03: What's the Deal? Anne's Finally Awake!
A/N: Sorry about the super long wait! For a couple months, I was just struggling with IRL stuff. And then this chapter ended up being way too long. What I've posted is actually just the first half of what I had planned for Chapter 3.
Harsh morning light pours in through the singular window of her cell, getting an annoyed grumbling from the blonde as she pulls the stitched together pillow out from below her head to cover her face. Not that she'd be able to get back to sleep like this, as now her head was resting against the hard, cold stone floor of her cell. The Goblimon may have been kind enough to give her a poorly made pillow and blanket, but not a bed for her to lay upon.
Well, the morning warmth wasn't that bad in actuality. Sasha was just growing more irritable. And rightfully so, it had been a couple days since Ogremon had made good on his threat of starving her. She hadn't eaten in days. And with her temper, everything was becoming an annoyance. And she found herself sleeping more throughout the day, but that could just be because there was nothing to do locked up in her cell, chained by the ankle to a wall.
In any case, she was pretty confident that this wouldn't spiral out of control. No, she wasn't going to back down and beg that dumb brute to start feeding her again. She just knew that he would be the one to break first. He'd feel so bad about even daring to starve her for a couple days that he'd have to bring her something actually edible. After all, even though he cut her off from any sorry excuse for food the Goblimon had served her prior, he still made sure she drank water everyday. So clearly, he wasn't as cruel as he looked. Yeah, all she has to do is wait. He'll be the one begging her to eat for sure!
Still hiding her eyes from the sunlight pouring into her cell, the girl stiffens as she hears the door leading to her cell creak. She assumes its said brute coming in, right on que. "Guilt starting to get to you, Fangface?" She mocks confidently as she sits up, removing the pillow from her face. Only for her smug smirk to vanish as she sees that no one is actually there. The recently repaired wooden door was in fact closed. If it had moved, it would have been to close it. Meaning someone was here and she didn't even notice.
She huffs at this, thinking that Ogremon had come in to check on his prisoner and just left without saying anything. But if that were the case, you'd think she would have heard him. Or smelt him. She then gets to her feet, stomping forward. "What's wrong? Can't look me in the eye!?" She shouts out as she clings to the bars, taunting him in case he was still within earshot. But, with no response, she deflates a bit with a scoff. Eyes rolling, her gaze catching something on the floor just outside of the bars to her cell.
Just outside of the metal bars keeping her contained was a small, paper-wrapped parcel of some sort. Atop the thin, brown paper wrappings was a folded piece of paper, held in place by some string that was wrapped around the paper wrappings to hold the little parcel together.
She raises a skeptical brow before kneeling down, reaching through the bars to snatch up the modestly wrapped package. She then slips her hand back through the bars with the uneven, square parcel in hand. She then scoots away from the bars a bit before inspecting the little square package some more. Starting with the folded paper loosely held in place by some string.
Slipping the paper out from beneath the tied string, setting the little parcel down for a moment as she unfolds the paper. As she suspects, it's some sort of letter. Though raises a skeptical brow as she looks over the writing. It looked like it was written by some lower elementary school kid. The lettering was rather sloppy. Spelling mistakes weren't erased, simply crossed out and written over.
"Dear Sasha" Written with hearts hovering off the tail end of her name.
"I know the boss hasn't been feeding you the last few days. And that it was your fault." To which Sasha rolls her eyes with a scoff.
"But I'm not sure if that's right. I also don't know how long humans can go without eating. We Digimon need to eat often. But maybe humans are different? I don't know."
Huh, so Fangface must think I'm real hungry by now, right? If these things need to eat a lot. He's probably shocked I've lasted so long already.
The blonde thinks to herself, amused at the imagined distress Ogremon must be feeling by now. Starving a young girl like herself. Even a dumb, ugly brute like him had to be feeling bad by now if these Digimon really eat as much as was being implied.
"Anyways. That's why I made you a sandwich! If you need to eat but don't want the boss knowing about it. Then, well, here you go! If you're not hungry, just throw it out the window! I'm sure one of the Goblimon will eat it!"
"One of the Goblimon?" Sasha repeats to herself, as she considers the implication that the author of this letter wasn't one of the goblin-like creatures her jagged toothed captor ordered about. Sure, she hadn't seen much of the tower. But the only creatures she's seen so far were the short, green buggers and their leader. Well, and the shadow in the wall that visited her from time to time.
As she reaches the writer's signature, she puts on a slight, uncomfortable grimace. As the author of the letter had seemingly been unsure how to sign off on the letter, or that they could erase what they had already put down. Several attempts crossed over or scratched out. Starting with "Love, Palmon". "Your Friend, Palmon". And a few others before they finally settled on, "Wishing you the best, Palmon".
Now, she has no idea what a "Palmon" is supposed to be. But going off of what she's seen so far, she imagines the concerned writer as just another ugly and/or creepy monster. Especially since that signoff reminds her of the random texts she'd get from creeps at school who somehow get a hold of her number.
Still, at least this one came with a free meal. She'll have to find some way to write them back. But later. She folds the letter back up before setting it down, then picking up the wrapped sandwich. As she unwraps it, she's sure to look about her surroundings, just to be sure Fangface wasn't secretly watching and this was all some ploy of his. But she soon relaxes, shrugging as she then realizes that he probably wasn't smart enough to try and trick her like that.
So, she happily munches down on the gifted food. Despite being quite the basic lunch. Some kind of sliced meat, lettuce and tomato squished between two slices of white bread. Though, this "Palmon" did take the time to trim the crust off the edges of the bread. Not that bread crust is something Sasha concerns herself with. In fact, the sandwich could have been all crust for all she cared. Things always taste better when you're hungry.
Course, because she is so hungry, the modest lunch doesn't last long. She decides to save the letter, so she can thank this "Palmon" when she can. That, and so she can coerce more food out of them if this hunger strike of hers ends up lasting longer than she originally thought it would. She then crumples up the wrapping paper before tossing it out the window, making sure the evidence wouldn't be there the next time Fangface checks on her.
"Good thing one of the Goblimon will probably eat that wrapper. Otherwise, that'd be littering." Sasha then recoils, backing up against the bars of her cell thanks to the sudden intrusion. Though, this time she doesn't trip over herself. Nervously, she glares back at the shadow in her cell's wall, glowing scarlet eyes fixed on her.
"Not my world, why would I care?" She scoffs out, crossing her arms as she recovers with some sass. "Why are you here? I thought you only came out at night?" Getting an amused chuckle from the demonic shadow.
"I'm a Devimon, a Fallen Angel. Not a vampire. That would be Myotismon's schtick." He muses as Sasha processes the implication that angels, demons and vampires are all very much a reality in this world. Though, perhaps that shouldn't surprise her too much. Since she's already encountered goblins. Still, it makes her wonder just what else was real in this world.
"Heh, this place is like one of Mar-Mar's video games." She chuckles out rather shakily, both amused and a little overwhelmed. A hand raised to her forward as she takes a step back. Though, the minor anxiety attack subsides as she takes in a couple deep breaths. Reminding herself to keep her cool.
"As to why I'm here." The shadowy figure in her wall begins as one of their lanky arms reaches out from the wall, extending towards the girl. Clutched within his clawed hand was a bright scarlet apple. "I thought you might be hungry." The shadow in her wall says before scoffing lightly. "But it seems someone else beat me to the punch." He muses with a snide chuckle. His clawed hand slowly retracting, apple in hand.
