Digital Survival Matrix - We Exist to Serve Your Purpose (Digimon IC)

[Elfbird]

Sen at first listened to the message with interest, seriously weighing her options. But when Kokomon's ruckus woke everyone else, she lost interest.

"...What a halibut."

She rolls over and lays back down, resting her head on Eiji's chest and putting her arm across to his far shoulder. It's warm and soft, and the fabric of his shirt - mass-produced, yet worn into something rough and personal - feels nice against her cheek.

Beat.

"AWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWAWA!"

Sen pushes away and rolls to her knees a few feet away, her injured leg tucked under her and reflexively reaching for a knife.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What do you think you're doing?! P-P-Pervert! Pervert! I'll knife you! I'll gut you! D-D-Do you think just because I'm injured you can have your way with me?! P-Pervert!"

Her voice is a couple octaves higher than normal, and tears gather at the corners of her eyes as she yells.

[Volthawk]

Sen moving and talking brings Eiji's attention back to that situation, and initially he stays quietly watching, a confused look on his face, as she rests her head on him. And then she kicks off, and Eiji quickly responds in kind. He can deal with this, not whatever that was earlier.

"Eh? You were the one lying on me and cuddling up! Why would I want to do anything with you? What's with you wanting to knife everyone for crap?"

[Elfbird]

"What, are you saying you don't want to do that kind of thing with me?! Aspic! Buttermilk! L-Liverwurst!"

There's a beat while Sen catches her breath and struggles to come up with more insults to hurl. When the echoes die down and nothing comes out of her mouth to follow up, she lowers her arms and looks away, face glowing almost as red as the fire's embers.

"L-look... Just forget it. It was a bad dream is all. C'mon, Arik--Creampuff, bathroom break. I'll gut any boys who peep."

She starts to move to grab Ariko's hand, but her leg foils her yet again, so instead she kneels there awkwardly trying to mask her vulnerability with an air of authority until someone comes to help her up and outside.

What the horseradish was that about...? I-It's not like I like him or anything! Geeze, gotta cool off...

[Syless]

Ariko is slow to wake up, and spends her time looking between the quarreling cuddlers and the apparition. She heads over to grab Sen's hand when called for, helping her up, not looking her or Eiji in the eyes. "U-um... I don't know if we can just run away on her word... but we can still try and find out what's really going on before making any decisions, right?"

[Volthawk]

Still red faced himself, Eiji doesn't say anything more, his brain struggling to come up with a response to the situation, particularly when he realises Sen's lying about the bad dream. What was that?

Ariko talking once again provides a welcome distraction. "Find out what?
She sent someone she made nuts to beat us up and bring us to her by force! She can't start with some friendly crap after that!"

[Syless]

Ariko mumbles back. "S-sorry... I just meant hearing all the sides, we only know what a couple of people have to say... I didn't mean to..." She looks away from Eiji, then heads off with Sen.

[fibericon]

"Yeesh. Girls are weird. What a pain. Hey Eiji, if we let them run off on their own, they might get lost. Especially shouty over there with the torn up leg. If she falls down a hill or something, she's not climbing back up. What do you wanna do?"

[Vrock_Summoner]

Spoiler: Sen and Ariko

Show

The two of you make your way into the forest, looking for a good place to use the restroom, when you come upon a clearing. Off on the other side, laying against a tree, you can see two bipedal frog-like Digimon with tubas around their necks, one of whom is heavily wounded and the other tending to the first, trembling all the while. You can smell the pungent blood from here. It’s such a quiet and subdued moment, it almost feels surprising when the likely culprit slinks out from the shadows - an orange bipedal cat with gloves. Though it’s at this moment menacing, preparing to make a swift death for the other two, it’s clearly not doing so well either. Its ribs are poking through its shrunken stomach, and its missing ear and various fresh scars tell you that it’s been through the wringer lately too.

This world is horrible.

You feel your Digivices vibrate strongly in your pockets. As you pull them out, you find their screens full of static and can faintly make out a masculine voice coming from the other side.

“In this world... wishes have a miraculous power... Never compromise on your desires... and they shall be made manifest.”

The clouds begin to part overhead as the static fades from your Digivices.

