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"Favorite Minor Character"

Wizardmon wasn't particularly fond of being one of Myotismon's lackeys. On days like this one, he outright hated it. On other days, he was able to write it off as a necessary evil, a sacrifice he had to make to further his own goal, but that was made more difficult when his task involved threatening a village of harmless Tokomon.

"I won't ask again," Gatomon hissed as she held one of the Tokomon by the ear. "Tell be where your food stores are."

Wizardmon sighed, forcing himself to not look away. With Myotismon making progress in so-called "master plan", he had instructed all of his underlings to collect supplies and resources, food included. In typical fashion, stealing from the weak was often the most efficient way to accomplish this.

"I-I can't," the Tokomon replied, almost shaking in fear. "Our village will starve if I tell you."

Gatomon held a claw to his face. "Is that worse than what will happen if you don't?"

She spoke with conviction, but her words were slow, like something was weighing them down. As much as Gatomon tried to pretend otherwise, this wasn't who she was. She took no pleasure in carrying out Myotismon's secondhand cruelties, but would do so anyway because it was what she had been conditioned to do.

Glancing at the rest of the Tokomon, all huddled together and watching the interrogation, Wizardmon realized he would have step in, both for the sake of these Tokomon and for Gatomon.

"P-Please..." Tokomon begged.

"So be it." Gatomon drew her claw back, ready to strike.

"How about a compromise?" Wizardmon announced. A brief pause followed as all eyes turned in his direction.

"What?" Tokomon finally asked, confusion mixing with the fear in his eyes.

"Wizardmon..." Gatomon growled under her breath as he approached.

Wizardmon knelt down to address Tokomon directly. "If you cooperate, we'll only take half of your rations."

"Half?" Tokomon's eyes darted back and forth between his friends and Wizardmon. "I'm not sure how long we could live off that."

"It's more than you'll have if you don't tell us." Wizardmon spoke with sincerity and optimism, hoping it make the village more receptive to the idea. "Even if my friend spares you, do you really want to make an enemy out of Myotismon?"

Another pause followed as Tokomon's eyes dropped to the ground, clearly considering the choices he had. After looking back at the others one last time, Tokomon looked back up at Wizardmon.

"We hid our food in a cave in that direction."

"You've made the right decision," Wizardmon reassured him as he started walking. "Come, Gatomon."

Gatomon hesitated for a brief moment before releasing Tokomon from her grasp. Not more than a second later, she was walking at his side.

"You shouldn't have done that," she said, annoyance but no disappointment in her voice.

Wizardmon shrugged. "I don't see why not. Myotismon won't know the difference between half their food and all of it."

"And what if he does?"

Wizardmon stopped walking, turning to face Gatomon. "Did you want to kill those Tokomon?"

Gatomon averted her gaze from him. "What I want doesn't matter."

"I think it does." Wizardmon tilted his head as she looked back up at him. "You're not a killer, Gatomon."

"I've killed before," Gatomon said, ever so somberly, as she crossed her arms.

"All the more reason stop. Compassion is only a weakness when we have none left to give."

Gatomon gave no immediate reply, though the conflict in her eyes said she was at least considering his words. Eventually, she looked forward again.

"Let's just finish what we came here to do," Gatomon said as she started walking again, to which Wizardmon promptly followed.

Wizardmon often hated being one of Myotismon's lackeys, but it was a sacrifice he made, because one day, he would save his friend's soul.