Sasha, who had been staring at the bright red, juicy looking apple with drool threatening to drip from the corner of her lips. Immediately swiping the fruit away from the shadowy figure, getting another amused chuckle from the demonic figure. "Was just a sandwich, dude. Besides, not my fault you took your sweet time." She smugly says as steps back towards the cell's bars, leaning against them. "What? You jelly? Girl like me's gotta have her loyal minions."
Which gets yet another chuckle from the creature in her wall. It was starting to get rather annoying, how everything she said seemed to just amuse the demon. "Oh, I'm well aware. You're quite good at making... 'loyal' friends."
This gets an annoyed scoff from the blonde, who was just about to take a bite out of the apple he had brought her. "Yeah? What's that supposed to mean, creep?" She retorts with firm glare at the shadow on her wall.
The devil-like being seems to be just as amused by this as everything else she's said. "Oh, I simply mean that you're good at talking to people. Getting them to see your side of things. You always know just what to say." The smugness just oozing off of his voice. Though, this time, Sasha seems to be in agreement.
"Not my fault I'm such a queen." She says with a confident whisk of her bangs, rather proud of that fact. Till the lanky shadow lets out his villainous cackle. Which gets an annoyed eyeroll from the teen. "Can you be anymore cliché?"
To which the shadow brings a clawed hand towards where his mouth should be, covering it as he tries to stifle his laughter. "Apologies. It's in my nature." He chuckles out before clearing his throat. "But you see what I'm getting at, don't you? How you can free yourself of this barbaric imprisonment?"
Again, she had just brought the apple to her lips only to be interrupted by her unwanted guest. Though, she was less annoyed and more intrigued this time. "I don't know. I mean, I'm good with people. Not sure if I've got any tricks that'll work on goblins. You got any gold on you? Cause they already took everything but my clothes. Well, 'cept my jacket. The green jerks took my jacket." She says that last bit rather bitterly.
"Stop thinking about them as some fantasy monster. And start focusing on what they are." He begins, getting a raised brow from the girl.
"And what's that exactly?"
"Boys. Dumb, brutish, childish boys. Mere rambunctious children." He explains coldly, though there were also hints of contempt in his words. Did he simply look down on the Goblimon? Or was this contempt directed at whatever little operation their leader had boasted about earlier?
In any case, Sasha was more focused on this revelation. Smacking her own forehead with her free hand, groaning in annoyance. "Dude. Why didn't I think of that?" She asks rhetorically before smirking to herself. "I'll be out of this cell the next time a guard walks in." She says confidently, only for Devimon to speak up.
"And then what?" He asks, much to her confusion.
"Uh, I get out of here. Find my friends and find a way back home. Duh?" She explains, puzzled as to why he'd ask this. Only for him to cackle out loud again, the blonde huffing in anger. "What is it now, dude!?" She barks at him, getting a scoff out of the demonic being.
"How do you plan to leave this tower? It's crawling with Goblimon, and Ogremon won't be as easily fooled as his minions. Even if you make it out, where do you intend to go? You know nothing of this world or the dangers it has yet to present to you." He explains condescendingly, which gets the teenage girl gritting her teeth for a moment. But she takes a breath in to calm herself down, as he did have a point.
"Fine. Fair enough. So, what do you suggest, creeper?" She asks while crossing her arms, leaning back against the bars. Her patience really running thin with her unwanted visitor.
"Do what you do best. Make friends. Friends who will follow you to the ends of the earth. Make friends until you're the true ruler of this pathetic tower. Then, with an army of mindless, drooling halfwits obeying your every whim. Surely, you'll be able to face the countless dangers of this world, find your friends and a way back to your world." He explains coldly, a subtle cruelty in his voice.
But, even with the villainous undertones, Sasha can't help but nod. What he says makes sense. "Alright, long con." She begins before smirking confidently. "Heh, these losers will be eating out my hand in no time." She muses, getting the demon in her wall to laugh maniacally once again. Sasha's smirk vanishes as she scoffs at this, rolling her eyes. "Alright, what do you get out of this? I know you're not helping me out of the goodness of your heart, or whatever."
His laughter cuts off, the room growing silent for a moment. "Smart girl." He remarks before letting out a small chuckle. "But that's just one of the many things I admire about you, Sasha." Which gets a chill to run down her body, the bad kind.
"Okay?,,, You have, like, five seconds to make that sound less creepy or I'm screaming." She warns, back to glaring at him with her arms crossed.
Though, Devimon wasn't quite sure why what he had said had raised any alarms. Which was evident in the glowing eyes on her wall. Which is the only reason she waits more than five seconds for him to explain.
"The truth then. Sasha Waybright, I want you-"
"Ew! No! Dude, I'm thirteen!" She barks with a grimace, turning around and grabbing onto her cell's bars, inhaling as she readies to scream her lungs out.
"To be my Tamer!" He barks back, annoyed at her impatience. And still unaware of the reasoning behind her misinterpretation.
Thankfully for him, she decides against letting out that scream. Slowly turning back around to face him. "Tamer?" She parrots, inviting an explanation.
Once again letting out a chuckle as they get back on track, he elaborates. "In the Digital World, there are two kinds of humans. Those that become Digi-Destined. Chained by the tragic chackles of destiny. Limited to a single Digimon partner that destiny provides them. Forced down a singular path. The path of so-called "good". To battle fights that do not concern them. All for the sake of weaklings they don't even know."
"And then, there are the Tamers. Chosen Ones who reject the tyranny of Homeostasis and Yggdrasill. Taking their destinies into their own hands. Fighting not for some black-and-white ideal of good, but for themselves. Free to do as they please. Whether that be to simply find a way back home, or whatever it is their heart's desire. Tamers take on whatever Digimon they want as a partner. Even rejecting the one's provided to them by these programs that play God if they find said Digimon lacking. Or keeping them if they so choose. It matters not. Tamers can partner with as many Digimon as they see fit. Said Digimon benefit as well."
"Under a Tamer's control, Digimon grow stronger and faster than they ever could on their own. Quite the symbiotic relationship, no?" He ends with another chuckle.
It all sounded like video game mumbo jumbo to the blonde, like whenever Marcy tried explaining Pockemon lore but all Sasha cared about was which of the new additions would make for cute plushies to add to her collection. "So... you want me to help you level up? You get stronger, and I get someone to boss around? Like some sort of video game?"
"Precisely! I follow your orders. You make me stronger! A win-win for us both, hmm?" He muses, thinking he was winning her over.
"And, what about this so-called partner I was supposed to get?" She asks with a huff, feeling a little ripped-off now that she knows she was supposed to get a "starter" already.
Looking over to the discarded Digivice on the stone floor, the shadow lets out a mischievous chuckle. "If they have not made their appearance yet. Well, too bad for them. Winners take initiative. But you already knew that."
"Ya know what? I don't like how much sense you've been making." The blonde teen says with a light scoff. Getting a villainous chuckle out of the shadow.
"Like minds think alike. You understand, don't you? There are those who obey, and those who think and act for themselves. You are a young woman of action. You won't let your destiny be decided for you. You take what is yours. You are a leader. The weak follow the strong. Your friends are weak. But you are strong. Your friends need you. Who else will lead them back home? Why should you fight for this world when it's given you nothing? Why fight for anyone but yourself and your friends? That is why you're the only human that could ever be my Tamer."
Sasha knew that this all sounded like some anime villain's cliché speech. But it made perfect sense. Destiny wasn't her style. She decides what to make of herself. Not whatever supernatural forces were at play in this world. With that juicy, scarlet apple still in her hand, she stares down at it, the fruit glistening enough for her to see her own reflection in its blood red skin. "So, we gotta make a blood pact or something?"
