The Endless Woods

[shivdeeviant]

Whatever the Yanmamon sees, it is enough. The beast screams and its flight path wobbles and fails! It starts falling! Inori is in the way!

[Inori]

Inori probably should have run around screaming like a little girl...a giant bug was coming her way. Inori however, did not scream. Instead, she started running to her left, trying to get out of the way. Wizardmon on the other hand, could only see the bug going in the direction he knew Inori had been idling.

"Inori! He spoke up, tone a mix of anger at himself for potentially causing this, fear for his partner, and genuine concern for her well-being. The digimon shifted to pull himself out of the tree as quickly as he could.

"Thunder Ball!" He roared, hurling another ball of electricity at insect, adding a little extra anger behind his throw...just for good measure.

[shivdeeviant]

The trio had just dug there way from under the giant bug. Yang looked tired and Shiv looked thoughtful. Yin was uncertain. Perhaps growth from to rookie wasn't so bad. The one to look out for was the Champion Form, the amount of power in that was unheard of. He looked at the field, instantly sizing up the situation.

Wizardmon's attack wasn't going to be in time, and Inori, who was running toward them, wasn't going to clear the area in time.

Time seems to slow, Yin struggles with his own demons. Shiv was a jerk, and not to be trusted, but this girl Yang liked, and was innocent as well. She didn't deserve this. And besides, the Yanmamon was obviously on its last legs, an in-training wouldn't be able to finish it, but a rookie might!

Yin curls and then shoots out like a gunshot.

"Shinka! Kyokyomon digivolve toooo... Ryudamon! KATANA ATTACK!"

Yin slams into the Yanmamon, a katana appearing in Yin's teeth and burying itself into the Yanamamon's head. The force of the attack diverts the beasts path enough, allowing Inori to get away. The attack opened the insect's stomach to the Thunder attack.

The attack blasted the insect in half. Streams of data cascading into the air, and soon the beast was completely gone. Yin lands on the ground and devolves back to Kyokyomon. Maybe digivolution wasn't so bad, but you would never get him further.

[Inori]

Inori stopped, taking a moment to register that the giant angry bug was in fact gone. It only lasted a moment however, as Inori took off running again towards Wizardmon.

The small champion digimon was not very happy at bugs right now, particularly as he thought his partner may have just been hurt by one. In fact, there was still one that despite being trapped needed to be dealt with...and while he could just leave it there, he had a better plan.

Wizardmon pulled himself out of the tree he had been stuck in, and launched himself in the direction of the trapped Kuwagamon.

"Thunder ball!" He yelled angrily, launching lightning at his enemy, and hitting it square in the side (being trapped it couldn't exactly dodge). Kuwagamon was likely thankful for thick armor. Esspecially as Wizardmon went for round two.

"You tried to harm my partner, and I will not abide by that! Thunder ball!" The second attack again, slamming into the larger champion. Still fueled by his anger, he began charging up a third thunderball, when he felt something grab his other arm. He was about to turn and swing his staff at his hidden assailant, when they swiftly turned him to face them.

"Stop! Wizardmon, it's okay! I'm okay! See?" Inori offered him as much of a reassuring smile as she could muster. The wizard digimon stared at the girl for a moment, then dropped his hand back to his side, dispersing the electrical energy he had started to gather. His eyes widened suddenly.

"Inori...I..." He seemed at a loss for words momentarily. "I am sorry, I shouldn't have acted like that...I don't know why I..."

"It's okay, really." She placed her other hand on Wizardmon's shoulder gently. He slumped forward slightly, most likely ashamed of his action. "Everyone is okay...that bug digimon is gone thanks to you..." She paused and looked to Kyokyomon. The cloaked digimon glanced up at his partner, expression shifting to something rather unreadable.

"And you...thank you." Inori smiled awkwardly at the yellow digimon. "I...don't think I ever caught your name."

[shivdeeviant]

Yin turns away, looks over his shoulder, and huffs.

"I am unimportant, and my name even more so. You are safe, and that is enough."

He floats back towards Shiv and Yang, Yang has tears in his eyes.

"Yin! You actually digivolved! That was amazing! You did it! It was cool!"

Yang jumps and glomps his brother.