The cat Digimon stalks forward slowly, the healthy frog moving into position to defend its companion.

This world is confusing.

The moonlight pours in, filtering through the leaves overhead into dancing lights, a few of which hit your Digivices’ screens. Your Digivices glow softly in response, and the moonbeams grow stronger and more defined, as from the edge of your perception you begin to hear chanting in some unrecognizable language. The effect reverberates back and forth, with the moonbeams growing brighter and more clearly defined yet never melding into each other, almost as if they’re solid.

Sparkly mist forms in the area above the moonbeams, forming fuzzy shapes that you can recognize if you focus really hard...

Spoiler: Ariko

Show

You see your dad’s shape form within the mist, his arms stretched out welcomingly towards you, as if beckoning you to come to him.

Spoiler: Sen

Show

You see Kazue with her back towards you. She looks over her shoulder to give you a final glance, then starts walking away...

Then liquid begins to drip from these pillars of moonlight, and the Digimon interrupt their scuffle to gape in amazement.

“Holy Dew...!” The uninjured frog nasally exclaims with a tentative step forward, breaking your concentration on the foggy images. “P-please, oh blessed ones... May I use this to heal my friend?”

The cat doesn’t stop to ask permission, running over to a moonbeam and cleaning itself in the dripping liquid. You see it’s wounds melt away as it licks the ‘Holy Dew’ or whatever into them.

This world is full of magic.

[Volthawk]

Ariko's response is met with more confusion from Eiji, the boy still not having a clue what's going on with the girls or why. Once again, he deals with the confusion by just focusing on the next person to speak, Yoshii this time. The wind a little out of his sails by this point, his response is quieter than usual.

"I, uh, yeah. I guess you're right. We should go after them?"

------

Babydmon sighs as the two human girls walk off by themselves yet again. It seemed Ariko was determined to stay close to Aohara, despite her nature, so he just had to keep an eye on things. He starts to leave, going in the direction they headed.

When he finds them, he moves straight over to Ariko, his usual air of indifference holding despite the scene in front of them. "There you are. Are you two done now with your business?"

[fibericon]

Yoshii sighs and walks out, calling loudly to the girls.

"Haven't you seen a horror movie? Don't split up!"

[Elfbird]

Sen is at first irritated at the gross frog-things ruining an otherwise acceptable bathroom, then dumbstruck by the light show and vision in the mist above.

She makes eye contact with Kazue.
When the spectre breaks eye contact, Sen's tears fall as heavily as the holy dew.

"Sis! Sis! KAZUE!

She runs, forgetting her leg, senseless to the pain, thoughtlessly punting aside both the cat and the frog. She leaps, grasping in vain at the hem of Kazue's skirt, and falls to her knees.

"Sister... Sis... Why... Sis..."

As she sprawls there, sobbing and shivering beneath the chill mist, something cracks inside her.

The tears stop.

Her heart stills.

The world inside her mind flashes into photo-negative.

This world is real. This world is fake. It's a game played by nobody and everybody here. I'm gonna win it, or break it, and make it mine. You're here, sis, Kazue... and I will bring you back!

Thoughts of returning home are quickly shoved away into some dark place beyond Sen's consciousness. The Digital World... the Chosen Ones... it's already hers.

She balls her fists and growls to the frog and cat through too-tight teeth and a crooked smile.
"This 'holy dew' is precious to me. It'll save your lives, right? You'll die without it? Then give me those lives I saved."
She gives the cat a predatory look through the corner of her narrowed eyes. It already took. A hand drifts to the boxcutter in her pocket. Who will pay the price she's placed on salvation...?

[Syless]

Ariko stares in awe at the image of her father, broken from her reverie when Sen starts making her threats. "W-what are you doing...? They can have... they can have the few from my... just please don't do anything rash?"

[Vrock_Summoner]

Geckomon waddles towards Kuroshi, its eyes strained and its voice soaked in desperation. “I’ll do anything, just please don’t let my friend die, he’s all I have le-“

Mikemon whirls around in a blur, overtaken by the calm yet palpable bloodlust of a predator spotting a moment of vulnerability in its prey. Within the instant it takes you to realize the orange cat has moved at all, three large claws have burrowed into the tuba frog’s temple, neck (shredding through the tuba to get there), and ribs.