With a scoff, the shadow shakes his horned head. "Oh no, nothing that barbaric. However, I'm sure you don't actually trust me yet. After all, trust is something that is earned." Which gets a nod from the blonde. "Then, while you earn the hearts and minds of these simpletons, I'll locate your friends."
This makes the skeptical blonde's eyes brighten up, a genuine smile on her face now. "Wait, really?!" To which Devimon nods.
"Of course! It's the simplest way to assure you of my allegiance. Of course, I may not be able to bring them right to you. But, I'll return with their whereabouts at least. Now, eat up. You'll need the energy. Goblimon are quite the irritation to deal with." He says as his shadow begins to fade from her wall.
With a nod, Sasha goes in for a bite of her fruit. Only to stop before her teeth make contact, moving the apple away from her lips. "Hey, this isn't poisoned or cursed or whatever, right?" She asks in suspicion, as he was a literal demon, after all.
To which the shadow swiftly reaches forward, arm extending out of the wall, slashing at the apple with his claw-like fingers. Cleanly cutting a single wedge of the apple and catching it in the same blink of an eye. Then, for the first time, his head emerges from the wall. Red eyes staring back at her beneath that horned cowl, his exposed skin a bluish grey.
He gives her a fanged smirk as he then brings the apple slice to his dead-looking lips, devouring it quickly before he begins vanishing again, cackling as he disappears. Leaving her just staring at the wall, cut apple in hand. "I guess that's an answer." She huffs out before finally taking a bite for herself, letting out a little moan of delight as she finds it's just as juicy and sweet as it had looked.
"So, what exactly did you want to talk about, Ollie?" The energetic Princess of the Gekomon asks as she hops after Oliver, following him through the halls of the palace. Using her crutches as support as she hops on her good leg. Actually, the leg she had broken a couple days ago was feeling a lot better now. In fact, she could even stand on it now. Most likely because of the medicine they've been giving her to help it heal quicker. Would have been considered a miracle drug back home. But here, in the Digital World, it was probably more akin to the expensive, rare, endgame healing items you'd always think twice about using before the final boss. Or maybe not. After all, it didn't heal her instantly. So, maybe more midgame tier?
Though, even if she could put pressure on her bummed leg now. She still chose to waddle and hop along with her crutches. After all, the Gekomon had made them just for her. Since she's a lot taller than the average Gekomon. And she had broken the first pair they had made for her when taking them for a test drive. But she had the hang of things now! In fact, she was even balancing Gummymon atop her head as she hopped along.
Meanwhile, in front of her, her Gekomon attendant waddled forward. Guiding her down the hall and towards parts of the palace she had yet to see. The walls were stone, rather than wood and paper like the rest of the palace. So they must have been near the foundations of the palace. Several other Gekomon and Otamamon following behind her, making sure to catch her if she were to have yet another accident. He, like many of the Gekomon, has begun experimenting with ways to express themselves as individuals. Aside from adopting names for themselves, the simplest means of doing so was how they presented themselves. Clothing, accessories, some Gekomon even began wearing wigs or applying make up. Though, with mixed results. Moist skin doesn't make for the best canvas. Oliver himself was wearing a white dinner jacket or tuxedo jacket with a light blue shirt beneath. Though, it seemed like he didn't care for any matching pants. As he wasn't wearing any.
He glanced back at her over his shoulder, a bit confused at the change to his name. "W-Wait, I've just gotten used to being Oliver and now you're changing my name again?" He inquires out of confusion, as he had just recently become comfortable with the name she had given him.
The Taiwanese teen scoffs playfully at this, chuckling out. "It's a nickname. Ya know, like, Oliver is your normal name but I'll call you Ollie cause we're friends! Like how my friends call me Mar-Mar!"
To which Oliver tilts his head upwards, staring up at the ceiling as they keep on marching. "I'm not sure if you should consider us your friends, Princess Marcy." She says tentatively.
Which gets a little pout out of the quirky girl. "Ya know, being a princess isn't very fun when you treat me like I'm so high above you all. Like, I'm literally just a teenage girl." She mutters, getting tired of the caste system divide that the Gekomon and Otamamon insisted on upholding.
Then, the green blob resting on her head bends forward, looking at her upside down as he hangs over her. "Well, right now, I'm the one high above everyone." He jokingly says, giving her a little wink as he tries to raise her spirits. Which seems to work, as he gets a lighthearted giggle out of the girl.
"But Marcy, that's just what a princess is." Oliver interjects, getting a groan out of both Marcy and her little green bud.
"Okay, but I never even asked to be your princess! Why do you even need some rando girl to be your princess anyways?!" Without her games or friends, Marcy had grown a little irritable while being stuck in her room most of the time. Gummymon helped but In-Training was only one level above Baby, so he took a lot of naps.
Oliver lets out a light sigh, again feeling rather guilty about imposing their needs on the girl. But they had reached their destination, the bipedal frog taking out some keys from his jacket's pockets as he turned towards a metal door. "I'll explain in here, promise." He says as he unlocks the door, several Gekomon come up to help him open it. As it was rather heavy for the little frog-folks.
With a huffed out, "K" from the girl, Marcy hobbles into the room. It was empty. Well, aside from a single table in the center and a single window letting in daylight. Atop the table was something covered with a cloth. Something about the size of a gaming console or a small hard drive tower. She then turns her head towards the frogs, raising a brow. "Hey, this isn't the part where you reveal that you needed a maiden to sacrifice to your ancient amphibious gods, right?"
To which the Gekomon and Otamamon give her shocked and confused stares. "What?! No!" Several of them say at once before Oliver walks in, walking around her towards the table. Once there, he then lifts the cloth, revealing what was beneath it. Getting a deep, excited gasp out of the nerdy girl.
"IS THAT A FREAKING SEVERED ROBOT HEAD!?" She nearly screams out, hands now clasping either side of her face as she stares at exactly what she had just said. An Iron, flat topped robotic head of some kind. Though, the eyes in its black visor were barely visible without power. Plus, the back of the head seemed to extend quite a bit with two unknown structures sprouting from the top of the back portion of the oddly shaped head, while some sort of antenna was sported on the front part of the head. Though Gummymon stares at the disembodied head as well, his face is much sterner than Marcy's wondrous gaze.
"It's called a Guardromon." Oliver speaks up, his rather serious tone getting the currently on the verge of geeking out girl's attention. "This one is a drone. A Digimon without a DigiCore. That's why it can be taken apart like this. This one in particular is a scout." He explains before giving the machine's head a hard whack, its lifeless eyes glowing bright as it then projects a hologram of the castle.
Marcy was just awestruck, and brimming with curiosity. Ignoring the dire tone in Oliver's voice, as she just can't keep her questions to herself. "Oh! Oh! What's a DigiCore?! Why's the lack of one mean this guy can be taken apart? Is this thing alive or just a machine? Are there other kinds of drones besides scouts?! What's it do-"
"Princess Marcy!" Oliver shouts at her to get her attention, which immediately halts the little, excited bounces Marcy was doing on her good foot. "I'll answer your questions later but you need to listen right now, okay?" He says plainly, getting a dejected and embarrassed smile out of the atypical girl as she looks down at her feet.
"Y-Yeah, sorry. Heh..." Marcy says shakily, not just from the "correction" she just got but also because this was the first time he had yelled at her like this.
The frog in the tux lets out a saddened sigh, feeling worse than he had earlier seeing her like this right after that sudden bout of energy. 'Ugh, I'd make a terrible parent.' He thinks to himself before shaking those thoughts out of his head to focus on what he was supposed to be telling her.
