The plain plains

[Inori]

Inori frowned. "Ideally neither. I don't want to fight, but I don't want to do the seemingly cowardly thing and flee. There is usually another option." The girl paused for a moment, giving the situation more thought.

"Fight and flight, I prefer to keep as a last ditch plan. I don't know. I don't spend a lot of time with people outside of my family...and school." She shrugged lightly, debating adding how little she interacted with people at school, but decided not to. It was a weakness of sorts for her...and not a comfortable topic.

[Dante]

Dante paused, considering this. He was mildly aware of the fact that Shiv was keeping his distance, but didn't much care.

"Is there another such option?" he inquired, becoming curious. He and Inori hadn't talked much previously, and her words represented the greatest insight he'd gotten into her to date. Perhaps as they talked he would receive more such insight.

If Nyaromon was any such person, she might have kissed Inori. With so few words, she'd almost completely dispelled the tension in his body. No bets on whether or not he was still angry, but Inori's diverting of Dante's focus seemed to have completely taken his mind off what was bothering him. With any luck, they may yet have averted a fight between the two boys. It'd be a fine thing to put that mess behind them, but Nyaromon wasn't holding her breath.

[shivdeeviant]

Yang walked, as calm as Shiv had ever seen him. His stone features were unyielding in showing any emotion save the rocky grin. He walked with focus, and silence. He neither hummed nor whistled. There was little spring in his step. For all purposes, Yang was walking like any regular Gotsumon would walk. Yin found this disconcerting. Just what was Yang thinking about that warranted such focus? Could the fight have troubled Yang so greatly? Where was Yang's energy that seemed to permeate every fiber of his being?

Yang thought his thoughts.

Yin kept an eye on everything, looking for danger.

Shiv walked on, his smile gone, his face similarly set as Yang. He looked bored, disinterested in all around him. This was not true in the slightest. Shiv's thoughts were his own.

The three continued on, neither joining nor separating from the others. Their distance was maintained, nothing more.

[Inori]

Inori offered a quick smile and a shrug. "Off the top of my head, I could not tell you..but there is always another option." She released Wizardmon's hand and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Of course, I may just be overly optimistic in my viewpoint."

Wizardmon chuckled quietly, having opted to listen in to the conversation finally. "A good viewpoint to have in so many situations. Hazardous in others."

[Dante]

If Shiv were not between the two of them, Dante might have noticed the transformation in Yang. As it was, all he noticed was Wizardmon saying what he was thinking. Optimism was dangerous. It blinded one to the truth, and that was not a good thing. Better to remain skeptical until one was certain things would not go as badly as originally anticipated. Still, there was something to her words. Perhaps there was an option besides fight or flee.

"You look for that other option, then," he commented, then looked back over his shoulder. He saw Shiv and his two partners walking over there, not seeming to be saying anything and having drifted away a bit.

"What are you doing over there? Disinterested in our company?" A skilled diplomat Dante was not, and even if he was he would have had much trouble keeping the anger out of his voice. He was still very much not pleased with Shiv for his backstabbing ways, but at the same time, he wanted to keep track of the guy. Oddly enough, if he and Shiv were destined to part ways, Dante wanted it to happen on his terms, not the other lad's. If Shiv left first, then Dante would be legitimately looking for the boy to appear in close proximity to his kidneys when he least expected it. That wouldn't do at all.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv looked over at Dante, his lackluster grin fading away. The look that replaced it was carefully calculated to show confidence with a barely concealed fear running underneath.

"Disinterested? Nope. I like to give people privacy, and then there is the staying out of arm's reach should you try to take my glasses again. I don't like people taking my stuff for no good reason, and I warn you that I don't hold back against bullies."

Yang looked up at Shiv, seeing him in a new light. His eyes filled with tears.

"Oh Shiv! I'm sooooo sorreeeeeeeeee!" He cried as he started to bawl, "I didn't know! I thought that you were so cool! And that it would be a fun game! I'm so sorreeeeeee!"

