly questions, "Let it be known that your transgressions have been forgiven and I am perfectly willing to. Let… you..." She trails off as your glare gets more heated, eventually deflating entirely, then shamefully moves her eyes to look at the dirt by her feet. "Sorry." the champion mumbles. "I didn't think it was. I thought you were-" Ardat cuts herself off and clamps her pointy teeth together with a loud *clack*.
"It's okay." you lie, trying to force your jaw into a *happy* grin. It feels very faint, but somehow it seems to work, as Ardat takes a deep sigh of relief at that, covers one hand with the other, and and gives a low bow of her head. You turns over to your friend and give a nod. "Sparks?"
"Yes. Okay-okay." The crippled rookie looks up towards Ardat, then reaches into his satchel and pulls out his worn red spell-book. "Ardat, can you help me with this?"
She reels back in shock at the sight "You have a grimoire too?!" the champion shouts, her voice lough enough to hurt your ears. Sparks flinches back, but in a vaguely familiar scene she snatches the book out of his hand and begins flipping through the pages. You can't help but sigh.
This... it's going to go exactly the same as when I talked to her isn't it?
To be fair, you end up being half right. Ardat wastes no times in declaring that she'll tutor your friend, show him her greatness and make progress together, etc.
Only, before she can get far into the lesson, or even to the point of handing him the book back, a great amount of noise from the trees distracts her. This is followed by a big black shape blurring out from the treeline overhead.
Suddenly, the shadow gains focus, as a vicious-looking giant demon dragon swoops down and smashes into Greymon.
"Crimson Nail!"
The roaring monster rips him free from his cart, tearing massive gouges down his blue-striped side in the process, and the two go tumbling off the road into the forestry. Trees are crushed into a thousand splinters as the two massive champions grapple for dominance, before finally the Agent slams the tip of his skull into the dramon's neck and shoves forward with all the strength his thick neck can muster, forcing the lankier mon back.
"I'm going to make you extinct!" The merchant bellows, dashing forth after the demon-digimon in an attempt to press his advantage.
It's at this moment that you begin processing what's happening. Sparks seems to be doing the same, as his arm wraps around your left paw; he's left completely frozen by the sudden violence and the sight of such a terrifying digimon. You're in much the same state, and are only snapped out of it when Scratch lets out a shout.
"Guard yourselves! Ambush!" The sergeant arms blur back, grabbing his swords. Before he can do anything more to help the merchant, he turns, seemingly on pure instinct, and raises them up in defense just as a dark, fist-shaped mass of energy slams into his guard. Your relatively lightweight leader is lifted off his feet and tumbling back though the air from the force of the blow. He crashes through a series of small trees before vanishing from sight.
Ogremon, who's clearly the cause of that attack, leaps out of the foliage on the right side of the road and lands beside the wagon, his club lazily held over one shoulder. "Gehehe, like taking sirloin from a rookie" The champion rumbles, reaching down with a hand to pick and examine up one of the many metal strongboxes. You glare at the big green brute with your remaining eye and let loose a snarl. Part of you, a very large part at that, wants nothing more than to rush over and Rip. Him. Apart! However, the feeling of Sparks clinging to your arm stops you.
Darn it, I-I can't leave him unprotected, not at a time like this!
Your heart sinks as a mass of reinforcements come tumbling out behind the much bigger champion. A combined dozen enemies, made up of Bakemon and strange, small devil digimon trickle out of the forest behind him, quickly splitting up into groups of four before flying after the other members of you party.
Ardat let's out a chilling giggle upon seeing the group chasing her, and takes to the air on her broom, her mouth already in the midst of casting a spell. The second group heads for Pidmon, who's firmly planted in the middle of the road, his head turned towards the Greymon's fight. Your new blond friend looks frozen in place, and doesn't even seem to notice as the four other champions(?) surround him.
Together they begin to batter the angel digimon with claws and chops, drawing tiny specks and trickles of data from his head and chest but he doesn't move or even wince - doesn't seem to care about any of it.
The last group starts to fly towards you, but a bone cudgel slaps them out of the way and they immediately back down. Ogremon, saunters towards your growling form his eyes filled with murderous glee and a grin on his face.
