Something Weird

[Dante]

Nyaromon gave Wizardmon a sidelong look.

"I think I'll just hold out for legs and have Dante carry me until then."

Dante rolled his eyes, totally unwilling to touch the subject any longer. He would have commented on the hilarity between Inori and Wizardmon on the subject of hovering, but that little red flag that says, "If you know what's good for you, shut your gob" went up in his mind, and he chose to heed its warning this time.

The day seemed to speed along at above average pace as they wandered up the mountain. Dante took in the scenery, reveling in the beauty of the digital world. As much as he was expecting to get into a fight at some point, he was also content to just behold what the digital world had to offer, and he wasn't disappointed. When the sun began to set, they were just high enough to get the kind of view that they could never have seen in Japan. He stopped and looked out at what the setting sun had wrought.

"Wow," he commented, higher forms of eloquence having deserted him.

[Inori]

Inori was smiling without really thinking about it. The view was spectacular.

"This is amazing...." Inori murmured, voice barely over a whisper.

Wizardmon waited for a few minutes, allowing the two to enjoy the view before interrupting.

"We should probably rest here for the night...or somewhere near here. Traveling here at night could be treacherous." He pointed out, feeling a little bad for potentially ruining the moment.

[Dante]

It took Dante a moment or two to force himself to stop watching the sunset and pay attention to what Wizardmon had said. It was a good idea to bed down for the night instead of continuing to wander. Besides, it had seriously been a day so far, and a little rest would do wonders for them.

"Right," he said, finally disengaging from the view.

He began looking about for a suitable campsite; not an easy task on the side of a mountain. A little ways up the path from them was a relatively flat area that would do nicely, however. He looked it over for a moment, then waved to Inori.

"Will this do?"

[Inori]

Inori examined the selected area, then nodded. "This should be fine...should we have shifts to keep watch or something?" She paused to eye her partner. "Unless you don't sleep or something..."

"No, I sleep." He folded his hands behind his back as he spoke, sounding a little annoyed about it. "Sometimes I think it would be so much easier if I did not."

"You'd get bored so quickly." Inori laughed lightly. Wizardmon doubted it, but he was not going to question her at the moment.

"Gathering wood for a fire might prove to be a challenge out here...but if we can find something, I can certainly provide the fire." He mused. "It should not get that cold however..."

[Dante]

Dante pondered a moment. Sleeping in shifts wasn't too bad an idea, actually. He wondered idly if anything would even be awake at night, but reasoned that playing it safe wasn't too bad an idea. Also, he wasn't tired yet anyway.

"If you want to sleep first, you can. I'm not all that tired just yet. Far as gathering wood goes, we were just near a forest. Can't be too hard to find enough for a small fire, can it?"

He also realized that such statements tended to jinx a particular effort, but he was willing to make that sacrifice, he supposed. A fire would be nice. It was pretty even temperatured where they were, and according to Wizardmon it wouldn't get much colder at night, but a fire would still be nice. So he would wait and see what Inori wanted to do about the arrangements for the night, then plan accordingly.

[Inori]

"Ideally, no...it should not be hard to gather...but the forest may not be so friendly at night."

"It isn't friendly during the day." Inori frowned.

"Exactly." Wizardmon crossed his arms, and made a thoughtful sound. "I do not know if a fire would attract unwanted attention as well. If you both really want one, however...." He trailed off glancing between the two.

Inori fidgeted. "I...don't mind either way."

[Dante]

Dante paused. Now that he hadn't thought of. He hadn't encountered a single digimon so far that had been hostile, so it didn't occur to him to anticipate what might catch a hostile digimon's attention.

"You make a good point," he said, taking on a thoughtful stance, "Unwanted attention is a singularly undesirable outcome."

What he didn't bring up was the fact that he found it undesirable mostly because such attention would pose a danger to him, particularly seeing as he already volunteered to sleep second and didn't much feel like sticking his neck into unnecessary danger on behalf of some random girl he happened to be traveling with, even if she did seem like a nice enough person and all.

Remember what they did to you, Dante, he chided himself, Remember why you can't trust any of them, why you must always look out for yourself first and foremost.

