I don't own digimon.
Chapter 68
All the things we already knew
For Maddie von Strauss, this wasn't the answer to the questions they had been seeking. If anything, it was as if someone (probably the maids) had wanted them to find these burial grounds - to mock them for the inability of their predecessors to break free of the stranglehold this town had over them. Each one promising to themselves to be the last Madame, trying their best to make the necessary changes to end this cycle, only for something to happen that prevented them from actually getting out of this profession. But by that point, it's too late to truly speak the subject and they're… stuck in this lie and forced to see this all through to the end. With their death, the circle continues on without an end. Until now at least.
"Kind of a pretentious way to put it. But it works." the thief muttered and walked over to a body. Dressed in a fancy suit and slacks, they look to be the most recent of our dead bodies. A halfling, I can't really tell who they were supposed to be. The face has been ripped off. Quite crudely done too - the result of someone overestimating their abilities with a knife and thinking they were far better than they actually were. The hair also looks to have been harvested. Oh. I guess that answers one not-so-burning question I had. It's likely they did this all while the previous Madame was very much alive. They likely drowned her. Maybe while her own child watched on. Just to drive the point home of the cost of failure or something. From what little we've seen, that sounds like the kind of behavior they would deal in.
"Fuck." Ella muttered and put a hand on Maddie's back. That just made her girlfriend push it away at the last moment. Letting out a sigh, their gaze turned to the ceiling. I definitely shouldn't have said that. Didn't mean to imply something of that magnitude without any real proof of such an a-
"It wouldn't surprise me if I saw it in the past." Maddie whispered, focus shifting back to Ella. Reaching out once, the artificer found her hand met. A squeeze followed. She knows you best, that's for sure. Perhaps that's why she stuck with you and your activities, even before this mess pulled you both in.
"Wait. You knew Ms Ella before the digimon showed up?" Melody inquired and got a look from Ella. Letting out a sigh, what looks to be a golden pin gets dug out. I'm guessing that your time back at the manor has been well spent.
"You could say that." the artificer remarked as she handed the pin to Melody. Looking over the gold hair accessory, it's absolutely skinny and not really interesting. But to someone who's a thief, that's quite a haul. A petty haul, but still a haul of treasure. Even if that does mean that you barged into someone's show while they're showing off whatever new invention they had in the hopes of being an asshole while looting through their personal stuff.
"I'm aware that my actions back then weren't what you call… romantic. But I've gotten better." Maddie countered, the squeeze giving way their arms wrapping around their girlfriend. The embrace lasts a little bit longer, the pair breaking away after a blown kiss on Ella's part. While Maddie accepted the gesture, their attention shifted to the corpses. "Okay 'mom', let's see what you're hiding."
Grabbing hold of the suit, they pull it away. Or at least try too. Part of the suit ripped away, the sleeves sticking with their owner. That doesn't explain why the chest is all mutilated. We have cuts across both breasts and some of the ribs. Kind of overkill here. Anything in the suit?
Maddie slipped their hands into the suit's pockets. Digging about, out came a locket. Silver with some kind of clear stone embedded on the front, looks gaudy for someone grand as a thief. Kind of like reproductions necromancers sometimes use for their shows. Those usually have a lot more work and care put into them. They even put the name of the dead person on it. Makes it pretty awful to sort through and figure out which pieces belong to who when the time comes. I still have to find that stuff here. And no, I don't have a map or any spell that shows me the right way.
"Like, good to know?" Kollmon remarked and waded closer to her partner and Ella. With the water as high as it is, kind of impressive in the partial darkness and the waist-high water of the fountain's underside. "I think I can be of help here."
Maddie let out a deep breath, handing the pendant over to the gale mole digimon. A single strike down the seam followed and our pendant opened up. Inside was a note of all things. Of all the things we've found in these tunnels, this looks new. By new, I mean it doesn't look completely damaged by someone else or the water in here. Nonetheless, Kollmon handed over the paper. Taking the time to smooth it out, Maddie let out a deep breath and stared towards the note. This is it. Who knows what secrets await.
To my beloved child,
If you're reading this, you've finally found the truth of our heritage. I had hoped that I would be able to tell you myself. But it wasn't meant to be. I can only hope that things go better on your end than they did with mine. Let me extend what little pride remains within me over to you.