And with that he degenerated into a quivering heap of tears and sobs.

Shiv stopped, flabbergasted at his partner. Did Yang really think that this was about him? The hell was wrong with his partner? Why was he the only one to get an idiot?!

"Yang!" Shiv yelled in surprise, "You shouldn't have done what you did. That much is true. But there was no malice in your actions, what you did was innocent enough. I should expect things like this from you in the short amount of time we have been together. What you did couldn't have been malicious, you're not..."

Shiv stopped before he could finish the sentence, a rare showing of tact. But that didn't mean he didn't finish the line in his head.

... smart enough.

Yin caught his stop. This human, thinking that Yang was deficient in any way was infuriating. It didn't matter what Shiv was going to say next. Shiv was back on the bottom of Yin's list.

"Look Yang," Shiv picked up the line again, "You're going to be fine, I'm not angry at you, see?"

Shiv made a goofy face, smiling hugely and crossing his eyes. Yang giggled through his sobs.

"R-really? Do you mean it?" said Yang hopefully.

"I really mean it." Said Shiv with finality.

Yang jumped up, startling Shiv onto his back in surprise.

"Yaay! Thanks Partner!"

Shiv stood up, rubbing his backside. He looked at Dante.

"Don't mention it."

The look was meant to convey understanding that Dante might not have been malicious, but it was also a warning at what would happen should he try such a stunt again.

[Inori]

Inori was quiet while Dante, Shiv and Yang were talking, her attention focusing on Shiv and Yang for a long moment. Something about the whole situation was unusual to her, and the frown on her face was spoke volumes to Wizardmon. Opting to hazard a guess at what it was, Wizardmon hovered a bit closer to his partner to mumble to her.

"Your optimistic viewpoint is not failing you so soon is it?" Wizardmon murmured, startling her.

"W-what? No I..." She stammered as she turned to her partner. It did not take long for her to recover her state of calm. "I just don't get people sometimes is all." She waved it off like it was nothing.

A light shrug, and a vague gesture of moving on was all she received in response.


Alchemon meanwhile...was keeping to himself still. The whole situation was more of an annoying turn of events to him then anything.

[Dante]

Dante didn't miss the pointedness of the conversation Shiv was having with his partner. It seemed on the surface like Yang being his usual idiot self, but Dante couldn't help but note the heavy implications towards his own action that had somehow resulted in a fight. It was like Shiv had just needed that one little excuse to turn on him, and was totally willing to forgive his partner, who had done the same thing with the same motive. That was fine by Dante. A betrayer revealed was better than a betrayer hidden. All that remained now was to decide where and when the debt would be paid. He paid no mind to either of the conversations between partners and instead started walking again, as the group had stopped briefly when Shiv fell on his rear. The other two would catch up, and he had no interest in continuing the current conversations.

[shivdeeviant]

Dante's glib attitude told Shiv that he was still seething. Shiv gave a little sigh to himself, and then noticed Yin's renewed glare. Shiv gave Yin a questioning look. Yin's glare hardened and he shook his head minutely before moving on.

"Say Yang." murmured Shiv, "Would you mind regressing to Motimon? That way I can carry you!"

Yang gave a gasp of joy and was soon the pink blob yet again. Yang leaped into Shiv's arms and was soon sitting on Shiv's shoulder.

Shiv caught up to the rest of the group. As they walked, Yin kept glancing at Alchemon.

"Damnable virus." Yin muttered to himself, "His aura of violence is throwing off my own senses. There could be another Digimon following us and I would be none the wiser!"

[Inori]

Alchemon couldn't help but grin to himself. He hadn't heard what Yin had said...but he had a general idea that he was causing discomfort somewhere to someone...and that, was glorious!

Wizardmon glanced up briefly, then sighed. "We should rest for the evening. It is later then I thought."

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with your attention being elsewhere. You're lucky we havn't been attacked. You would have been caught completely off guard." Alchemon mused.