Geckomon hitches over onto its other side, blood dissolving out of its open wounds. It gasps rapidly and paws at the air, trying pitifully to reach the healing dew, its eyes frantic with the desperate struggle to cling to life.

Mikemon breathed in the evaporating blood from its claws while turning back to studying Kuroshi. Then it offers a small, sardonic smile while wiggling the already-clean claws it just impaled Geckomon with. It begins to speak in a sing-song voice underwrote with a constant low purring rumble.

“Fancy yaself a dealsmon? Lemme give ya some advice, kit. Deals require a position of power. Ya can’t offer somefin if ya can’t stop the other party from just takin’ what ya got. And given ya leg wound and pafetic demeanor, I don’t reckon ya can. Of course, I’ll happily reconsider and serve ya...” It grins, its teeth gleaming in the moonlight. “... if I can’t kill ya first. Or, since ya helped me out wif this water, ya gotta one-time offer of walkin’ away and leavin’ me to my meal, an’ I’ll leave ya and ya tasty-lookin’ friendlymons alone. How’s that for a generous deal?”

[Elfbird]

A terrible scowl flashes across Sen's face, followed immediately by the boxcutter flashing out of her pocket in a lunge toward Cheetos-whiskers' eyes. She throws everything into it, using her good leg to launch herself the full distance, with uncharacteristically little thought for defense.

"Arik--Creampuff! Get the frogs healed! Some of our customers promised to creme-brulee pay!"

[Syless]

Ariko freezes up when she sees Sen draw her box cutter and lunge at the cat. She gulps and nods when Sen commands her, then runs over to the frogs, holding her Digivice, trying to get some of the liquid to the wounded one. She looks over her shoulder at Babydramon once she's there. "Please, don't let anything bad happen to Sen!"

[Vrock_Summoner]

Mikemon takes the box cutter to the eye, yowling bloody murder in a way neither cat nor human could manage alone. Kuroshi’s second thrust finds the writhing cat’s shoulder, sending blood and data visibly evaporating into the air.

“Ya crazy... suicidal... god complex... Aaaagh!” It hisses, then uses its good eye to glare at its assailant. “Cat’s Eye!” Its remaining eye develops a purple sheen, then fires a narrow cone of light which hits Kuroshi right in the chest. Kuroshi can immediately feel her body beginning to seize up, spreading from her torso through her limbs and head. She’s not utterly frozen, but every movement is like pushing through rubber - anything swift is out of the question.

Seeing that its effect has worked, a small (though very pained) smile reappears on the cat’s face. Its claws flash out at Sen!... doing minimal damage (1 wound) as it leaves little more than a splotch of blood in Kuroshi’s hand, where she held her Digivice a moment ago! Before she can process what’s happened, Mikemon has followed through with the swipe, using its lateral force to spin itself around and planting a heavy kick (1 wound) on Sen’s chest, landing her flat on her back (though still conscious).

Mikemon’s expression takes on a sweeter quality, though it’s clearly being forced through the pain of the lost eye. “Ah, heh... but even ya life isn’t much of a tradepiece, eh? Tryin’ to steal our freedom in exchange for this special water when we need it most... Mighty exploitative of ya. Clever, too, but, appears I’ve... what’s the phrase?... seized the means of production?” Its glance works over to Ariko and the rest of the team, and it almost does a little curtsy, really lathering on the non-threatening appeal. “Look, maybe ya can be more reasonable? I won’t even kill the kit. This’s more important, right? Ya don’t know these two, and a mon’s gotta eat. I’m willing to forget this little run-in ever happened, hm? Sound fair?”

[Volthawk]

As the situation first develops, Babydmon is happy to sit back and simply let Sen feel the consequences of her actions once again, but Ariko's request spurs him to action - while he may have normally resented such an order (well, 'order' was a stretch, but regardless), Ariko was already becoming an exception, and in any case he wasn't going to discourage her taking action.