"Ooof!" Yin shouts, "Yang! You're heavy now! Can't breath!"

Yang hops off.

"I'm sorry! Here!"

Yang devolves back to Motimon, then relaunches at Yin. The two laugh, and Shiv realizes how close they actually are. He suddenly feels like an outsider, and doesn't know how to react. After giving them some time to settle. He approaches the group.

Yin gives him a glare from over Yang's shoulder and Shiv stops. What was that for?

"We need to move on." States Shiv simply.

"Right." Says Yang, disengaging from Yin.

"How much farther?" He says to Wizardmon.

[Inori]

"You're not unimportant Yin, and you still have my thanks." She replied.

"Not much farther." Wizardmon rasped, earning Inori's attention again, and another concerned look. He looked tired.

"Are you alright?" She lowered her voice to something just above a whisper.
"It takes a lot of energy out of me. I'll be fine in a moment." He murmured back. "The tree was not particularly comfortable either."

Inori chuckled slightly, then stood. Wizardmon started to lean heavily on his staff, when Inori offered him a hand. The digimon took it quickly before she had the chance to retract her offer and 'come to her senses'. It would be easier leaning on her then his rather spikey staff.

"Let's keep going." She stated, glancing to Shiv, Yin and Yang.

[shivdeeviant]

"Right!" Shouts Yang, "Onward to adventure!"

He hops up on Shiv's shoulder. And Shiv turns and nods to Yin, then changing his view over Yin's shoulder, he nodded to Inori and Wizardmon.

"Yeah," Says Shiv with a lopsided grin, "What he said."

He turns, looks around briefly to get his bearings, then walks in the direction they had been walking to begin with.

[Inori]

Once again, Inori and Wizardmon trailed behind, mostly out of consideration to her tired partner. Said partner was clinging to her hand desperatly. Partially for support...partially out of fear that if he let go, she'd not offer it back.

He probably would have been horrified to realize she had caught onto this. It was weird...she should have tried to get him to let go, reminded him that she didn't trust him...

...but he earned this. He put his life on the line to keep her safe, and if this silly, simple gesture was what he wanted, it would be cruel for her to take it away, trust or not. Inori was not a cruel lady. Besides, this wasn't so bad...to be needed by someone for something. Not a feeling Inori was accustom to in any means of the word.

"So, where is this going to take us, Wizardmon?" She asked her partner, keeping her attention straight ahead, regardless of his attention shifting to her.

"The Soaring Mountain. Less bugs, more birds. The bird type digimon will ideally be a little more of the talk before fighting types..."

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv walked and thought.

This was odd, his mon were good and strong, but didn't seem to be as strong as Inori's partner. Was it because they were two? Or was it that Wizardmon was the next level? Shiv wasn't sure. He needed to find out, and he couldn't so that with Wizardmon fighting all of the monsters they came across.

He waited until he was a good deal ahead of the other partners. Wizardmon seemed fatigued, that was good, it would be easier to outrun him.

Shiv broke out into a sprint, Yang yelled in alarm and held on tight. Yin scowled and took off after, following closely. Shiv smirked as he started, this was another of his specialties, the 100 meter dash.

He took off, leaving Inori eating his dust.

Exit to [Soaring Peak]

[Inori]

Inori narrowed her eyes and frowned as Shiv took off running without a word.
"You see why I find it hard to trust people?" She commented, keeping her tone even. "It's hard to say when they might just abandon you."

"I will not abandon you." He promised, looking up at Inori.

"...thanks." She replied in a quieter tone, her expression softening as well slightly.

"Besides, we can always find him later, and give him a piece of your...or my mind. As long as he is within range, the digivice should find him."

"I forgot about that!" She rummaged through her pocket with her free hand, pulling out the device. "Hah, maybe I should use it to avoid him."

Wizardmon chuckled as Inori pressed a button on the device. To her confusion it seemed to be pointing in two different directions now. She knew which way Shiv had gone...the second arrow was pointing in a slightly different direction.

"Someone else is out there..."
"Perhaps less flighty then our last company."
"I guess." She sighed. "Let's go find out I guess."

With a nod to each other, the two continued out of the forest and into the mountains.

(Exiting to Something Weird in the Soaring Peak)