"This scout was found and dismantled by one of the residents of Loop Swamp. The swamp this palace presides over. A MoriShellmon, I believe." He then pauses as he sees the curiosity once again sparked in Marcy's eyes, though she tries to hold it back. Letting out another sigh, he humors her. "MoriShellmon is an inland, swamp variation on the coastal Shellmon species." He explains with a little smirk as Gummymon hands her journal over to the girl, as he had somehow taken it while she wasn't looking again. Though, she doesn't seem to mind, as she just takes it and starts taking notes. Oliver even swipes at the holo-projection, bringing up the image of the mossy mollusk with hands as it prepares to crush the drone, a POV of its demise.
"Anyway, before this scout was destroyed, it seemed to be looking for structural weaknesses in the palace and its foundation." He explains, flipping through various images taken by the Guardromon-drone. "As such, it's very likely that our neighbours, the Machine-Chessmon Empire are planning to attack the castle and take our lands."
Letting out another excited gasp, Marcy's curiosity is clearly piqued. But she manages to restrain herself from rambling, raising the hand currently holding her pencil, like she was back in class. Oliver chuckles a bit before giving her the go ahead. "But just one at a time, Princess Marcy."
The girl, once again, hops energetically on her good foot. Gummymon wobbling quite a bit from his perch atop her head. "What's the Machine-Chessmon Empire? Why do they want the swamp? If they've been your neighbors for a while now, are they looking to invade?" She then stops herself, realizing that she was starting to ramble again. With a small, embarrassed chuckle, she offers Oliver an apologetic smile.
Though, as she hadn't just gone off the rails with her questions, he doesn't seem to mind. Shrugging his shoulders, arms raised slightly. "Well, it used to be just the Chessmon Empire. But it ended up uniting all machine-type Digimon under one banner, becoming the Machine-Chessmon Empire." He begins with her first question, the curious girl studiously taking notes.
"I don't know why they want the swamp. But they were always pretty militaristic. It's just that, well, now they don't have a reason to respect us or think twice about invading. Not without ShogunGekomon."
"Ah, okay! So, you need a Princess cause your actual leader's out of the picture!" Marcy concludes excitedly, interrupting the tuxedo clad frog. "I can totally negotiate on your behalf! So, when do we leave?" Jumping the gun, standing tall and proud. Well, as much as she can while relying on the crutches.
"You should probably let him finish, Marcy." Gummymon says from his perch atop her head, once again bending forward to meet her gaze.
"Princess Marcy. I'm sorry, but I don't think QueenChessmon is going to take you seriously enough to negotiate... I'm not even sure she'd even agree to meet you." Oliver says after facepalming with his webbed hand. To which Marcy pouts a bit, rather enchanted with the idea of going to another kingdom to negotiate peace. Though, probably because her RPGs made such a task seem pretty simple.
"Aw, why not?" She whines out while also taking note that QueenChessmon seemed to be in charge of the machines rather than, say, a KingChessmon.
"QueenChessmon only respects power. And, well, as a human. You're kinda weak." He explains delicately, as he knows some Digimon would take great offense to this.
Though, Marcy only feigns offense. Giving an exaggerated gasp before shrugging her shoulders. "Okay, fair enough. So, what's this all got to do with making me a princess?" Naturally, still a bit confused about her role in all of this.
Letting out another sigh, Oliver gives the back of his head a scratch. "Well, I was gonna get to that." To which Marcy chuckles meekly, Gummymon patting the top of her head with his little appendages. "ShogunGekomon isn't really gone. He's currently on the main stage. Problem is, he's been there for years now. In a deep sleep." Oliver begins explaining, Marcy raising a brow as she opens her mouth to ask why they haven't just woken him up. But Gummymon gently reminds her that Oliver wasn't done talking. So, she holds her question back.
"Ya see. Long ago. ShogunGekomon was renowned across this continent as not just the strongest of the Gekomon. But also, as the King of Late-night Karaoke." Oliver continues on as Marcy tries to hold back her laughter. The way the Gekomon and Otamamon talk about their leader, she had expected something more akin to your typical Edo Period warlord, not a karaoke enthusiast.
"C-Continue, continue!" She manages to say without outright laughing, gesturing with her hand for Oliver to go on. As he seemed to be confused as to why Marcy was laughing.
"A-Anyways, our master is a very proud frog. And nothing was a greater source of his pride than his vocal prowess. But one night, we had a very special guest in the castle. A princess, according to our records. This was before my time, but according to the records, she was the cutest thing. ShogunGekomon was just smitten. So, he tried to impress her with his karaoke skills."
"Oh no". Marcy thought to herself, already wincing as she can already imagine how badly this went, if their ruler had been comatose ever since.
"But, despite the princess' adorable exterior, she had a cruelty in her heart. Openly mocking our Lord after his attempts to impress her, not only insulting his singing abilities but also his musical tastes. His pride now hurt, he stopped trying to impress her and decided to challenge her to a karaoke battle."
"But alas, her voice matched her looks. Not only that, but she was quite the performer while singing. Needless to say, it was a devastating loss for our Lord. Heartbroken, pride shattered, our Lord fell into a deep, depressive sleep from which he has yet to awaken."
After giving his rundown of events, he then outstretches his webbed hand to gesture over to the crutch equipped princess. "That's where you come in, Princess Marcy."
Though before her can explain further, Marcy raises an interjectory finger as she halts her note taking, slight grimace on her face. "This isn't a frog prince scenario, is it?" She questions, Oliver tilting his head in confusion as Gummymon bursts out laughing.
"Erm... No? According to our writings, only a girl as equally adorable and talented as the princess of legend can awaken ShogunGekomon from his slumber." The tux-clad frog explains as Macy crosses her arms, journal and pencil back in Gummymon's little "hands".
"Oh, so was this whole 'Princess' thing just a way to butter me up, hmm?" She questions accusingly, Oliver shaking his hands and head defensively.
"Oh no!" He exclaims hurriedly before pausing for a few moments, posture deflating as he slouches over a bit, hand raised to the back of his head. "Okay... A little." He reluctantly admits, the other Gekomon and Otamamon still standing at the doorway, looking at each other guiltily. "Partially, we thought making you our princess would help you fill the role. But, I'll admit, we also thought it'd make you more willing to help us." He continues before suddenly dropping to his knees and crawling over to Marcy's feet. "I take full responsibility for the deception! If your anger demands retribution, please see fit to punish only me!" He pleas out before their Princess and the crowd of amphibians behind them.
Marcy just chuckles though, shaking her head. "Come on, Ollie. I was just joking. I mean, I would have helped if you guys had just asked for it on day one." She says with a smile, Oliver looking up at her in bewilderment and adoration.
"R-Really!?" He exclaims, only to get a nod from the Taiwanese teen and a shrug.
"Uh, yeah. It's the least I could do. I mean, even if you guys had your own reasons to do so. You did still take me in, feed me, clothe me. So, gotta pay you back somehow, right?" She says before muttering to herself about how Anne or Sasha would have been better picks than her. As, in her words, they were prettier and better singers than her. As she only ever did backup.
Though, Oliver sort of stopped listening. Filled with gratitude and adoration towards their Princess. "Thank you, Princess Marcy!" He nearly cries out as he suddenly gets up onto his feet, spindly arms around one of her legs, hugging tightly.