Ultimately, however, there was something more important at stake than Sen's safety to him. This...scum had disrespected him, and his human, and Babydmon was nothing if not prideful. To stand down and walk away now was simply unacceptable, and would contradict everything he was trying to teach Ariko. He had to act.

The sensations that followed were unexpected, to say the least. Being taken apart and put together wasn't something he hadn't thought about before, but wouldn't have wanted if someone had brought up the idea to him. But despite all of that, here and now...it felt right. Being stronger and smarter like this. He was closer to what he should be now, rather than what he was before. So this was what he got out of the arrangement with Ariko? Acceptable.

When the light fades, Dracomon takes a second to admire his new form before acting. Sending a blast of flame in the direction of Sen's attacker, Dracomon speaks, ready to protect Sen if need be. "I have a counteroffer. You have a chance to surrender now. I'd suggest you take it."

------

When Eiji arrives on the scene, he doesn't take a lot of time to figure out the situation before acting, charging in with a wild swing at the unknown digimon that appeared to be attacking the others. When the attack is dodged, he continues forwards for a few steps before steadying himself and turning to face the new enemy.

[fibericon]

"...Why are you...?"

Yoshii can't wrap his head around why Eiji would do the fighting himself. People are made to use tools. That's their thing - that's what makes them the top of the food chain. Punching a predatory animal is how you end up on the news.

"Nyaromon, please save my meat-headed friend."

Kokomon, however, has no such confusion. He jumps into the fray right alongside Eiji without hesitation.

[Elfbird]

After a moment of breathlessness, Sen struggles against the paralysis to push herself toward upright. Her heart is racing and head is spinning, but... it's not like she hates the feeling. As she takes in the new situation, the fear for her life fades away - in spite of everything, she has a new gang looking out for her - and she continues grasping for a way to capitalize on this chicken-Florentine of an encounter. Both sides have invested far too much to just walk away now.

"Wa-Wait... You say a... 'mon's gotta eat', right? Listen a... ugh... listen a flapjack moment. You eat the frogs now, you starve or get kebab'd later, 'cause of that... cough... that brand-frappe-new blind spot. You come with us - partners, not servants - an'... an' we eat like mille-feuille kings-- gack-- kings every night, huntin' the hordes of evil together what Lady Deviledeggmon's throwin' at us chosen ones. Or my buddies here tenderize ya into Cheetos au Lorraine, not really my call."

She finishes with a disinterested half-shrug and looks aside, growing increasingly delirious on adrenaline. A small part of her is already criticizing her lax negotiation technique, but she's too out of it to care just now.

---

"Yessssss time to beat up some villnyans! Goferit, Master Yoshii! I'm all ears and holy vengenyance!"

Nyaromon leaps forward along with Kokomon and Eiji. She's not sure whether 'meat-headed friend' meant the one on the ground or the one that one calls Meat-Head, but it'd become clear once the artfully devastating orders started flying.

[fibericon]

Yoshii attempts to take everything in. He hadn't taken this very seriously before. After all, it's all digital. He has a squishy... thing... he was just using alternately as a pillow and as a stuffed animal. But.

But.

He doesn't even like Sen.

She's bleeding.

She won't shut up for five consecutive seconds.

She can barely stand.

She insults everyone around her.

He needs her help if he's ever going to get out of here.

He really wishes he hadn't eaten.

And what does Nyaromon want from him now? Orders? Is it expecting him to call his attacks out like some sort of...

Waves of heat and cold erupt over his skin. He's in way over his head. His ability to take it all in stride isn't crumbling or fading - it's just gone. He's done hunting. This isn't hunting. He turns away and vomits at the sight of the bloody fight, then stumbles and sits on the ground, trying to get his head to stop spinning. His breath hitches in his chest. A failed attempt to not start crying.

Nyaromon is expecting something he doesn't fully understand from him. All he really understands is that it's unreasonable.

"Nya... urk. Nyaromon... attack... whatever that thing is. I don't... I don't know what to do here. I'm sorry."

[Vrock_Summoner]

As Eiji’s fist comes swinging in, Mikemon barely has time to react, contorting its body just enough that the blow only glances off its chest; even from this indirect angle, the attack sends the cat wheeling back, though it quickly regains its footing. Its eyes bulge with shock and horror. “Ack, ya hit like a herd of Monochromon!”