He takes his time walking towards you, one thunderous footfall at a time. "Gehehe, to think I'd see you two here!" The champion shouts jubilantly, causing the rookie beside you to start shaking. "This just great! Boss hated the fact that a few of you escaped." Ogremon raises a fist as you snarl and further entrench yourself into a defensive posture, pulling his arm back for some sort of attack-
"Wheel Rush"
-but is forced to jerk his club forward in a block as your sergeant spins towards him. The two rapidly striking sabers slice off little chips of bone, and forcing the much larger champion to rapidly back-peddle or risk taking a direct hit. The struggle between the two experienced champions quickly leaves your sight, and in this mass of confusion and violence you don't have even a tenth of a second to turn and follow it
"Nightmare Shock!" The demon directly in front of Pidmon floats up and screams right in his face, hitting him with a sonic blast at point blank range, so loud you can physically see the vibrations in the air. It doesn't exactly have the effect he was hoping for.
Alternate: I suggest waiting until the bells finish before reading the next bit if you choose this one
"DEVI-DRAMOOOOON!!" Pidmon SCREAMS, his wings erupting with a wreathe of golden fire that vaporizes every champion around him as a mere afterthought. The angel explodes in a golden inferno, and in the next moment, a blazing comet of divine rage crashes into the unlucky devil-digimon, tearing him away from his fight with the wounded Greymon
"Holy Rod!" Pidmon's weapon, now shining with a golden light, appears in his hand, then smashes down into the dramon's upraised arm with a sickening, sizzling *Snap* crushing bone and vaporizing flesh. He continues his assault without pausing for a moment, yelling like a mad mon the whole time. There's no technique to this; the finesse with while you've seen the angel fight before is entirely gone, entirely replaced with a raw, unfettered ferocity.
Spirits above! Where did that come from!?
These events all occur within the span of about one minute, maybe less, leaving you with your current predicament.
Ardat is fighting the four champions in the sky.
Gladimon is dueling Ogremon by the merchant's cart.
Pidmon and Greymon are fighting Devi-Dramon in the forest on the left.
And now there are four champions, weak as they may be, glaring towards yourself and Sparks. With their boss now busy, they seem to have come to the conclusion they should ignore his previous unspoken order, and take care of you themselves rather than potentially let you cause trouble.
Wha-what should I do?
===
AN: Alright. Next update is at 925 words. Still got a ways to go before it's done. Should be out tomorrow, unless I manage to get lucky tonight. No not like THAT
It's a shame that casting in combat is a bit difficult and that we haven't been able to test Holy Light Strike yet. This would be a good fight to start blasting holy magic.
It's a shame that casting in combat is a bit difficult and that we haven't been able to test Holy Light Strike yet. This would be a good fight to start blasting holy magic.
I'm pretty sure we'll get better opportunities to practice it in the future. after all, we get paid when we get back to town. which should happen in about...two more days give or take?
Since we're now a member of the Host, we get access to the Gym Membership Discount, meaning that it's only 500 BITS a month for Gym Membership. good stuff. and I'd be willing to bet someone in the City knows how to help us with Combat Casting.
I'm pretty sure we'll get better opportunities to practice it in the future. after all, we get paid when we get back to town. which should happen in about...two more days give or take?
Since we're now a member of the Host, we get access to the Gym Membership Discount, meaning that it's only 500 BITS a month for Gym Membership. good stuff. and I'd be willing to bet someone in the City knows how to help us with Combat Casting.
Intentional surprise? So can only be a large amount or a small amount then
Well that or there is some surprise bonus item or lesson or whatever we get paid in instead.
[] Try to snap Sparks out of whatever funk he's in. Together you can fight the enemies, or at least stall them until Ardat can help. No matter what happens, you'll protect Sparks from them.
-[] Remind Sparks we promised to fight together, here is one of the people who killed Gramps and the rest. Is he really just going to stand there?!
--[] Tell him that they can win but he needs to rob them the ability to fly, you will protect him all the time that he needs but they need to take away their advantages to truly begin this battle.
--[] Once at least one's been grounded charge it with as much intimidation as you can muster, then execute it as brutally as possible! if some other Digimon were scared of you earlier, then use that.
===
Wha-what should I do?...
You glance between the Bakemon and three demonic digimon floating beside it, and take a deep breath. They're not scary, not like that Devidramon Pidmon is currently beating the snot out of. Heck, they're actually smaller than you, but there are four of them and only one of you. Part of you wants to run away from it all, to dig down and hide while the rest of your squad handles things. If Ardat's last spell is any indication, then she could possibly delete every single one of them should it come down to the wire.
