[] Leave her behind to train with Ardat.
===
You sit alone within your private chambers, meditating over a gut-wrenching matter. Whether or not to leave Xia behind… it's a decision that proves very difficult to make.
It's a fact that you were unable to spend enough time with Grip, Scourge and Warren. They're all distant to you now, mon that you in truth barely know. For the most part your interactions with them have been through letters.
Going down that road again, only this time with Xia? The thought is extremely worrisome. However… her safety is the more important factor here. This is an event where teams of high class Ultimates will be battling it out. Even with Sparks' assistance and the ability to hide her in his
Book…
You take a deep breath.
Clear mind. Think logically Verge. Calm heart, don't let emotion control your actions. The risk is too great, and this zone… it is a place to gain strength rapidly, for her to become powerful.
The risk of her being affected negatively by Ardat comes to mind… but you dismiss it. The womon has gained an immense amount of control of herself since first evolving to Ultimate.
She will not lose control, or hurt Xia. Leaving her here is the best course of action.
=
Through the use of a particularly helpful Commandramon, you manage to schedule a meeting with Ardat. Then once she's on her way, you quickly gather up Xia from the gym.
"La-my friend, this is my newest ward, Xia." With those words you gently lowers the panting *Vorvomon* towards Ardat.
"Yay! Me glad meet dadmon's girlfriend!" The dramon chirps, squirming excitedly in your grasp.
That entire sentence hurt.
"She's so cute!" Ardat gasps, snatching Xia your hands and immediately hugging said mon to her… sizeable chest.
"Look at her adorable little eyes! *ahem*, she's very aesthetically pleasing my knight." Naturally Xia responds by squirming up and licking the demonic digimon's mask.
"Nihihihihi, how uncouth."
Her protest is funny enough but… the amusement doesn't touch your lips.
"I will be leaving her in your care for my next mission's duration." You explain somberly.
"Y-you leave Xia behind?" Your ward turns around, eyes beginning to water. That… hurts, but you press on through the pain.
"Aye. For your protection."
"Rest assured my knight, your ward will be taught… all the really important stuff! *Ahem*. I mean that she shall be tutored appropriately in all courtly manners, starting with that cute… atrocious inflection."
Inflection…
A change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender.
Ah, I see… mildly concerning but… my decision is made.
Besides, what's the worst that can happen?
"Be safe on your duties my knight."
"Yeah! You no get hurt!" Xia agrees trying to sound serious for once.
"Zehaha, very well. I shall." You reach out towards the pair intending to pull them into a hug-
*Pop*
"Sup, what'd I miss?"
… and just like that the moment is ruined.
The Wisemon flinches as glares assault him from both sides… then proceeds to teleport away before any retribution can fall upon him.
"Hmph. Wise guy bad!"
=
You depart from the Bulwark training base with Thresh soon afterwards. Traveling through the Flux mountains themselves would be a long and strenuous affair, so you make do with being teleported away by Sparks.
One of the benefits of resting in an area with accelerated time is of course, the *faster* relative recovery. Two hours and five minutes worth of required rest between trips can be cut down to a mere twelve minutes and thirty seconds.
Time which, end up passing rather *quickly* thanks to a session of meditation.
After delivering Thresh, the three of you set out from the Flux Mountan's edge towards Bulwark proper, where the final member of your party is waiting.
You find Ser Schwartz within the now repaired central courtyard, doing… what he apparently enjoys best.
And by that you mean eating. He's surrounded by three long tables, two of which are covered in empty dishes. The last table's boundary… is currently being devoured in a whirlwind of motion.
"Whoa, hehehe, friggen' heck. How's he eatin' that much?!" Sparks chuckles pointing at the ravenous Duskmon. You shrug.
"He feels kinda… evil?" Thresh murmurs confused.
"I didn't know I could feel that… hey bro, think this guy's any good in a fight?"
"Not against you or I. He's still currently a champion, it would not be a fair battle."
"Are… you sure about that V? Mon feels pretty strong."
"That would be his aura of wickedness." You explain nodding towards the tangible sense of destruction and hunger around the knight. "It is far from his… personality."
"Yeah, that guy's kinda… well ya remember Auger?"
"... he likes counting bits?"
"Eh." Sparks wiggles his robotic hand.
"More like the dude takes it easy… mostly."
"Cool… hey bro can I-"
"No, you cannot *spar* with him. We have a mission to accomplish."
"Grah! I beat you in that fight! I don't have to listen to-!"
"Salutations fellows." Schwartz interrupts the WarGrowlmon with a little wave
. "Mmm, I would have greeted you sooner, but uh... my afternoon snack."
Zeha, I'd hardly call that a snack...
"So… wanna go on Leopardmon's mission now guys?"
"Aye… but the briefing never mentioned transport."
"We takin' the Locomon network?"
"The network? Uh… Great tree, of course not. You like, know how slow that thing is? Nay, we can run faster than all but GrandLocmon himself. So… uh, we will. You two at least. Sparks-" He extend a blade out towards your shoulder-bound friend.
"Shall be teleporting me there, to Capital Tyrannomon… Caputal Tyranno. Ty-ran-Oooo."
"... he eat any'a Auger's plants?" Sparks whispers into your ear.
"Mayhaps…"
That would certainly explain his attitude.
"Hey! What about me and V? You're not really expecting us to run there?!"
"I am?... or uh, fly. Mmm, yeah. But don't worry, it's only… four thousand kilometers away?"
Four thousand...
"Do you perchance, have an exact number?"
"Mmmno? And you can't any of my snacks either. Just telling you now. Don't get any ideas."
"I… never asked about that. And you spoke of that to me before."
"Ah-that was a test! Yes, a test. Your memory is mmm, astute. Very astute."
"His memory's a butt?"
"Hah! Nice one!"
Rgh.
"No? That means his memory is good… I think?"
You shake your head, clearing away the feelings of annoyance.
"You said that we can travel there quickly? If I remember correctly, that Zone is halfway across the continent."
"Mm, yeah. It is. But you guys are really fast now. Just start running and you'll be there umm… soon?"
"That sounds boring." Thresh grumbles sticking a Pendulum blade into the ground.
"Hey! Hey bro! If we see anything strong on the way over can we fight it?"
…
of course he'd ask that.
=== Choose One:
[] Yes, you suppose so. It may break up the monotony...
[] No. You'll stay the course and arrive with all haste.
===AN: Aaaaand, we're back after the two week break! I hope ya'll enjoy this new arc! I'm still finding my reins writing Schwartz, but I hope to get better as more time is spent around him. So yeah, thanks for reading.