The cat eyes the newly arrived combatants, its own wounds, Sen, and finally the Digivice in its paw in short order, taking stock of the situation. “Surrender, huh? Well, your superior numbers are certainly persuasive, so in that case...” Its eyes drift upwards. “... Bye!”

With a spry leap, Mikemon soars eight meters into the air, latching onto a tree branch with its claws. It looks to every side before finding an adjacent suitable tree to fling itself towards; it is now both eight meters above and away from you, and clearly has no intention of slowing its flight.

[Volthawk]

As Mikemon starts to jump away, Dracomon doesn't move, instead focusing on his aim as he fires one more blast of flame at the fleeing Digimon. Seeing the blast impact causes him to grin, and as Mikemon falls he turns away to look at Ariko (and by extension Sen and any of the others who had ran to them), nodding at her as Mikemon lands and starts to break apart into data.

"It is done."

[Syless]

Ariko stares at what happens- a flurry of violence, ending with the Digimon attempting to retreat, only to be burned, slamming to the ground. By Dracomon. She takes a couple of dazed steps forward, looking at him. "I... didn't mean for things to go that far. It was running... I just didn't want Sen to get hurt. Did you have to do that...?"

---

Moonmon yawns as they hop up to Sen, barely aware of what just happened. "Master Kuroshi! What's going on? I was having the best dream of having legs and... are you okay?"

[Volthawk]

"Yes, I did."

Turning from Ariko, Dracomon walks over to where Mikemon fell, disregarding what's left of the enemy as he picks up the Digivice. He then walks back, offering the Digivice to Ariko.

"If was fleeing without this, then perhaps I may have let its cowardice stand, for your sake. However, he was a thief, having taken something important, and as such he needed to be stopped. Death was not strictly necessary, but it was acceptable. Such is the nature of combat, and you must accept that if we are to achieve our goals here."

[Elfbird]

Images of the encounter repeat through Sen's mind.

The debate. These monsters are cunning and willful.

Her knife in its eye. They're fallible, vulnerable.

The spell, the punch. Her digivice, stolen. She's weak. A child in a mad world.

Meathead. She's not alone. There are people here who will protect her.

Kazue is here. Somewhere, in some form.

The fireball. They're unimaginably powerful, beyond human limits.

It's reduced to nothing. No servant, no ally, not even loot. Nothing. A waste.

The baby is crying. Is she the baby now?

Her chest aches.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... FISHSTIIIIICKS!"

Sen breathes hard while the echoes fade. She flops on her back, spent, staring at the unfamiliar stars. There's so many - way more than you can see from Tokyo. Maybe even from the mountains.

It's cold.

She scoops her blob up onto her chest and squeezes it in her arms. Moonmon.

Such is the nature of combat, and you must accept that if we are to achieve our goals here.

Her goals...

"...Fois gras."

She heaves a sigh against Moonmon and lets her weary mind drift away. To a soft, unfamiliar bedroom where Kazue helped her with her first MMO...

. . .

---

Nyaromon bounces into combat at Yoshii's order, but she's only halfway to the fight when Mikemon vaults away. Another beat and the enemy is on its way to The Village of Beginnings.

The Chosen Children are so cool!

She hears Yoshii cough up a hairball and hops back to him. It's a little hard to understand their body language. Moonmon gets a little more translucent when she's upset, and there was that time when Wizardmon's spell blew up and she leaked all over the mosaic--

"Master Yoshii, Master Yoshii!" She gently flicks her tail over his cheeks in an effort to comfort him, bouncing up to reach each time.
"That was amazing! You saw that Dracomon would finish the enemy in one shot, so we didn't even need to do anything, but you sent me into battle anyway so that I wouldn't feel useless! I love you! You're the best master, Master! So don't be sad that you didn't get to fight! We can do lots more some other time! Nyaaaaaaay!"

Her excitement builds up so much that, without thinking, she bounces into Yoshii's chest and nuzzles all over. Huh, why does he smell like dinner-but-sour? Did he secretly add nomel juice to his because it wasn't strong enough for his tastes? Amaaaaazing!