Only right now, running isn't something you can do right now. Or rather, it's something you won't against these digimon. For one of the first times in your life, it's not wrath that crushes fear, but pure will. It's not just because you want to help your squad; you honestly want to defeat the digimon. All three of the winged digimon suddenly come towards you and you flinch back as your sudden focused snarl cuts through the air. Their cautious advance wholly stops in place, leading to them floating nervously just above the ground. Unfortunately, the lone ghost digimon amongst them is not intimidated and instead quickly snaps an order to the other three champion.
"Use yoooour screams on theeem." The digimon hauntingly drawls "Don't boooother trying to get clooose." The three evil digimon give out grunts of affirmation and fly upwards, moving to take position in the air above you.
Crud, they're too high up to reach!
If you're going to even stand a chance against them then you'll need Sparks to help. His melt wax and other ranged attacks might be able to knock them out of the air, while you doubt your Crusher Bone attack would even be able to hit a small target at this distance and angle. You desperately shake the paw Sparks gripping onto in an attempt to knock him out of his frozen state, but it doesn't work. He just starts crying instead.
Come on, come on! Sparks!
"Viiiilemon, Get the rookie fiiiiirst!" In response, one of the big-mouthed mon screeches, sending a boom of sonic energy towards your friend.
No!
Reacting on pure instinct, you whirl around, cover rookie with your body and take the attack on your back. A hammer of pain slams into your back, sending painful ripples through your body as the force disperses through your large mass of digital flesh. One attack by itself doesn't do much, but then the other two demonic digimon pitch their own shrieks into the fray. You let out a data curdling scream as the repeated sonic waves pulverize your body, but nonetheless continue shielding Sparks. It's a lot more painful than just being punched or burned; it's almost like you're being shaken apart byte by byte. Both of your arms wrap around the much smaller rookie, then with a pained grunt, you bodily pick the younger digimon up and begin to try and dodge the onslaught.
"Hah! They're on the run! Get'em boys!" More attacks ring out, and most of another volley slams home on your body. Instead of yelping, you use the sensation to force out a roar right in the Candlemon's fiery face.
"We promised to fight together! To avenge everyone Sparks!" You howl, barely managing to avoid another Nightmare Shock. "Ogremon is right there! Snap out of it so we can rip these mon apart and delete him!" Your last bellow ends with a cough, spraying the crippled rookie with a coating of pulverized data. Your friend lets out a small whimper and closes his eyes.
"Death Charm!"
A sudden weakness washes over your limbs, slowing your blind attempts at dodging towards the treeline just enough for another sonic blast to hit you in the back of the head. The claws on your left foot snag the dirt and you trip, barely managing to twist sideways and avoid falling on your friend. Small explosion erupt around you as another volley misses entirely.
"I can't hit them, Sparks." You weakly say, nearly mumbling as the life-force drains out from your body. Another groan leaves you mouth, as you struggle up to a knee. "Please. For Flamemon. For Gramps" With that, you begin to whisper the healing spell, desperately hoping to maybe get it out fast enough to avoid deletion. Two more painful bullets of sound impact your back, but you don't let them interrupt you. The crippled Candlemon's eyes snapopen.
"Verge!" Sparks fiery head explodes outwards, burning the flesh around your chest a dark black. The one armed digimon leaps left, casting away the bulwark offered by your body and screams.
"Melt Wax!" Sparks winds up to launch a veritable wave of boiling hot sticky data up towards the group of demonic mon. However, weak as the Vilemon are, they're still far quicker than your friend. By the time he unleashes his attack, they're already beginning to scatter in different directions. Just when it seems that big attack will result in nothing but a waste of energy, a thick net made of silk lances through the air from within the boughs of a tree and snatches all three of them. Their attempts to scatter only tangle the webs further and make escape more difficult.
Thanks to this unexpected intervention, the three goons all take the brunt of the attack.
"About time." The voice of Beat grumbles, cutting through the sound of the weak champions' screams.
"Bite me, you insect!" Sparks smoothly replies, taking up aim towards the struggling imps. "Bonfire!" his attack arcs through the air, and slams directly into the center Vilemon, burning off its left arm entirely before exploding and showering all three with an eruption of fire.
"Worm Hang!" Your allies small form whips through the air and slams into the weakened champion's back. His head slams down into the back of its skull with a bone-shattering *Crunch*
"Not gooood" The Bakemon screams, turning away from its place by the Vilemon and soaring away in a white blur. He manages two travel a whole two seconds before a whirlwind wrenches him back.
Ardat!
