[] Give them some advice and ask them to help look out for
your missing friends. Tell them its fine to retreat if they are outmatched, but that you understand if there are fights they cannot give up on.
[] 20,000
===
Thanks to the recent revelations, you have no hesitation as to what actions will be taken during the morning. And by *actions* you mean spending the early day interacting with the two newly evolved champions. For their part, both Warren and Scourge are happy to postpone their egress a few hours for the promise of further interaction.
While there is an almost physical cloud of sorrow hanging over the conversation, you do your very best to make sure that both mon know that you're not upset at their decision. After all, in the end it's their choice, both mon are champions after all. From the talk, you learn that transit to The Great Arena is thankfully a rather safe route. All it will require of them is flying over to the next town before boarding a Locomon to the combative city state, which means the personal risk to them will be minimal.
You do a bit of digging about Scourge's planned location, worried about the danger of their future profession, but Warren is able to assuage your worries. According to the information he's been able to gather from Frigimon and the town's other inhabitants, the city's sovereign leader (
Malkimon) only runs lethal combat on very rare occasions. And even those are strictly voluntary unless one or more of those combatants is some sort of prisoner. Warren even has a vague idea of how to sign up, which surprisingly enough came from MasterTyrannomon whom spent some of his youth as a gladiator. Unfortunately that is the limit of their knowledge on the subject leaving a number of your other queries about the profession and city unanswered. You resist acting upon the odd sense of familiarity that comes up with city's ruler, as it shouldn't really affect either of them.
On the conversation's other front, you give the pair of newly evolved mon some advice. In no uncertain terms, you advise that if they should ever happen to come across an opponent that outmatches them, running should be their first option. You don't want either of them to throw their lives away for a sense of misplaced pride, but you also understand that there may be battles they cannot give up on. Scourge nods at this, but Warren just clenches a claw for some reason.
With the off chance of coincidental luck working in your favour, you tell the two of them to watch out for a BlackGarurumon named *Gnaw*. While you'd personally given up the idea of finding your old friend while serving as a soldier in the Host, perhaps they might stumble upon him one day.
Lastly, the subject of money comes up, and you end up being very concerned by the fact that they have almost nothing to their names. Fortunately you've managed to accrue quite the wealth from your recent missions, and with the help of Warren's smaller sets of hands manage to hand over all but one of your bit chits. Twenty thousand bits may be a lot, but if it helps them out in the days to come, then the personal expense is more than worth it.
After the long talk, you spend a couple hours helping the two insect digimon on adjusting to their new bodies. While evolution does give one a basic knowledge of how to use their new forms, actual mastery over it is a different manner. Sadly, you can't physically spar with your wards for worry of accidentally harming them, as even parries could wrench their limbs free. But as a Gryzmon you're able to discern their movements and offer suggestions well enough.
Frigimon brings a sobbing Grip along to say goodbye to his brothers, who ends up jumping into your fur and refusing to leave. Knowing the feeling of grief all too well, you let the rookie stay there.
At the end, Scourge heads off to the gate, while you escort Warren to the post. Now that he's a champion you're less worried about Ardat deleting him by accident, even if it's still technically a possibility.
This time Ardat takes longer to come out and greet you, with the unhappy Pidmon at attention actually having to go inside and get her. Instead of the usual hug/tackle, your friend blearily stumbles out Frigimon's manual still clenched in one hand.
"Haaah, hellow-servant-we're a little bit umm..." The exhausted LadyDevimon blinks twice in rapid succession, only now noticing Warren.
"-and this is?"
"Greeting..." The Kuwaagamon pauses examining the former Witchmon, his body oddly tense. Finally the insect clenches his fists, takes a deep breath and kneels down. "Lady Ardat. My sincerest apologies, but I cannot serve you as I am now. To fulfill my oaths I must travel to Arena City."
That is... oddly formal. He must be getting that terminology from Frigimon's books.
You watch, tensing up as a wave of indignant anger wash over Ardat's body as if the declaration had somehow upset her. However all that vanishes behind an odd smile. The tiredness hindering your friend vanishes for a moment as she reaches out with her claws and lightly runs it down the champion's carapace, though thankfully not had enough to do actual damage.
"We lend you permission to find power servant. Feed your desires, gain strength for us and return when the time is right." something about Ardat's words and actions send
alarms sprouting out from your core along with the sudden urge to
stop whatever the Scion is doing. The urge runs head long into a barrier of
desire, something
urging you to kneel and in the end, neither wins out. Warren's body shudders and you swear the air around them both flashes a light purple before Ardat pulls away.
What just occurred?! What did she do to Warren?!
Unfortunately that last burst of effort seems to have drained the last of the mutant LadyDevimon's energy and she ends up stumbling towards you. A moment later you find the Ultimate buried in your fur as if it's some sort of bed. Grip is thankfully on your back, and thus avoids being squished by her flesh.
If the event which had just occurred bothers the largest of your wards, he doesn't show it, or indeed even reference it happened. The champion just stands up and continues on like nothing happened and he just brushes off your attempts to ask about it.
In the end you're left with a worried feeling as Ardat is carried back off into the basement by the now strangely cheery Pidmon. Something about the sight of him carrying her is
oddly aggravating, but you push past it. The time has come to say your last goodbye.
The niggling feeling of sorrow in your core grown more with each and every step as you walk Warren to the gate where Scourge is waiting. Regrets flash to mind at a constant rate, guilt over not spending more time with your wards along with the pleasant memories you'd shared with them.
However, there's nothing you can do about the past beyond revising it in memory. Even if you can't spend more time with them now, after
Repulsa,
Count and his servants are slain you'll be able to visit them at your leisure. Yes, that would be nice.
You sweep both insectoids up into a final hug, struggling to keep the tears from your eye.
"Goodbye you two I...
I know you'll do me proud."
"Yes Lor-Verge. We-we will sir." Warren responds, his voice trembling with emotion. "And Grip, I'm... sorry for not staying with you."
"Hiss!" Scourge adds in happily, wrapping his long scything talons around your body. Grip does his best to hug his brothers individually, before the four of you pull away.
Barring the deaths you'd witnessed on
That Day, watching Warren and Scourge fly up over the wall and out of sight is the most painful experience of your entire life.
===
Stats:
Warren:
Strength: 430
Fortitude: 430
Endurance: 340
Agility: 300
Special: 210
Spirit: 210
Scourge:
Strength: 350
Fortitude: 310
Endurance: 240
Agility: 390
Special: 350
Spirit" 320
===
Authors note: And here it is. This was... pretty sad to write. Good news is that the two of them should be relatively safe for now. Edit: Also Verge is down 20K bits, leaving him with just over 2 thousand left. Ouch.