[Syless]

Ariko takes the digivice from Dracomon, still looking concerned. "There's... no way to disable someone without... without... killing them?" Still holding both digivices, she goes looking for any sign of Mikemon's body. "Maybe I can do something, maybe I can heal them and send them running... can you help me find a body?"

[Volthawk]

Watching Ariko search, Dracomon sighs.

"Was I unclear? It has died, there is nothing to heal. If it was still on the ground when it fled, it may have lived, but gravity is less forgiving than any of us. Perhaps in its next life, it will make better decisions."

----------

Eiji stays a little more quiet than usual, looking where Mikemon fell and thinking it all over. He wasn't exactly one for moral debates, but something still seemed off here, deep down. This was more than he'd ever gotten involved in before, and someone had died. Was this right? Could he do it?

Sen shouting again gets his attention, and in a way answers his confusion. He was fighting seriously now, for proper reasons, and here them fighting stopped Sen getting hurt more. That was enough, even if the stakes were higher than he was used to. He could keep fighting. After all, that's his thing.

While Sen drifts off, Eiji sits down next to her, keeping an eye out and starting to relax again.

[fibericon]

Yoshii reflexively hugs Nyaromon, quietly appreciating perhaps the only good thing about this hellscape they were all trapped in. Once he stops sobbing, a thousand yard stare sets in. As he stares off into the distance, he contemplates their situation.

My outdoor skills don't really work here. They sort of do, but everything has different rules. That's what we need to focus on first - figuring out the new rules. Our... things... can change, and fight. Seems like everything else here is out to get us. Hunting doesn't work the same way. Prey animals don't really exist, and no one fights for food because they don't have to.

This is stupid.

I wanna go home.

---

Kokomon takes up a protective stance in front of Eiji, after bouncing curiously around him for a bit. An odd place to sleep, but sure. The chosen children obviously knew something they didn't.

[Syless]

Ariko looks a little numb as Dracomon speaks. "...nothing? So you... okay. We'll just... I'm sorry." Holding back tears, Ariko goes and tugs lightly at Sen's arm as she lays down. "Sen, we might be able to help your leg, don't go to sleep just yet... we should get back to the cave. It's safer there, especially after... I don't want anyone else getting hurt tonight, okay?" She's still holding the two digivices. "...I don't think I'm going to sleep much. Can I look at this? See if it's any different from mine?"

---

Moonmon had been settling in as Master Kuroshi's pillow. "Master Kuroshi is tough! She can handle anything! ...wait, is she hurt? Ohmygod are you hurt? What can I do!!!"

[Elfbird]

Sen mumbles half into Moonmon. It feels weird on her mouth, halfway between gelatin and cotton candy. It mostly tastes like dirt and grass, sickly-sweet and a little salty. Ew.

"Heal birst, mvve lader. Do bhat du wan'."
Her eyes slide away from Ariko's face. Seeing her on the verge of tears feels... weird. She doesn't like it. Not when she didn't make it that way, anyway. Maybe that'd be fun?
She reaches up - ow, shoulders, all the aching - as if to wipe Ariko's cheek, but at the last second flicks Ariko's nose instead.

She lets her arm fall back on Moonmon and turns her head away with a sigh. This whole night may have been a wasteful mess, but at least they're alive to laugh about it afterward.

Alive...

The vision of Kazue in the mist surfaces in the mind. It'll probably haunt her forever now.

"...Can the frogs move?"

---

Nyaromon nuzzles up to Yoshii as he hugs her. Her excitement still keeps her bouncing, even thus confined, and the motion transfers through Yoshii's body into a gentle rocking.

"Yesssss! Lookit Master Yoshii shed those humanly tears! Meatheadly tears? It's so cool that you even cry for those you've slain! I wanna try too! Ah... Nya... NYAAACHOO! Aww... And you're already deep in thought about how to face your next challenge! Watcha thinkin', huh huh? Wait no don't tell me, it'll be even more awesome if nobody sees it coming! I'll be ready and waiting, Master Yoshii! Wanna get some more sleep, or are ya ready to start trainyan for tomorrow?!"