"-01101100." Sweet relief flows through your body as the healing spell begins its work, repairing flesh and letting new energy flow into your limbs. It didn't heal you fully, not after how many times they'd hit you, but it was enough to move normally again.
Alright. Things are... We're okay, we're winning and- they're breaking free!
The two remaining Vilemon not engaged in melee snap their restraints, and with angry snarls fly down towards Sparks. Your friend tosses another fireball, knocking one out of the sky, but the other closes in claws whirling dangerously towards him.
"Scratch Beat!" He shouts, one hand lashing out to draw a trail of deep marks down your friends wax face. No!
"Drill Spin!"Your metallic nose hits impales his skull before his other arm can land a blow. The digging tool tears through digital flesh and bone, and erupts out the other side in a shower of data. Shaking the rapidly decaying corpse off, you whirl around and charge towards the other champion, more than ready to delete him.
But stop in confusion as the Bakemon smashes into him.
"AHaHaHaHaHa!" Ardat's horrifyingly familiar laugh echoes out, causing you to shiver. It seems she's already finished her group off. Up above, the Witchmon waves her hand back and forth, each repeated motion causing the ghost digmon to slam against its ally. The feminine champion's sadistic laughter only heightens as the two enemy mon begin squealing from the pain. "Do you feel that? Do you feel your pitiful lives fading away under my power? Under my wants?!"
You shiver at the words and tear your gaze away from the sight. Beat is still hitting his chosen opponent, but aside from causing it to crash to the ground, his headbutts don't seem to actually be doing all that much damage to the small devil. It in return is clawing at him, but the rookie's position on its back makes actually hurting him difficult.
"Move it, prick!" Your one-armed ally shouts. "Bonfire!"
"Tsk." The wormmon dodges away, and a moment later Sparks' attack lands right inside the Vilemon's open mouth. It blinks in sudden surprise, looks down towards its torso, then erupts in a sickening shower of data. You fight down the urge to throw up and rear back up in order to get a better view of the battlefield.
Ardat is still...torturing the two digimon in her grasp, not seeming to care that the Vilemon is already dead and beginning to fade away.
Meanwhile, off past the court, Ogremon is clearly being beaten back by Sergeant Scratch. The small grey champion looks almost like a living whirlwind as his sabers lash out against the larger digimon, who can only barely manage to keep a mortal wound from being dealt. Ogremon clearly knows what he's doing, but his Gladimon opponent is just… ridiculously skilled and crazily fast. His green skin sports eighty-three cuts that you can see, and his weapon looks to be covered with at least thrice that amount. A certain amount of satisfaction flows out from your core at the one-sided fight, but you don't let it distract you.
Off in the forest, Greymon has backed away from the ongoing fight and is now watching intently as Pidmon continues to attack in a blind fury. You can't help but notice that large, myriad portions of dinosaur's orange skin covered are covered in dark pulsing burns.
Your new friend is battling the much larger champion deeper within the forest, and from what you're able to tell, the angel digimon has really done a number on the dramon. Both of the virus-attributes digimon's arms hang limp at his side, the limbs broken in half a dozen places. Large burnt craters are plastered across its torso, showing entire portions of inner data.
Pidmon on the other paw looks absolutely spotless, like he hadn't so much as been hit once.
Wha-what is he?
Still wreathed in purifying flame, the small champion blurs forward with a scream and shoves his rod into the closest of the dragons crimson eyes. He brutally yanks the weapon out in an explosion of data, then takes it in both hands and rears back for what you can only guess to be a finishing strike. However before Pidmon can finish, the much larger champion's tail-claws slam shut around his torso, trapping his arms above his head. The hard, dark flesh begins to sizzle in protest, but is strong enough to keep your new friend contained, if only barely.
The Evil Dragon lets out a pained but victorious, roar and slams him head first through the nearest large tree, snapping it in half before letting go. Your comrade crashes to the ground, rolls, and comes up swinging, his rod making contact with his opponents jaw-
-Just after the massive teeth closes on one fiery wing. There's a single, spine-chilling snap as feathers go flying, along with half of the angel's wing. His opponent is knocked back, head singed and half blinded, but ultimately alive. It takes a second to look at the screaming angel, clearly trying to consider whether it should continue fighting or flee.
"Nova Flame!"
However upon seeing the agents attack, the dramon decides that the latter option is more appealing and rapidly begins beating its wings. Pidmon's opponent breaks into a full retreat into the air, barely managing to avoid the full brunt of Greymon's attack. Its limp limbs are not so lucky, and end up cracked, scorched wrecks.