With a soft chuckle, Marcy reaches down with one of her hands, letting one of her crutches fall as she rests a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Ollie. It's nothing." She insists before more tearful cries of gratitude come from the doorway behind her. "Uh oh..." Is all she can get out before being swarmed by teary eyed, grateful frogs and pollywogs. Marcy finds herself overwhelmed by the biggest group hug of her life. Gummymon just giggles as he falls from his perch to join in.
Marcy raises one of her hands to the ceiling, as though in one of those scenes in a zombie movie where a character gets torn apart by the horde of undead. "T-Too much positive feedback and physical contact! Help!"
Anne's eyelids groggily flutter open, wincing as sunlight pouring in from one of the windows hits her face. Her vision was still blurry as her pupils adjusted to the light. Naturally, since this isn't her bed, she assumes she is waking up at one of her friends' places. As she can't make out the unfamiliar ceiling just yet. Her hands moving up to wipe at her crusty feeling eyes. "Ugh, you girls wouldn't believe the dream I just had. Talk about cra-" She begins with a chuckle before being interrupted by a coughing fit, sitting up a bit as she brings a hand over her mouth. Her mouth and throat were a lot dryer than she thought they were. Each convulsion felt like rubbing two sheets of sandpaper together.
She then hears voices coming from the outside, just behind the door to this room. She was too busy with the coughing fit to try and piece together what was being said. Or to scrutinize her surroundings. Otherwise, she'd know this wasn't Sasha or Marcy's room. It was too old fashioned and barebones. Like the kind of guest room you'd expect to see at your grandparents. Then the door swings open, seemingly on its own as the beings that just entered the room were too short for her field of view atop the bed.
"How do we get up there with the water?" One voice says as something scuddles along the floor. It was soft, though also boyish.
"Maybe we stack? You got the water, so just climb on my back!" This one was more nasally, higher pitched, and a bit abrasive.
Her coughing fit starting to die down, now wheezing dryly, the messy haired teen tries to crawl over to the side of the bed the noises were coming from. That is, until she hears the shattering of glass and recoils back.
"Look what you did, bruh!" The nasally voice harshly accuses.
"Me? You weren't being steady! You know I don't have any real digits!" The other shouts back.
"How'd you even pour the glass then!?"
"Very carefully!"
"Yeah!? Well, maybe you should leave that kind of thing to the 'mons with fingers! Like, what are you gonna do with those nubs!?" Then there was a gasp, most likely the boyish one.
"You don't even have fingers! They're just dexterous toes!"
"Still better than useless nubs!"
"They're not useless!"
Then there was a thump, as though one of the small beings had just rammed into the other. Things were getting a bit heated. Anne then crawls back towards the side of the bed, finally getting a look at her two visitors. Both were the size of small dogs and... looked like some kind of frog...
She can't help but wince in discomfort, shuttering as she watches the two amphibians wrestle. For whatever reason, she really didn't like frogs. She didn't hate them, like, she wouldn't purposefully kill a frog or anything like that. They just made her skin crawl and stomach churn.
"OW!" The yellow frog with orange fur-like fuzz on their back cries out as their rough housing leads to them stepping in some of the broken glass with one of their webbed feet. Which shakes Anne out of her disgusted state of mind, and the other Amphibian from their angered and excitable state as well.
"S-Sera! You okay?!" The green frog-thing asks, waddling forward carefully with its single digit limbs. The orange sail atop their head... body?... It was a head with legs. The orange sail atop its head deflated as the red eyed frog worried for their sibling.
Though it was obvious that this "Sera" was on the verge of tearing up, they just held up one of their webbed hands, trying to wave it off as they looked away. "I-It's nothing, Finn. No biggie!" They insist before swatting at their sibling to keep em away.
"Uh, maybe you two shouldn't be doing the whole "sibling wrestling" thing near broken glass? Just a thought." Anne says with an awkward chuckle while shrugging her shoulders, unsure about whether or not she should be intervening as she peeks over the side of the bed to look down at the two. Her voice still quite hoarse.
The two stop and stare back up at her for a moment. They seemed unsure about what to do next. That is until the green one with the sail jumps up into the air suddenly, intently staring at Anne before shouting "Water Shot!" A stream of firing out of its maw and right into the Thai girl's face. Anne screams in confusion, though once her mouth is opened, it's mostly gurgling sounds at that point. The force pushed her back, making her roll off the opposite side of the bed. Legs raised, hanging over the side of the bed as she lays on her head and upper back upon the carpeted floor, coughing up the water.
"Bro, why'd you do that?" Sera asks, shocked that their brother had just attacked their recovering guest.
The Betamon turns to their sibling with an anxious smile, one of their single digit nubs moving up to scratch the side of their face. "W-We were supposed to give her water, right sis?" Which makes the Gizamon laugh out loud, even as they wince from the cut on their foot.
"What in the name of all that is digital is going on up here!?" Another voice calls out as something rapidly approaches the open door from downstairs, the two amphibians audibly gulping.
"Baba's coming!" They exclaim in unison, while Anne recovers from nearly being drowned. And sure enough, the small, witch-like old womon charges into the bedroom, broom first. From the doorway, she surveys the state of the guestroom. Sera and Finn huddled together, shattered glass far too close for comfort. And their patient, the human girl in a puddle of water, splayed over the edge of the bed and onto the floor. Gagging in a disgusted manner as she sputters out water from her maw, even going as far as to stick her tongue out and wipe it with her hands.
"Good grief. You two can't even deliver a glass of water, huh?" The old womon says calmly, more disappointed than anything. Which, as many children would agree, feels far worse than just being yelled at.
"Sorry Baba..."
After tending to Sera's little injury, helping Anne get cleaned up, cleaning the guest room and scolding the two amphibians for causing so much trouble. Baba sits the girl down and explains everything. Her strong reaction to the Creeper Ivy, how Renamon had rushed her and Vee to the village for treatment, and how the treatment had taken longer than expected.
"TWO DAYS!? I was out for two whole days!?" Anne exclaims in disbelief, eyes wide with utter shock. One hand raising to her temple, head tilted downwards, towards the plate of food the witch-like Digimon had prepared for her. Head resting against her palm as she just stares down at the fried rice and what looked like chicken drumsticks. Just processing the idea of losing two whole days in what felt like an instant.
Sitting further down the well carved table, Finn and Sera happily munching away at their own food. Baba had brought them all downstairs, both to sit down for a chat and to feed the formerly unconscious teen. Of course, Baba's young charges didn't want to be left out of the meal. Even in the Digital World, growing kids needed to eat. Baba herself was sitting across from the messy haired girl, sipping on her Iced Tea.
The dorsal finned amphibian then speaks up, rice spraying out the sides of his maw. "Actually, it's probably closer to three days since you woke up around 2 pm." He says nonchalantly before getting a firm whack from Baba's hovering broomstick, the amphibian letting out a yelp as they bite their tongue thanks to the smack. Sera laughing at her poor brother before getting a whack from the same broom.
Anne stares blankly at her plate for a moment, before her hunger pains shift her focus away from the time she's lost, taking a spoonful of rise into her mouth. "That's crazy... So, where's Vee?" She asks with food in her mouth, forgetting table manners in favor of asking questions without interrupting her food intake. It had been nearly three days since she last ate something.
"Shoo! Scram! The meat's not even ripe yet!" Veemon shouts as he emerges from the corn-like stalks, walking up on a pack of Dobermon currently huddled around something they had dug up, already tearing into it. It was supposed to be a roasted chicken, or turkey maybe? But right now, it was quite under cooked and anemic looking. Like Veemon had said, it wasn't ready yet.