Maddie looked over to their mother. Taking a deep breath, their hand reached out for the skull. But they pull away at the last second.. Probably the worst preserved part of the body, it looked to be the easiest part to wreck. Not that it would actually help in our investigation.
"That bitch!" the thief screeched and looked down to the ground. What the fuck made her mother think that she ciuld get off scot-free for this mess?! How could there be any pride when everything left to them was an absolute mess. A mess that was the best time for switching to their other part. Not entirely sure how they're going to help here. Looking back to the body, they reach for the skull once more. Picking it up,, hey throw it up into the air. A swing with the whip followed and shattered what remained of the waterlogged bone. Setting the weapon back to their side, Ella's attention was right on them.
"I get that you're both mad and frustrated with how Aldia and Yvette treated you and your family." the artificer announced as she walked over, pulling the thief in for a second hug. This time, Maddie pushed her away. One small problem. Except they came dangerously close to smashing their girlfriend into said wall and knocking her face down into the water.
"Princess!" Bubbles announced and put himself in between the pair. Heading over to Maddie, more tears began to roll down their face - the realization of what they had just done coming through right after they committed the deed. Ella could've been seriously hurt, or worse - drowned because of them. All because she tried to calm both of them down. Now what she was going to think of them? Unlikely that this would bring an end to their relationship, it did not look good. Especially with Bubbles having a front-row seat to the entire thing. Especially after Ella went through the trouble of holding off until later.
"But lashing out against me or any of us won't solve the problem." Ella added and headed back towards their girlfriend. Raising her hand up, she wiped the tears off Maddie's face. "We need to show them that you're not any of them. Is that clear?"
Maddie nodded, their lips meeting that of Ella's. I do hope you realize that's not really the best time to kiss. At all. Bubbles staring in confusion is not helping either of you.
"Princess, alright?" he remarked and took the time to make sure that Hilda and Blance were still in place. Then it's right back to his moms. The embrace now ended, that awkward moment coming to an end. Maybe take that to a more private place next time.
"Yeah, we're both alright." Maddie answered and took a step back. After, their gaze returned to the note.
I'm writing this letter in the hopes that you won't hate me. But after all that you've endured, I don't really blame you for feeling that way. Our servants' methods are on the extreme side of things, the result of generations of us needing to look the part without anyone suspecting something was wrong. Now, perhaps it's best that you no longer were Madame.
Okay. Hold up. If you've found this place, you're probably already aware that you're not Madame. Thanks for the obvious confirmation of this fact. What else are you going to tell us? That you're the result of some experiment by way of a succubus and her elven wife playing cleric? At the rate we're going, your predecessor is insistent on punching all the dead horses in one fell swoop. Anything else here?
While you may not truly be my daughter by blood, I will always love you. Please remember that. Even in the face of everything the world might throw at you. Your path is one that no one else can walk - one of solitary confinement and solo endeavors.
Sincerely,
Madame von Strauss
"M Strauss, I can't help but notice that your mom really thinks you're a moron." Melody remarked and got a shrug from the thief. Grabbing hold of their girlfriend's hand, a deep breath exited their lips. What looks like a squeeze came right after.
"Yeah. I think the same of her." Maddie added, stuffing the note back into their dress. Then we have the pendant. "Bubbles dear, do you want a brooch?"
The little dragon looked over to his mom. Removing a hand off of Phusitmon, he got to tugging at the ankh around his D-Venture. There's no way it'll come off that easy. Not without some kind of resis-
The ankh part of the device fell into the water. The D-Venture still hung around Bubbles's neck, which makes putting the pendant in the place of it rather easy. Does make Bubbles even more of a princess than he already was. Which just leaves the slacks of the deceased Madame. What other secrets possibly await us?
"Hopefully not anything that we already know." Cinemon muttered, getting treated to a pet from Ella. Shame there's so much standing water. Otherwise, you could've given him a belly rub. Or is it a tu- Yes, I'll give you one. Now hold still. If you don't, I won't be able to rub your belly. Or worse, I might rub something you don't want me to rub. Oh. You don't have those parts? Good to know. Does that apply to the more humanoid digimon? Wait. You weren't even aware that humanoid digimon even existed in the first place? Yeah. there's stuff like SquireLilithmon. Which looking back on, implies that there exists a regular Lilithmon. Wonder what they're like. Sorry. I got majorly off-topic there.