He took a breath and remembered what had been. He made an effort to reveal nothing outwardly of the effect the memory had on him. Now he remembered why he carried hate in his heart, deep beneath the surface. Now he remembered why protecting other people was a stupid move. Now he knew Wizardmon was right. If they built a fire, he'd have to protect Inori and Wizardmon. Without a fire, he would only have to even consider it if they were unlucky.

"I suppose it's warm enough out, and a fire would be more hassle than it would be worth after all. Now all that remains is to settle in and get some sleep, first you guys, then us guys."

"Inori and I are girls, Dante..." Nyaromon said, casting her two cents into a discussion which was otherwise beneath her notice.

"It's a figure of speech, stupid," Dante retorted, a smirk developing on his face as he rolled his eyes.

[Inori]

Inori couldn't help but laugh at Nyaromon's comment. Wizardmon, on the other hand...

"You will take the first shift then...very well." The cloaked digimon nodded shortly, moving to sit in such a way that he had a nice uncomfortable rock to lean against.

Inori offered Dante a quick smile. "Wake us in a few hours then."

Unlike Wizardmon, Inori seemed to actually want to lie down instead of sleep sitting...though she did mutter to herself about how she would probably regret this choice later on. Moreso when she remembered she didn't even have a backpack to use as a makeshift pillow.

Wizardmon politely offered her his hat to use, though warned it would only really serve as a barrier between her and the ground more than an actual pillow. Unsurprisingly, she refused the offer, and settled for sleeping on her side, and resting against her arm. It took surprisingly little time for her to fall asleep. Wizardmon followed not long after.

[Dante]

Once they were asleep, Dante moved a small distance away from them. He was close enough that he could wake them up if he needed to, but far enough away that he could think and sort things out without waking them up needlessly. As much as he didn't want to have to stick his neck out for them, he did agree to this arrangement just so they could sleep without having to worry. So, in a way, he already was sticking his neck out for them. It wasn't comfortable for him, but he was doing it solely for the fact that once they had slept enough, it would be his turn, and the two of them watching out for him would make it safe for him to sleep, and that was better. So there he sat, looking at the stars, stroking Nyaromon absently. She didn't object at all. After a while, her voice pierced the silence, made loud in contrast to the preceding quiet, even though she was keeping her voice down to avoid waking the other two.

"Not that I care or anything," she said absently, "but what's with you, Dante?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking down at the little digimon, still scratching her a little.

She hopped a short distance to evade his continued scratching. She was curious, and wouldn't be placated by scratching until she got satisfaction.

"You seemed to be fast friends with Inori. She even smiled at you before she went to sleep. How can you be so friendly one instant and so distant the next? What's on your mind?"

"Not that you care or anything," Dante said, quoting her earlier preface.

"Of course not," Nyaromon replied, backpedaling slightly, "Everyone is entitled to their secrets. I didn't just pop out of thin air when you came to the digital world, you know. I've got things about me you don't know, and you've got things about you that I don't know. Why should I care about your secrets when I've got some of my own?"

For a little ball of legless cat, Nyaromon could apparently think pretty deeply. Dante was impressed, and for that reason he suddenly wanted to answer her. He couldn't understand why she had somehow wormed her way into such confidence, but he suddenly felt like being truthful.

"Inori seems like a nice girl, I guess," he began, ignoring the non sequitur of changing subjects in response to a question, "We barely know each other, but she seems to like me well enough. At the very least, I guess I can trust her to watch my back while I sleep, but I won't be surprised if I wake up with a knife in it."

Nyaromon looked up at him, confused.

"If you had a knife in your back, wouldn't you not wake up? And why would Inori do something like that? You barely know each other..."

Dante shook his head, chuckling.

"Another figure of speech. What I meant was I trust her to watch over me while I sleep same as I'm doing while she sleeps. Even so, however, I won't be surprised if she betrays that trust. Everyone betrays. It's how people work."

Nyaromon pondered this for a small moment, then looked up at him.

"I don't," she said simply.

A small smile played its way across Dante's features before giving way under the weight of his thoughts.

"You're a special case, then, Nyaromon. We humans are built to betray. Every time a person needs to choose between what's best for them and protecting someone at their own expense, I can predict how a person will respond every time. There are a few innocent saps out there who will throw themselves under a bus for people out of some foolish, naive sense of there being good in people or they'll do the same or some nonsense like that. The truth is people are selfish. If sticking their neck out with someone isn't worth the reward for doing so, no one will. Everyone does what's in their own best interests. Period. They're not worth risking my neck for, and I'm not worth them risking their necks for me. Humans can't be trusted."

