AN: another short chapter pumped out on my lunch break. :P Consider it an interlude of sorts for what's coming up next!
There was a balcony to the room. Windows leading out. But when Jolie glanced outside of them, she realized they were far too high up for it to mean anything for her. The base was floating, and moving. And besides, she couldn't leave without Lopmon anyways. She couldn't-
"There you are, my little puppet." the voice slid out of the shadows, out of the dark, and wrapped itself around her in her native tongue. She was all too relieved to return to French.
"Is that you?" a dark laugh answered,
"Of course it is."
"He's captured Lopmon. We have to help him! Lopmon is-"
"You are both, precisely where you need to be." she was afraid of that.
"I don't understand."
"You don't need to understand. Just play along for now, puppet. And then, you can go home. A little longer."
"You said that last time."
"And you doubt me? I'm wounded." she felt the long arm reach out of the dark, coiling around her with a familiar ease. She didn't tense. She didn't relax. She stayed as she was with a frown on her lips and furrowed brow.
"He took Lopmon."
"The same way he took you?" she didn't have a response for that.
"It is temporary, my dear. Play the game. Win, and I'll send you home."
"And how am I supposed to know how to win?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be any fun." another chuckle sent a shiver over her spine.
"I'm tired." she sighed.
"You can't afford to be tired. Play the game. You'll know when the time has come." a second hand emerged from the dark, playing with her curls.
"Promise me Lopmon will be alright."
"I promise you." at last she nodded.
"There's a good girl." Piedmon's masked face slid out of the shadows at last, painted lips pressing to her forehead. Then he withdrew again, and was gone. Leaving her with the distant sound of the waves echoing in her ears.
In the morning, she awoke to the sound of the door opening. She had fallen asleep without realizing it, but sat up quickly. It was Wormmon, who gave a bow of a greeting.
"We thought you might want to freshen up after all the...excitement of yesterday. Before breakfast. If you'd follow me?" She stood and fell into place. Wormmon must be his own partner, though it was clear the other boy didn't care for the Digimon the way she did her own. Neither spoke as he lead the way, stopping at a new door not far from her own.
"There's a washroom in here, and a change of clothes." she glanced between the halted Digimon an the door.
"Is Lopmon okay?" the worm winced, glancing down at the ground nervously.
"He's...He'll be alright. I know Ke-Master can...well...he means well. Really. He's a kind boy. At least, the one I knew. He's just...a little lost." One-sided love. It was the worst kind there could be. She let out a sigh and knelt down. Wormmon startled, but she wrapped her arms around the small Digimon, who tensed in surprise for a moment before relaxing.
"Thank you."
"O-oh. It's...nothing." she retracted from the bashful Digimon, and opened the door.
"I'll just...be out here. When you're done. Since you don't know your way around." he nodded, standing suddenly stiffly sentry in place. Inside, she found a bath, what must have been a Japanese style of shower, all the general parts of a washroom needed. And a white dress not unlike the casual one of her own, a sundress with a pink ribbon around the waist band that would tie in the back. Simple, and white ballet flats. How had he guessed her size? She didn't want to know. Instead she rinsed off, only allowing herself tears while the warm water washed over herself, only for a minute. No longer. She crawled into the tinted green bath water, hoping it might do something to ease her mind. It didn't. All she could see was her Lopmon, giant and dark and standing perfectly still back in that chamber. Standing exactly where they had left him. Where she, had left him. She couldn't just sit there. She crawled out and dried off, quickly dressed, looked at her fresh face in the mirror, her wet curls, and took in a deep breath. Forced a smile. The way she had learned to do so long ago. When she exited, Wormmon was right where he said he would be.
"Alright. Breakfast sounds lovely." the Digimon turned and gave another bashful bow, scuttling down the way. When they got to the familiar dinning area, her stomach tightened. She hadn't had any idea, yesterday, when they had arrived. She had been so stupid. But this time she took the empty chair across from him and noticed a Kokuwamon with a dark ring tending the kitchen. It set a plate down in front of her. He didn't say anything, a book open before him. She wasn't actually hungry, but knew she should eat. So forced herself to pick up the utensils and take a bite of the eggs. Lopmon was okay. He had to be. If he wasn't, this boy would have nothing left to hold over her head. That confidence led her to take a bite of toast next, the plane food item easier to swallow. He hadn't even acknowledged her yet. So after a fashion, she spoke first.
"Good morning." she ventured, praying the pleasantry would be well received. He glanced up from the book.
"How did you sleep?" he returned the empty pleasantry. Hardly at all, she had slept.
"Fine." she answered.
"I...may have lost my temper yesterday." he closed the book, and folded his hands, his elbows on the table as they had been the day before. Her heart jumped, a lump in her throat preventing her from answering.
"You must understand," he continued, "I'm only trying to help you."
"Help me?" she managed not to sound insulted with her question. He nodded.
"We have a lot in common," he continued talking, "I only want to help you overcome a few limits." was this supposed to be an apology? She nodded anyways.
"Which limits?" Keep him talking. Ask questions. Give nothing.
"The attachment to something that isn't real, for one."
"So you've said." she said it with a smile instead of a glare, Disney princess simplicity.
"You limit yourself. I have a better idea in mind." she didn't want to hear it, but knew what the words needed to be.
"And what's that?"
"Why would you be a lowly performer in a circus, when you could make the entire Digital World your stage? As Empress?" her stomach threatened to no longer hold down it's contents. But she managed instead to set her utensils down and regard him blandly.
"I doubt I'd play that game very well."
"Oh, on the contrary. You'll do a phenomenal job. Because I'm the one who will teach you how to play." Which is exactly what she was afraid of.
"Aaaaah!" Davis woke with a start, throwing the blankets off and getting a worried look from Demiveemon.
"Another bad dream, Davis?" his worried partner inquired.
"It's that stupid circus! I was back trying to balance on one of those giant balls, but dressed in just my boxers! And Kari and everyone was laughing at me! He sank backwards with a heavy sigh.
"It was only a dream, Davis. I wish I could help with these nightmares you've been having." Demiveemon cuddled in closer.
"Just being able to talk to you helps, buddy." He reassured his partner with a smile and a yawn.
"You're worried about that girl, aren't you Davis?"
"We all should be! Who knows what that creep is up to!"
"But Davis will be the Knight in shining armor!" Demiveemon declared with bold confidence, miming a sword in hand.
"Well...I uh...didn't think of it exactly like that. But I guess if it fits. I'm just so frustrated! Ken should be one of us! He's another Digidestined! I just don't get it. What happened to make him turn his back on that?" Demiveemon went to answer but Davis cut him off,
"Yeah yeah, I know, I'm not the smartest anyways."
"I wasn't gonna say that, Davis! I don't know either. I know, you just want everyone to get along. You've got a good heart. That's what makes you the best partner!" Davis finally cracked a smile. It was true, he wasn't the brightest, wasn't the smartest, but heck if he didn't care a whole lot. His heart was big enough for more than one person, and he'd be dead before he'd give up!
"Alright! Come on! What are we waiting for! Lets go save them! Both of them!" He declared, rising out of bed with a triumphant fist.
"Yeah! Although...maybe once you change out of your pjs...and it's only 3 am right now..."
"Right."