"Yes, thankfully we have you here to remind us of all our faults. Thank you Alchemon." Wizardmon replied, keeping most of the sarcasm out of his voice...much to Inori's amusement.

"So, resting here for the night?" Inori shifted her attention from her partner and the alchemist digimon to the others.

[Dante]

Dante looked about. Truthfully, he hadn't noticed what time of day it was. Too much else on his mind. He put down his bag and nodded.

"Works for me," he said, his mental absence evident in his voice.

Nyaromon approved of the rest plan. She could tell before he even spoke that Dante's thoughts were elsewhere. She had no idea where he was, but she was sure that none of them were there with him. She was concerned for her partner, but couldn't do anything to help him, so she just sat in his arms and hoped he would return to her soon. Or at least say something so she could tell what was on his mind.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv gave a look around the grassland. The breeze ruffled the grass in waves of green. The clouds in the sky showed no chance of rain over the night. It would be another great night of contemplation.

"Well," said Shiv, "All right then. What watches will we all take? I volunteer for third watch this time, as I took first watch last time."

Yin wondered at Shiv. What was this child? He had little cause for anything that he was doing. While Yin couldn't understand Shiv, he felt as though he knew his thoughts. It was so confusing!

Yang smiled, his eyes closed. He was comfy on Shiv's shoulder, and that was all that mattered. He merely listened to everyone else, dozing lightly.

[Inori]

"I suppose it is my turn to take the middle watch." Inori fidgeted slightly.

"I could take all the watches..." Alchemon offered in an eerily even sort of tone.

"I'd rather you not." Wizardmon replied, crossing his arms. It took all his willpower not to add: you might poison us in our sleep.

"That's alright, Alchemon. Thanks though. You should sleep too." Inori said in a dismissive sort of way. "I like the time to clear my thoughts anyway."

[Dante]

Dante pondered the current watch scheme for a moment. That wouldn't do at all. He turned to Inori.

"Actually, you're taking first watch. Middle watch is mine."

He gave her a smirk that hopefully communicated that he wasn't going to let her have second watch this time. It was easier for him to keep an eye on someone when he could stay awake without drawing attention to that fact. What remained to be seen was the fact that perhaps the other two wouldn't enjoy his plan as much as he did.

Nyaromon didn't particularly care which watch Dante was on, so long as they got a chance to talk. The day had been very eventful, and she could really use the chance to learn what exactly had happened earlier to make Dante act so differently from how he'd been before that.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv smiled... perfect.

"All right!" He said jovially, "I have no problems with that. So then Inori goes first, Dante second, and then me!"

Yin scoffed.

"That is what that turn order means, human."

"Pfft! You call that a line!?" remarked Shiv, "I've heard worse from the ignoramus bullies back home! Come on, can't you be a little more original?"

"Don't... Push... Me... Human."

"Ooooh, look at that," Shiv waved is arms around sarcastically, "The big angry wimp of a digimon is getting mad because I noticed the truth. Grow up!"

Yin bristled. He looked ready to launch himself at Shiv. Suddenly, Yang broke out into laughter.

"Wa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! He sure got you there Yin! That was hilarious! Ha Ha Ha Ha!" Yang seemed to be laughing so hard he was crying.

That made Shiv feel bad. What Yang had just said was exactly what the yes men of the bullies said when he was at home. That would make Yin the smart, weak one. The reversal was intriguing, and did more to drum up sympathy for Yin than guilt for Shiv.

For Yin, it was confusing. He knew his brother well enough to know that the laughter was not intended to be hurtful. Yang just found the situation funny. This made Yin look deep inside himself. Was what Shiv said true? In the space between moments, he realized...

It was.

The tension drained from the digimon's face. He even managed a smile. A gruff chuckle even managed to escape.

"You are correct, Shiv," said Yin, "But do not think that you are in the right."

Shiv was confused, that lump of uneasiness had returned to the middle of his chest, and he couldn't place it. But anyway, the watches had been decided then. Whatever, back to the task at hand.