All was quiet for a long time while Nyaromon digested this.

"If humans can't be trusted, though, how can you trust Inori to watch out for you? How is it in her best interests to keep you safe? How is it in your best interests to keep her safe?"

Dante paused for one half second.

"It's in my best interests to keep her safe because her partner's a champion, and if he's well rested, then he can take on whatever jumps us," he replied, pausing while thinking of his next answer, "I guess I don't know if it's in her best interests to keep us safe, except for the fact that she seems to need someone around besides Wizardmon. I don't know what it is about her, but maybe she feels safer with someone else around. Maybe it's easier if Wizardmon isn't always thinking about her. You'd have to ask her, I guess. That's why I said I wouldn't be surprised to wake up and find out that she's betrayed my trust. I can't be sure it's in her best interests, so how can I know if she'll stick around? I can't."

Another pause from Nyaromon.

"That sounds lonely," she commented.

Dante sighed.

"A little. I've got some friends, but no one I'd really count on when things get tough. It's okay, though. I'm used to being alone."

"But you're not alone anymore," Nyaromon answered, not stopping to think this time, "Now you've got me. That little trinket you found means that you and I are together now. We're partners. You can trust me, because I'm never going to abandon you. I hope I can trust you to be strong for me when I need you. We chosen digimon need our human partners. You give us strength, and in return we protect you. Maybe digimon are more noble than humans, or maybe I'm a naive fool, but I'd risk myself for you."

She paused, then smiled.

"Besides, where would you end up if I didn't? You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag."

Dante laughed, trying to keep quiet as he did so.

"That's a true story, Nyaromon. I'm glad I have you around to fight for me. I guess I trust you because you remind me of my cat back home. You're always here for me when I need you, so long as I don't forget to fill your food bowl or empty your litter box."

Nyaromon blinked in surprise and confusion. Dante shook his head.

"It's okay. Like we say in my world, just smile and nod. I'm glad I went to Tokyo Tower, because if I hadn't, we'd never have met."

The two spent the next several hours quiet, Nyaromon sitting on Dante's lap purring as Dante petted her while looking up at the unfamiliar stars, his previous thoughts dwarfed into insignificance by what he beheld. He looked at his watch and took a moment to stare dumbly as he realized that such a long time had passed while he had just been sitting there looking at the sky. He hadn't heard of anyone looking at the same thing for such a long time before, but ignored it. He had something to do still.

"Come on, Nyaromon, it's time to wake the other two."

He walked back over to the group and knelt next to Inori, putting his hand on her shoulder and nudging her slightly. Provided she actually woke up, he gave her a small smile.

"All's quiet," he said, "It's a nice night for stargazing."

Once he felt the guard was sufficiently changed, as it were, he settled down and, using his messenger bag as a pillow, fell asleep with Nyaromon nestled close to his chest for additional warmth.

[Inori]

Inori was not a terribly hard person to wake up it seemed, as Dante only had to jostle her briefly before she sat up. She offered him a quick thanks and a 'rest well' before waking Wizardmon up.

The girl and her partner placed themselves in a somewhat ideal location to watch for trouble; though Inori's attention was on the sky at the moment.

Wizardmon waited patiently for Dante and Nyaromon to fall asleep before speaking up.

"I am surprised."

"About what?" Inori tilted her head slightly to one side, fixing her partner with a curious look.

"Your willingness to travel with another after how quickly the last abandoned you." He replied thoughtfully. "Most would be a little more hesitant."

The girl looked away from the wizard digimon, focusing her attention of the ground. She waited a moment before quietly replying. "It was for you."

"For me?" Surprise and mild amusement laced his voice. "Elaborate."

"You were injured and tired."

"Granted, but I would have recovered regardless."

"Safety in numbers?" She offered quickly.

"Now it sounds like you are just making reasons." He laughed.

"What does it matter anyway?"

"Just unexpected. You are not very trusting of people. No offense." Wizardmon noted idly.

"This has nothing to do with trust." Inori crossed her arms, looking mildly annoyed.