"Get back here, scum!" Pidmon roars, leaping after the devilish dragon, but his damaged wing takes the angel digimon off course, causing him to hit another tree helmet-first.
"Geh, I'm not dying for this!" Ogremon snarls, he bends his legs, willingly takes a slash from belly to hip from Scratch, then leaps up towards the fleeing Dramon. He clears the thirty feet of height and distance seemingly without any trouble, and latches a green hand on the champion's singed tail.
He's-Ogremon is getting away!
Scratch calmly looks after the duo and flips the saber in his left hand as if to throw it, but after a second seems to reconsider for some reason and lowers it back down. You glare at the champion, drills furiously revving, but he ignores you in favour of turning towards Ardat. The now cackling Witchmon descended at some point, and is now standing over the defeated Bakemon, her broom impaled through its lower body to keep it pinned down. Her mouth moves rapidly, and it takes you a minute to realize that she's doing another speech.
"-now you must see the futility and despair of standing against one such as me. The true master, destined to rule this pitiful world." She brings her right claw down towards the Bakemon's face, hand glowing a very faint purple. Scratch moves.
"Please doooon't!" The weak champion begs. "I'll serve yo-" Before the undead digimon can finish, the tip of a saber plunges down into its head. He gives a single whimper, then collapses away into unformed data. You flinch back at the sudden merciless killing and trip back onto your rear.
Ardat rounds on the Gladimon with a snear, her claw raised as if to strike - but pulls back just before her hand would have run into the sergeant's weapon. Your *ally* freezes for five seconds straight, blearily blinks tears away from her eyes, then looks down at her claw.
"Scratch I-" She lets out a half sob then collapses down, dropping the broom so she can wrap her arms around her knees. "It happened again..." The champion trails off, lightly rocking back and forth. Gladimon steps behind her and raises his weapon, for a moment you think he's going delete her, but then he sheathes the weapon and hesitantly reaches out with a hand. He places one armored hand on her shoulder, then gives a single squeeze.
"It's okay." He says in a reassuring tone.
You stare at them in shocked surprise, and have absolutely no idea what's going on.
…do all squads have this kind of thing or... *Thump*
A sound draws your attention away for a second, and you see Pidmon has collapsed down at the left edge of the road.
"Why didn't you chase them?!" Sparks voice suddenly screams beside you, "We could have deleted him!"
"Not now." The sergeant replies dismissively, once again in his *Normal* tone. He steps away from the magical digimon and levels a blank stare. "Pidmon cannot fly, and Ardat leaving alone would be unwise. Wherever they're running could have reinforcements. Not worth it; could risk jeopardizing the mission."
Sparks glowers at him, but doesn't speak up. Instead he lets out an angry grunt and turns to stand beside you.
Personally, you're more than a little annoyed that Ogremon escape but:
=== Choose One: (Choose One)
[] You agree with the Sergeant, there's no guarantee that you could have killed him, and the risk was too great.
[] You disagree, chasing after Ogremon to get the chance to delete him would have been worth it, even if it would be risky.
=== Choose One:
[] Try to talk to Sparks about what happened. Ogremon, one of the digimon the two have swore to kill escaped.
[] Don't try to talk to Sparks about today's events. Instead, try to talk to Pidmon about what happened today.
[] Don't talk to anyone about what happened yet, just try to dig a little maybe and relax.
=== Stat Changes: (Spirit Training, 3 spirit, 1 special. 1 Fortitude from combat)
Strength: 148.25
Fortitude: 150.50->152.25
Endurance: 159.25
Agility: 130.50
Special: 89.50->91.50
Spirit: 81.75->86.25
===
Authors Note: I felt like this update fought me a bit. Heh, glad I could get it out at least. Next update should herald the end of the mission.
[X] You disagree, chasing after Ogremon to get the chance to delete him would have been worth it, even if it would be risky.
It's not the smart vote, but it's the one I like.
[X] Don't talk to anyone about what happened yet, just try to dig a little maybe and relax.
Sometimes Social Link stuff is a bad call.
Anyway, Pidmon is fucking weird. I thought he was like Verge, but this seems to be new. Or maybe that... Burst Mode? Not sure what that was exactly. Maybe that's something Verge can do? Who knows. It's a little unclear where the last four mooks went tho. Four went after Sparks and Verge and four after Ardat. I doubt Beat took down his own four singlehandedly.