The dog-like Digimon didn't care though, growling and barking at the blue dragonling as they took defensive stances. Attempting to intimidate Vee so he'll back off and let them eat. However, the punch-happy dragonling adamantly raises his fists.
"Last chance, before I clobber your butts! Scram!" He shouts back at the growling demon hounds, pounding his blue fists together like some boxer. That is, until one of the Dobermon suddenly shoots out a red beam from its eyes. The red light streaking past Vee's head burning a row of meat-crop stalks to a blackened crisp.
For a moment, he stares at the aftermath, thinking about how angry the "old-mon" will be when he sees this. Then he turns his gaze head back at the canine-like creatures, taking a step back while gasping in anxiety as he sees the whole group of Dobermon had a red glow building up within their eyes.
He turns and retreats into the meat-cornfield, yelling as he runs for it, ducking his head as beam after red beam flies past him and scorches the crops around him. "Jiji! I need some help here! Old man!? Hello!?"
"Wait, so you guys can just grow meat? Like veggies?" Anne asks in disbelief, looking down to the half-eaten drumstick in her hand. "It tastes so real..." She says while staring at her food, seemingly stunned. Babamon shaking her head as this is all that she seems to take from her explanation.
"Well, yeah! Course it tastes real. It is real! Where else do you get meat from?" The green froglet asks naively, happily munching away at his food before Anne leans over, raising a hand to form half a cone around her lips as she whispers into his ear-hole. She then pulls back as Betamon's mouth hangs open, something akin to trauma in his red eyes as he blankly stares forward. Anne winces a bit as his prolonged silence makes her regret telling him where humans get their meat from.
"Um, Finn? Sweetie?" Baba calls worriedly, waving her hand as she tries to break that blank stare. All the while, Sera's greedily gobbling down her own food, bone and all.
The young Betamon then pushes his plate away with his nubs, slowly letting the food in his agape maw fall back onto his plate. "I'm not hungry anymore..." He mutters out emotionlessly before hopping off of his chair and waddling towards the stairs. "I'm gonna take a nap."
His sister scoffs as he hops his way up the stairs, before grabbing his plate with her webbed hands and pouring his food onto her own plate. "More for me, loser, hah!" She chuckles out, while Anne watches his short, underdeveloped tail disappear at the top of the stairs, sucking in through her teeth.
"Yeah, I should have kept that to myself." She mutters to herself regretfully, getting an amused cackle from the witch-like healer.
"Oh, don't you worry about it! Finn'll forget all about it by tomorrow!" She waves off with some laughter. "I think..."
Which gets a somewhat anxious chuckle from the Thai teen before she gets back to eating. "So, Vee is working off my debt for the treatment, right? How much does he still owe?" Not that she had much on her, but it'd be good to know just how long they might have to stay there in order to pay their debt. After all, she does still need to find her friends. And then, find a way back home.
"Oh! About that!"
Back to the evening of Anne's arrival to elderly couple's home, just after Veemon had boldly agreed to working off the unknown cost of Anne's treatment. Vee standing proudly, thinking about how Anne would totally have been impressed if she were awake. Jiji and Baba just staring at him as he seems to be spacing out a bit, quite pleased with himself.
"I have to admit, that was rather admirable." The vixen-like Digimon then speaks up, Vee snapping back to reality to stare at the taller Rookie. "But that won't be necessary."
Getting a collective "huh?" from the three other mon currently gathered around the girl lying unconscious on Baba's couch.
The fox-like Digimon stares down at Veemon with their crystal blue eyes, arms crossed under their chest fluff, smirking a bit as the Veemon just stares back at the shinobi. "I'm sure the mayor will happily cover the fees. After all, it's not everyday that Meta-Leaf Village is visited by one of the Chosen Children." Renamon says with a small smile, contrasting their normally icy demeanor.
Vee then suddenly clasps both of his hands over one of Renamon's three-fingered paws, shaking their hand energetically. All while repeatedly saying "Thankie", clearly relieved to hear that he won't have to go through with his commitment. Not that he was all talk, or anything. He was fully prepared to work off the debt for Anne's sake. But this outcome was very much preferable.
Renamon rolls their crystal blue eyes in annoyance as the dragonling keeps on yanking their arm up and down. The old mon chuckling at the sight while his wife turns their attention back to the sick child.
"Wait, then why's Vee working the... "meat" fields then?" The messy haired girl says, cringing a bit as she imagines the visceral horror of what these meat crops would actually look like. Unaware that they actually looked about as mundane as ordinary crops. The only real difference was that, instead of corn at the end of each stalk, it was a chicken wing or short rib.
Baba chuckles softly at this, telekinetically collecting the dirty dishes the teenage girl and the Gizamon had left on the table. Plates, cups and utensils floating away from their spots in front of the two and hovering over one corner of the table, stacking neatly. "He's helping my neanderthal of a hubby to cover your room and board. A Digimon should have recovered from such an allergy attack on the same day. You were unconscious for nearly three." She explains as she gets up from her seat, dishes hover over her shoulder as she uses her broom as a walking stick, turning towards the sink.
Anne chuckles a bit to herself as Babamon explains this, hand raised to the back of her head as she gets up from her own seat. "Yeah, that makes sense." She muses. "But, hey! I'm all better now. So, Vee doesn't have to do the whole meat farmer thing anymore, right? Ya see, I kinda hafta split. Gotta look for my friends. They probably got sucked into this world too. So, gotta find them and then find a way home." She begins with a friendly smile as she tries to explain the situation, though her face grows more worried as she goes on.
Following the old wo-mon to the sink as she begins telekinetically cleaning their dishes. "Course, I only assume that they're in this world too. Cause I saw them when we were tumbling through some space-time vortex thing... If they aren't here, then I'll probably never see them again. But even if they are in this world, I have no idea how big your world is. So, it could be the same thing either way." She rambles on, dire concern in her eyes as she raises a hand to the top of her head, grasping at her messy hair as she goes on.
"If that's the case, then I basically got my friends lost for the rest of their lives in some other dimension. Cause I'm the one who opened that crumby box! Sure, they kinda insisted that I do it. But ultimately, I opened! And now, we could all di- Wow, I'm lightheaded." She finally finishes her worried rambling, only to suddenly get dizzy from saying so much in a single breath. She did spend three days in bed, after all. She would have fallen over, right on top of Sera as she had been waddling after Baba as well. If the crone-like Digimon hadn't caught her with her magic, they may have had a bit of a mess on their hands.
Baba turns towards Anne worriedly, leaning against her broom a bit more. "Hmm, maybe we should get you back to bed?" She suggests in concern for her patient, before Anne adamantly shakes her head.
"N-No! I'm fine, really." She insists as she forces herself back on her own two feet. Propping herself up straight by pushing against a well with one hand. Crossing her lanky legs to make her stance look more casual. A dubious smile on her face.
Baba and Sera aren't very convinced though, the furry little frog-like creature rolling their eyes before hopping out of Anne's way, just in case she loses her strength again. "Might I suggest a nap? If you insist on being out of bed. I'd feel better if you took, say, a power nap, at least." The elderly looking womon suggests as she gets back to telekinetically cleaning dishes.
Anne scoffs in frustration, now leaning back against the wall with her arms crossed. Unwittingly pouting like a child, which she technically still was. Even if she was "officially" a teenager now. "I spend three days in bed. I wanna stretch my legs and do something!" She whines under her breath.