"But it has everything to do with me." Wizardmon leaned forward slightly, staring ahead at something unseen. "You feel more comfortable around another human then I."

Inori flinched at his statement, his tone neither cruel nor upset. He spoke as if he was stating nothing more than an honest fact.

"A little. Does that upset you?"

"Yes." He replied in the same brutally honest tone. His eyes narrowed slightly, but remained staring ahead. "It frustrates me. I was chosen to be your partner. I was asked to wait for you to arrive here...because somewhere...someone felt that we would work well together. You ran...that I did expect to some degree. If the situation were reversed, I would probably have tried to get away as well. I'd hoped it would be fine after you calmed down. Your blunt inquiry regarding my name seemed like a good start, and your willingness to listen to my explanations...only to be brought back a few steps when you stated no trust in me. I will not lie. It hurt more than the Yanmamon slamming into me."

Inori laughed quietly in a sad sort of way. "I'm kind of a terrible partner, aren't I?"

Wizardmon blinked, and then glanced to Inori. He stared blankly for a moment, before laughing as well. "Maybe a little."

Inori gasped, and lightly hit Wizardmon's arm. "Jerk! You were not supposed to -agree- with me." She smiled slightly as her partner just laughed a little more.

A moment passed before his laughter subsided, focusing on his partner. "It will get better, right?"

"I'm trying."

"I know. I appreciate it greatly." Wizardmon nodded, smiling behind his cloak.

A comfortable silence fell between the two for much of the evening afterwards...some random conversations here and there about very random things...but only brief ones until Wizardmon felt it was time to move on.

Inori carefully nudged Dante, hoping he was not a terribly heavy sleeper.

[shivdeeviant]

It's right about then that Shiv walks over the hill and up behind Inori. Shiv didn't know why he didn't hail the camp, but his instincts told him to just go, and so he did. Shiv had always been blessed with a quiet step, a byproduct of learning how to pick up his feet when he was younger. He used to shuffle a lot, and now he didn't. Thus his approach was relatively silent, and it appeared that neither of the duo in front of them were aware of his presence, but with Wizardmon you never could be too sure.

Surprisingly, Yang was quiet as well, he seemed like he was still shaking off the sleepiness of before. Yin, like always, was just watching.

He peered over Inori's shoulder, getting a look at the boy on the ground as he came to.

[Inori]

The hair on the back of Inori's neck was standing on end...so to speak. She hadn't heard him...but she certainly could tel he was there when he peered over her shoulder.

Without much warning, Inori quickly shifted to stand up again, now giving Shiv a very angry look. Inori was sorely tempted to shove Shiv back, but she held back.

Wizardmon watched silently...eyes narrowed. It seemed quite likely he was well aware of Shiv's approach, but he had no reason to do anything about it. So long as the boy made no attempt to attack his partner, there was no need for him to lash out. Either way, the digimon was grateful his expression was mostly obscured by his cloak.

"You have a hell of a lot of nerve to show up again after that." Inori stated, her tone fairly even...trying and mostly succeeding at keeping her anger out the voice. "What is your problem? Leaving someone injured to fend for themselves like that? That is incredibly low."

[Dante]

Inori's nudge hadn't woken Dante up, but her berating voice certainly did. She was obviously holding herself back considerably, but her irritation was obvious. Dante rose quietly, picking up a still drowsy Nyaromon as he did so. He stood behind Inori and to her left, watching the confrontation unfold. He casually guessed that the boy in front of them must be Shiv, the object of Inori's ire. He didn't want to contribute anything yet, so he merely observed. He was also looking for the boy's partners. He had heard the boy had two, but he saw neither of them. Perhaps they were riding on the boy's back?

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv stood there, taking Inori's scolding understanding her points but still knowing that what he did was the right thing for him to do. He waited for her rant to peter out, then contributed his own statement.

Or was about to, if Yang didn't choose that exact moment to finish waking up and remember who was there. He peered out from over Shiv's shoulder.

"Inori!" He cried in joy, "Is that you?! I'm so glad to see you!"

[Inori]

Inori's expression softened for a very brief moment at Yang's words, but she didn't seem to have any intention of responding.

"Poor timing, I think." Wizardmon commented, shifting his attention to Yang.