"It's alright." Blaze remarked, gaze shifting away from Maddie and over to the way they had come from. Barely, he could make out the sounds of footsteps. We should be the only ones down here. Who else could know that there's something down here in the sewers? "Someone out there?"
A knock. Though, that's probably just someone hitting the wall to tell us they are coming over. Though, someone is going to need to check and see who that is.
"Wouldn't that leave the rest of us in the dark?" Munibmon remarked and got a look from Melody. I'm guessing you have a solution to this problem of ours?
Giving a nod, Melody stepped out of Lumosmon light. Waiting a brief moment, I can make out her eyes dilating. Some kind of vision in the dark. That would've been good to know before heading in here. Oh well.
Melody nodded and headed back down the tunnels. This mystery person can't be that far away.
"Then why would they approach us in the first place?" the mystic remarked, scanning the tunnels for anyone of note. Even with the junk and all the dead bodies, there's something peaceful down here. Maybe that's why Bubbles's mother set up shop here. Protected from the elements, away from people, it's kind of… lonely. Is that how it is on the space ships?
Melody shook her head, gazing back to the group. While the investigation of the slacks continued, they look to be doing quite well. Not really productive, but our expectations were already pretty low to begin with.
"Marulyn?"
Further down the tunnel, the glow of a candle flickers about the area. Within all of that, I can make out the familiar maid dress. Dave, you alright?
A wave, the glint of a knife very clear from here. Guess that answers the question on how the job interview went. Even if that doesn't explain how exactly he found us in the first place.
"Mari Gold told me." Dave announced and took a deep breath. By any chance, do you have the bunny girl costume on you? "Uh… yes. Did Blaze do something that requires a change of clothes?"
Does getting jumped by the clan mother of Aldia count? Because things went very south for Blaze after he left to rendezvous with Maddie, Bubbles and Ella. She found him and took her anger severely out on him.
"How badly?" the maid remarked, joining Melody to head back towards the group. To answer your question, enough that he decided the best course of action was to burn himself in order to close the wound. "Okay. Will he be alright?"
Maybe. Bubbles was able to do a bit of healing before we headed down here. A period of time spent not fighting and instead resting is definitely in order. Whether or not a reprieve of that length can be achieved remains to be seen between the trial and who knows what else.
"I'm going to assume that Mari Gold has her hands in this." Maddie muttered and got a nod from Dave. Letting out a deep breath, every urge to smash something into the wall is thankfully ignored by our thief. Don't need any of that currently. Even as Dave put some between them and him. "Figures. She pretty much has her hands all over this."
Fuck. We probably could've asked her in the first place. Oh well. Find anything in the slacks that we didn't already know in the first place?
"Maybe." Maddie added and opened their hand up. Sitting comfortably in their palm was a key. Far tinier than the kind normally used all throughout Aldia and the Astral Academy, it looks out of place down in the sewers. Perhaps this goes to something in the boarded up areas of the manor? Perhaps an object that's connected to the work Distant Harmony did in creating worlds.
"Or somewhere in the digital world." Balamon suggested and slithered down Blaze's leg. Dave was currently hard at work slipping his master into the bunny girl costume. Ears, stocking and heels included. "Not sure how good a key would be if the lock you put it in is frozen in time."
Fair point. Perhaps it's best that we start heading back. At least before anyone else decides to go snooping down here.
"Agreed." Maddie remarked and made one more look towards their mom's body. Giving it a light kick, their attention shifted to Ella. Letting out a deep breath, mutterings of something echoing out in the artificer's direction. Whatever it was, they got a nod in return. "Blaze, you ready to go?"
Blaze nodded and shifted his position in Dave's arms. After what happened with Yvette, better safe than sorry. Though, that top does make it pretty easy to make out the scars. Especially the spot where you burned yourself. Not counting the leotard, that leaves little in the way of actual clothes to wear. Definitely want to change that once this is over.
"He does have a point, Blaze." Dave added and looked over to Maddie. What looked like a thumbs-up followed. You should be all good to move. Unless there's something else you still need to do down here.