Sera turns back to her, scoffing as well. "Gurl, it's not like you were awake the whole time! Three days went by like that for ya!" She chuckles out while trying to snap her webbed fingers, though no sound is produced. Even as the furry frog tries repeatedly to snap her fingers, glaring down at her webbed "hands", growling in irritation.
Stretching her arms out forwards, palms open. "Exactly!" She exclaims with emphasis. Getting a raised brow from the yellow and orange frog. Letting out a sigh, Anne relaxes her arms, letting them rest at her sides. "It was my birthday, alright? I turn thirteen, finally in my teens! And not only do I get myself trapped in another world, my friends possibly stuck elsewhere, miss out on celebrating with my parents but I also got stung by some weird killer plant, knocking me out for three days! That's three days of my first year of teenager-dom that I won't be getting back. Last thing I wanna do is nap!" She exclaims with her arms raised high.
Then her face scrunches up a bit, nose twitching as she sniffs the air. She then lets out a disgusted, exaggerated gag, lowering her arms suddenly. With a slight shutter she says, "First thing I should do is take a shower though."
After some time, Anne heads back downstairs, fresh out of the shower. In her hands, she holds her dirty school uniform and the odd, blue device that she had found tangled in her hair. She was wearing the spare uniform she kept in her backpack. Accidents happen, especially when there was a chance you could run into a certain red head around every corner. So, keeping a spare was just convenient.
As she walks down the steps, she wonders if she should ask Baba if she'd be willing to wash em for her. Though, it would probably be best to just ask where the washer is. As she descends the stairs, she hears voices conversing. One of the voices, she doesn't recognize. Another being vaguely familiar. She stops to listen, just in case this was one of those movie situations where she shouldn't have trusted the cozy atmosphere so much. "So, she's awake? That's great! That means we can finally go ahead with our plans!" The unknown voice says, it was very soft and cutesy.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea. She still needs her rest. I think it'd be best to postpone the party till she's got her strength back." The more familiar voice of Baba says, not that Anne cared now. Once she heard that one word, she forgot all about listening in, just in case. Instead, the girl instantly rounds the corner.
"Someone say party?" She says excitedly before gasping, eyes the size of dinner plates as she sees one of the guests Baba was talking to at the front door. One was a tall, yellow furred, bipedal fox. For whatever reason, they seemed vaguely familiar. But that wasn't the person Anne was awestruck to see. No, that would be the short, orange and white furred feline standing next to them.
"KITTY!" Anne exclaims overexcitedly, dropping her dirty clothes and the strange device in her hands, letting them tumble to the wooden floor below before rushing over towards the green-eyed cat-like creature.
The poor little kitten-like Digimon lets out a confused "mew?" as the lanky teen charges towards them. Though, the Renamon beside them is having none of that. Before Anne can lay a single overly eager hand on the feline, she's knocked back by a hard kick to the stomach. Causing the teen to fall back onto the wooden floor, right into the small pile of discarded dirty clothes she had left there.
Renamon reels in their leg back beneath them, before suddenly getting whacked in the face by Baba. Not with her magic this time. No, this time she was swinging the broom herself, smacking Renamon again and again. "What's wrong with you?! That girl's still recovering! You could have killed her!" The older womon yells as she assaults the Rookie vixen.
Raising their white paws to lessen the blows of Baba's broom, Renamon explains themselves. "She was charging at the mayor! I'm the mayor's bodyguard! It was a reflex! Baba, I'm sorry!" They plea as the little fluffy, orange cat-like creature walks over to the collapsed girl. The kitten then leans in to check if the girl was breathing, smiling to themselves as they confirm that the girl's just fine. Only to then let out a sharp "Mreow!" as Anne suddenly traps them in her arms, nuzzling into their fluff as she hugs them tightly.
"Aw, hello kitty! What's your name?" She says with her voice pitched more towards "baby talk". Baba and Renamon stop their little tussle, staring at Anne as she forcibly cuddles with their mayor.
"I-I'm called Meicoomon... But everyone just calls me the mayor these days..." The sweet little voice answers meekly. Causing Anne's eyes to widen again as she stares at the orange and white cat she had pulled into her arms. Said cat now sheepishly looking away, poking two of her little digits together. "Um... I'm pretty cuddly, but I don't really know you... C-Can you stop, please?"
Anne then lets out an uneasy chuckle, slowly letting go of talking feline. "Heh, my bad. Didn't realize you could talk." She says apologetically. Though, considering frogs, bugs and dragons talk here. She really should have saw that coming.
Course, if this had been a different, more sassy cat-like Digimon, Anne's face would have been on the receiving end of some serious claws.
Meicoomon smiles softly as she's let go of, patting the mop-top girl's head gently with one of her paws. During the fall, that strange blue device had found its way back into the girl's messy hair. Once again tangled in her hair. "No worries." The cat-like creature mews out warmly. Anne visibly restraining the urge to pull the "kitty" back into her arms. "Oh, and sorry about my assistant. He's very protective."
This causes Anne to sit up dramatically, staring wide eyed at the furry shinobi that had just gotten a broom whacking from Baba. "The fox is a boy!?" Meicoomon "mrows" as she jumps back a bit at the sudden motion.
To which Renamon gives a mildly annoyed glare, crossing their arms underneath their chest fluff. "Does this trouble you, human?" He asks firmly, deepening his normally feminine voice consciously. "Most Digimon look very similar to others of their own species, voices are also nearly identical. My species just happens to be very... feminine."
Anne then raises her hands defensively, offering an apologetic smile. "Nah, dude. Just surprised me, that's all. But, uh, honestly? Gonna make me a little more self conscious now that I've seen that even a boy has foxier legs than me." She chuckles out that last bit nervously, hoping the joke would land. Adding "get it?" a couple times afterwards. After all, you wouldn't want to make someone that looks like they could cave your head in with a kick mad at you.
Renamon keeps staring at her coldly for a bit, before finally letting out a soft chuckle. "Well, you human children tend to grow. So don't worry about your appearance too much. It's still changing."
After getting some genuine laughter out of the lanky teen, Anne then asks "So, about that party?" To which Meicoomon's green eyes sparkle, smiling up at the human girl still sitting upright on the floor.
"Oh! Yes! As Mayor, I wanted to welcome you to Meta Leaf Village by hosting a town get-together. M-More of a banquet than a true party, but I wanted to do something in honor of your arrival!" She explains softly, looking down at the floor a bit as she explains that it probably wasn't the kind of party the girl was expecting.
"Will there be music?" Anne asks with a raised finger pointed towards the cat.
"O-Of course!" Meicoomon answers quickly, nodding wildly.
"Then count me in! Anything's better than just sitting in bed all day!" Anne announces triumphantly, fists braced against her hips confidently.
Meicoomon letting out an excited "Yay!", Renamon parroting them with a more subdued tone. He was just happy that the mayor was happy. Meanwhile, Baba just groans out in frustration, knowing that she won't be able to talk Anne into resting up anymore.
Later that evening, the lone blonde's still sitting in her dark, damp cell. Her blue eyes shifting between the three goblin-like creatures gathered around the outside of her cell, sneering her way. Drool dripping down their tusks, staring intently at the imprisoned teen.
Letting out a deep sigh, Sasha narrows her eyes as she glares back at them. "Alright, let's get this over with." She says under her breath, leaning her head back. Before jolting it forward, confident smirk now plastered on her face. "Cause I'm tired of beating you suckers! Read em and weep, boys!" She exclaims before setting down the two cards in her hands. An eight of diamonds and a jack. Eighteen in total.