Also, that Devidramon seemed near-feral like they usually are. I doubt Pidmon has a grudge against this one in particular; he probably just hates the species in general.
Finally: boy, Verge is quite good at the whole not-dying thing.
It's a little unclear where the last four mooks went tho. Four went after Sparks and Verge and four after Ardat. I doubt Beat took down his own four singlehandedly.
[X] You agree with the Sergeant, there's no guarantee that you could have killed him, and the risk was too great.
[X] Don't talk to anyone about what happened yet, just try to dig a little maybe and relax.
[X] You disagree, chasing after Ogremon to get the chance to delete him would have been worth it, even if it would be risky.
[X] Try to talk to Sparks about what happened. Ogremon, one of the digimon the two have swore to kill escaped.
[X] You agree with the Sergeant, there's no guarantee that you could have killed him, and the risk was too great.
At this moment we are too weak to use this chance. Scrach is right and we need to keep our comrades on good amount of Heal before continue.
We need to surpass the Sargent. That is our objective.
[X] Try to talk to Sparks about what happened. Ogremon, one of the digimon the two have swore to kill escaped
It sucks balls but we aren't strong enough to do something about it we are basically climbing the mountain of power and Ogremon is way higher than us. We need to train more.
[X] You disagree, chasing after Ogremon to get the chance to delete him would have been worth it, even if it would be risky.
[X] Try to talk to Sparks about what happened. Ogremon, one of the digimon the two have swore to kill escaped.
[X] You agree with the Sergeant, there's no guarantee that you could have killed him, and the risk was too great.
[X] Don't talk to anyone about what happened yet, just try to dig a little maybe and relax.
"AHaHaHaHaHa!" Ardat's horrifyingly familiar laugh echoes out, causing you to shiver. It seems she's already finished her group off. Up above, the Witchmon waves her hand back and forth, each repeated motion causing the ghost digmon to slam against its ally. The feminine champion's sadistic laughter only heightens as the two enemy mon begin squealing from the pain. "Do you feel that? Do you feel your pitiful lives fading away under my power? Under my wants?!"
Ardat is still...torturing the two digimon in her grasp, not seeming to care that the Vilemon is already dead and beginning to fade away.
Scratch calmly looks after the duo and flips the saber in his left hand as if to throw it, but after a second seems to reconsider for some reason and lowers it back down. You glare at the champion, drills furiously revving, but he ignores you in favour of turning towards Ardat. The now cackling Witchmon descended at some point, and is now standing over the defeated Bakemon, her broom impaled through its lower body to keep it pinned down. Her mouth moves rapidly, and it takes you a minute to realize that she's doing another speech.
"-now you must see the futility and despair of standing against one such as me. The true master, destined to rule this pitiful world." She brings her right claw down towards the Bakemon's face, hand glowing a very faint purple. Scratch moves.
"Please doooon't!" The weak champion begs. "I'll serve yo-" Before the undead digimon can finish, the tip of a saber plunges down into its head. He gives a single whimper, then collapses away into unformed data. You flinch back at the sudden merciless killing and trip back onto your rear.
Ardat rounds on the Gladimon with a snear, her claw raised as if to strike - but pulls back just before her hand would have run into the sergeant's weapon. Your *ally* freezes for five seconds straight, blearily blinks tears away from her eyes, then looks down at her claw.
"Scratch I-" She lets out a half sob then collapses down, dropping the broom so she can wrap her arms around her knees. "It happened again..." The champion trails off, lightly rocking back and forth. Gladimon steps behind her and raises his weapon, for a moment you think he's going delete her, but then he sheathes the weapon and hesitantly reaches out with a hand. He places one armored hand on her shoulder, then gives a single squeeze.
This quote contains all the parts that Verge sees Ardat during the combat and it does not paint a good picture for her mental health. At least when in combat Ardat's personality changes to something that seems closer to Repulsa which is uhhhh... probably not good for the one sided relationship she has with Verge. Her personality changes to relishing her power over weaker digimon and even fucking monologuing at a pinned down enemy like she is a god dam Sith Lord.
She clearly doesn't like losing control to this. I'm not sure if she just enters a battle maniac mode, if her personality totally changes or she just falls deep into being chunni and exerts her imagined reality onto the real world through what power she has over other digimon during combat.
Not sure what else to say, I just wanted to point it out in case other people just glossed over it. Open to any ideas on why she might be this way or if this isn't something we should worry about.