"Nope." Maddie answered, focusing back on Ella. Reaching out, their hand is met by that of the artificer's. A cinch to grab hold and hang onto, even with the wading and climbing sections still ahead of them. Walking (well, carrying in Dave's case) back, silence fell over our heroes. Even with so much to talk about, this mess of a day had drained any interest away from that. No, the focus was on just getting back to the manor for a good night's rest. Tomorrow is the day that'll make or break us. "Yes, that."
Best case scenario, we might be able to talk her down and convince the town to end this whole Madame thing for good. All that hinges on her being willing to listen and agree to our terms. If she isn't, then we might have to kill her. Or incapacitate her. Unless things go majorly south and she tries to kill someone (again), I don't think we'll need to go that far. Hopefully.
"Please don't jinx us like that." Cinemon remarked as he looked towards Ella. Still holding onto Maddie's hand, she was looking a lot better. Even if nothing she had planned to do today actually worked out and instead got thrown out.
"You could say that again." Ella muttered, Bubbles's mom now in view. Do we want to grab the doll castle before passing over?
Bubbles gaze shot over to the miniature building. While I have no way of knowing all the memories held within, but it's still a piece of your home. Shouldn't be that hard to carry.
"Hilda, Blance?" he whispered, digging the two dolls out. Setting them down within one more time, Phusitmon is quick to join them. Even if it's a very tight squeeze for the plush rabbit digimon and leaves little in the way of space for our little dragon to get his hands inside. Even then, the staring within says it all.
"Bubbles?" Phusitmon whispered, finding himself getting pulled back out of the castle. Now in the arms of Bubbles, Hilda and Blance joining right after. Squeezing them tight, the princess dolls are returned to their castle. "Oh. I'm guessing this is their happily ever after?"
The little dragon nodded, turning to his biological mother. After everything that's happened - the dead bodies, the bargain made with this unknown deity, Yvette, I can only imagine the conflict of emotions swirling within him. At such a young age, this is a lot. But he's handling it a lot better than most people I know would.
"Goodbye." he whispered and waved, taking one last look at his two friends. Then it's up and over the piles. Everyone else is right behind, but not before checking for any more signs of people following them for whatever reason. After Dave, I doubt anyone would quite want to try and face us. Unless they were absolutely stupid. Speaking of Dave, did you get the job?
"Yeah. Not sure how long it'll last." the maid remarked, Blaze bouncing about his hands. Looks quite comfortable. "Especially once we expose this."
In retrospect, it probably would've been better to do this before the whole 'going to the digital world' task. Probably would've made getting the knife out of there. Or did they not even notice you walking out?
Dave shook his head. The latter then. Not that either option is a bad thing. Just one more preferred over the other in this situation.
"I took it in my regular clothes." he answered as the exit to the sewers came into view. I'm guessing you headed home, changed clothes and then ran into Mari Gold. Who told you where to find us. Got it. Anything else?
A head shake, Dave's gaze now on Maddie and Ella. Lead the way. We need our strength for the coming battles. Especially with so many things still not quite known.
.
Hugakumi City, Japan; Digital World
Ruth Armour still isn't sure what to make of the large spaceship parked in the middle of her area. The people within never intrude on the feedings of her beloved or any of her duties for the sake of peace and prosperity. But at the same time, they also caused damage to me. But you know. Priorities.
"May I ask why you approach?" she announced, staring down an angelic digimon more than capable of reducing her shell to nothing. Just because you can still activate your precure powers doesn't mean that you'll be able to win this fight. Though, the irony alone is absolutely hilarious.
"I am just curious." their opponent answered and made a glance behind them. While their partner was in the nearby vicinity, this would serve as the perfect opportunity to get a grasp on the magical girls of this world. Late as you are to this party, what sort of demon are you rea-
For the last time, stop munching on the wires. The last thing I need is you getting electrocuted. Is that clear? Good. I'm going to see this to the end. Just need to get the last of the adjustments to Yuujin's body complete. Then I can give you all the head pats and belly rubs you could ever desire. Is that clear? Good.
End of Volume 1
Notes:
You read that right. End of the first volume of Digital Dungeons. Due to the sheer size of this fic, I'm going to need to break the next 60 or so odd chapters into their own fic. That, and it's good breathing room. On top of editing this for more consistency and make things less 'controversial'.
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Next Time: We check in on Rantha and catch DM up on some things.