The two of the Goblimon sitting around outside of the girl's cell groan out in frustration, leaning their heads back as they whine out. Now, normally in Blackjack/21, the players are only playing against the dealer. However, Sasha had persuaded the dimwitted Gobbos to adopt her "house rules". Which was pretty easy, considering how the Goblimon barely understood the rules as is. Playing against the other players meant more loot for Sasha. She had already won back her jacket, which was now a bit torn up. Plus, a growing stack of soda, candy, chips and other assorted goodies she had won prior to this game.
As such, one of the Goblimon had folded. Thinking Sasha's earlier demeanor had meant that she had an unbeatable hand. However, as he cries out, one could see the cards left on the stone floor. A ten of hearts and a nine of spades. Nineteen in total. If he had just held his cards, he would have beaten her. The other had simply drawn too many cards.
The one that was crying over the fact he would have at least beaten her if he hadn't folded then looks over to the dealer. The dealer blinked for a moment as they had seemingly forgotten that they had to reveal the rest of their cards now. "Come on! You gotta play now!" He then growls out, shoving the dealer roughly.
"Oh! Right!" The dealer exclaims before looking down at his own cards. The one he had flipped over at the start of the game was a three of clubs. He then reaches down for the facedown card, flipping it over to reveal a four of clubs, of all things. The total of the dealers starting hand being seven now.
For a second, the three Goblimon and Sasha just stare down at the two cards. Just in awe of the odds. After a few moments, the dealer looks up at his playmates. "So, what do I do again?" He asks cluelessly, seemingly forgetting the rules once again.
Sasha and the other two Gobbos just lean over and shout, "Draw another card!" at the poor guy. Making him fumble about with his arms cartoonishly.
"K-Kay!" He exclaims anxiously before looking back down to the deck, slowly reaching over to take a card. The two other Goblimon waiting with baited breath as they watch him reach for the card. Sasha, however, crosses her arms, leaning back with a confident smirk. Seemingly assured of her victory, despite the single drop of sweat threatening to drop from her brow.
Taking the card, the dealer places it down, faceup. Revealing a six of diamonds. Bringing the total of the dealer's hands to thirteen.
Now, as the dealer's little green comrades groan out at the result of yet another low draw. That little bead of sweat that had formed on Sasha's brow begins falling, a few more drops of sweat forming as she gets a bit nervous. Despite her attempts to keep up her outward, smug confidence. The only cards that would put the dealer over are tens and face cards. If the dealer manages to draw anything higher than a five but lower than a 10, then she'll lose the game.
Which would be real unfortunate, as besides more treats, her cellphone was in the pile that they were all sitting around. Just one of the things the Goblimon had taken from her when she was captured. Her phone was really the last thing she needed to win back.
"I-I draw again! Right?" The dealer asks before getting a scowl from his fellow Gobbos, making him flinch a bit before reaching over for the deck again. He then flips this new card over, revealing the king of hearts.
Sasha jumps up onto her feet, hollering in excitement. "That's 22, baby! The Waybright win streak's unstoppable!"
The Goblimon grumble to themselves but still honor their wagers, pushing the pile closer to the bars of her cell. Naturally, the first thing she squats down to pick up is her phone, quickly unlocking it to check the battery life.
She pumps her fist in triumph as she sees that there was about sixty percent of the battery left. She's not deterred by the lack of signal though. It was to be expected.
By the time she looks up from her phone, she sees that the three Goblimon had begun packing up the cards. "Eh? No one wants to go another round?" She chuckles out as she sticks the cellphone into her jacket's pocket.
"Heh, we gots nothing left to bet today, Sash. Gots to call it here." One of the Gobbos answer before they finish putting away the deck and turning to leave.
"Oh, okay. Well, see ya guys later then, right?" She asks as she leans into the bars, a bright, friendly smile on her face.
"Oh, yeah. Totally, Sash! This was fun! Minus losing a week's worth of snacks." Another calls back with a toothy grin.
Sasha then finger-guns em through the bars of her cell as she watches them walk away. But, before they can open the door to leave, she remembers something. "H-Hey, wait!" She exclaims before reaching into her pocket again, pulling out a folded piece of paper rather than her phone. "Would one of you mind delivering this for me?"
Sometime later, a sleepy Palmon opens the door to her quarters, rubbing her eye with one clawed hand. "What is it? I'm real sluggish after dark, ya know." She groans out sleepily at the Goblimon that had awakened her from her rest with their obnoxious knocking.
"Sorry, Palmon! But Sash... I mean, the prisoner wanted me to give this to you." The Goblimon explains after bowing their head repeatedly, holding out the letter in their large hands.
The flower adorned Digimon seems to get a bit excited upon hearing this, quickly snatching the letter out of the Goblimon's hands. "Oh! Thankie!" She quickly says before closing the door in his face.
"I bet it's a "thank you" letter." She begins softly as she starts unfolding the paper. "Oh! Maybe she'll want to be besties now! It's been so long since there was another girl in the tower." She excitedly continues before her completely green eyes begin reading the contents of the note in her hands.
Only for the petals atop her head to straighten out his surprise, her cheeks turning nearly as pink as said petals. "E-Eh!?" She gasps out as she reads over the contents again, double checking just to be sure she didn't imagine anything.
Now, it wasn't anything too bad by teenage human standards. But for the child-like Digimon, it was a bit of a shock.
Eventually, she folds the letter back up, awkwardly chuckling to herself. "Guess she thought I was a boy like the Goblimon, ha ha..."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite the wait! Let me know what you think! I'm gonna try to get back to regular posts but no promises.
The next bit is just a lore dump regarding gender and gender identity in this version of the Digital World. Mostly just to give a proper explanation, in case I didn't to it properly in the last chapter. If you're uninterested in such details. Well, feel free to ignore what's below!
Digimon do not have sexes. Or sex for that matter. At least, not outside of Fusions/X-Ros Wars and, of course, Rule 34. :P
I view Digimon the same way I view Transformers, beings with gender identity but no genitalia. Like a Transformer, Digimon might appear more masculine or feminine to us humans. But they reproduce completely asexually.
In the case of my Digital World, Digi-Eggs just manifest in designated "spawn points" , like the Primary Village.
Although some games allow you to "breed" Digimon for Digi-Eggs, said mechanics don't take sexes into account. Not like Pokémon does. Or compatibility, for that matter. So, I always assumed that samples of data were being taken from the two Digimon to create said Digi-Eggs. No bumping uglies required. :P
Digimon that have clearly masculine or feminine presenting forms may choose to use the corresponding pronouns simply because it's convenient for communication, especially with human children.
That being said, some Digimon have gender identities that contradict their default builds. Such as our Renamon here. Who looks and sounds like every other furrybait Renamon. But identifies as a man.
My decision to make this Renamon a boy is actually a little reference to how, in some dubs, Renamon's gender was changed in Tamers to avoid the implication of same-sex feelings between Renamon and RIka.
Like with Humans, Gender Identity can be something they form at birth or later in life via experiences and expectations.
Course, Humans also have Gender Dysphoria. But, Digimon don't have genitals, so gender is strictly a matter of identity for them. Many Digimon are born gender neutral only to discover their preferred identity later. Especially Digimon species that are androgynous or ambiguous.
Before you ask. Yes, if you took of Angewomon's leotard. There'd be nothing naughty underneath. Sort of like a doll, or perhaps nothing's actually rendered beneath those clothes since they're a part of her default form?
But this is just all my headcanon. And the canon I'm using for my fanfic. I don't claim or assert that this interpretation is the "one true" canon. And if you're free to disagree with me.
If you bothered to read this bit, thankie. :D