The plain plains

[Inori]

Inori and Wizardmon exchanged glances for a moment. She shrugged slightly at him before turning her attention to Yin. She offered him a sympathetic smile, though was uncertain if he caught it.

"If you want a fire again, we will need to gather some wood...or something else flammable." Wizardmon stated after a moment, pointedly glancing to Alchemon and his scarf at the mention of things flammable. He was quick to turn his attention elsewhere as he continued. "I have food as well if anyone is hungry."

[Dante]

Dante couldn't bring himself to care too much about food or a fire. He was still way too angry to do something so small as eat. If there was a fire, then very well. He could tend a fire. He just didn't care quite enough to start one. His appetite didn't coexist well with his temper, so he plopped his bag down, set Nyaromon next to it with the understanding that she was free to the food therein if she didn't feel like participating in the group, and stretched out to sleep.

"Not hungry," he said gruffly by way of explanation.

Nyaromon appreciated the tacit understanding that passed between them, but felt that the group required her attention more than her stomach and her soon to be sleeping partner. She hopped the short distance over to a good spot to put a fire.

"I think that maybe a fire would be nice right here, if we could get the place cleared off enough..."

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv nodded. Then looked at Yang. Yang nodded back at Shiv giving just a small giggle.

"I can do that, Nyaromon," Said Shiv, "But you're gonna want to stand back."

After waiting a few seconds for his warning to be heeded, Shiv picked up Yang by the head and threw him into the air!

"Motimon shinka Gotsumon! Earthshaker!"

Yang pounds the ground with a great rumble, unsettling anyone nearby. A few pebbles flew outward, but they would only cause minor annoyance damage. The crater that was left was the perfect size for a fire pit.

"See? And it's just the right size!" said Shiv happily, "Good job Yang!"

"Hee Hee!" Said Yang happily, scratching the back of his head.

[Inori]

Inori had moved back, but her attention had seemed elsewhere. Alchemon was off running about trying to find something to use as firewood. Oddly helpful of him...for now. He was probably up to something else at the same time...but what that was...was yet to be seen.

Wizardmon peered at Dante with as much of a concerned look as could be read from the digimon's half hidden face.

"You shouldn't let it eat away at you for too long." Wizardmon commented cryptically in a lowered tone. "It becomes harder to recover from."

[Dante]

Dante didn't respond to Wizardmon's words, nor did he offer any indication whatsoever that he'd even heard them. For all the indications showed, he had drifted off to sleep in record time. In truth, he was sitting awake, and how could he sleep with that Gotsumon pounding away, lost in a world of his memories. Faces swirled together until he almost couldn't tell which face belonged to which time. Behind his eyes, a dance of memories was in full swing, carrying him away from the present and into the realms of his mind dominated by the scars on his soul.

Nyaromon hopped backward obediently, and hopped backward an additional distance when Yang became Gotsumon. Things between her and the Gotsumon didn't end well the last time, and even though she knew he meant no harm, it was difficult for her to bring herself to be able to trust in him again. She even knew it wasn't his fault, and still it unnerved her to be so close while he was in that form. Maybe when she became bigger she'd feel more confident around the big rockhead...

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv moved to the edge of the newly made fire pit and then began picking through the debris for grass. The long fronds would burn nicely. After gathering them up in the semblance of a controllable fire, he stood back and called over to Wizardmon.

"Wizardmon!" He shouted, "Fire's prepped! Would you do the honors?"

"Yeah Wiz-dono!" Cried Shiv, "Let's see that amazing firepower!"

[Inori]

Wizardmon seemed to twitch slightly, glancing to Shiv. "If you start giving me ridiculous nicknames, or shortening my name as well..." He paused then sighed. "Forget it."

Without another word, he held his hand towards the fire and muttered something under his breath. Seconds later, a fire sprang to life...and the wizard digimon moved to sit next to Inori, whom sometime during the gathering of burnable things had taken a seat.

Alchemon reappeared moments later with extra fronds and other such flammable things. He placed them to one side before slinking off into some shadows somewhere.

[Dante]

Nyaromon stood at a safe distance until the fire was going, and noticed some movement at the edge of her vision. She turned just in time to watch Alchemon slink back into whatever shadow he'd come from.

"Thank you," she said, intending her words for the lurker and no other.

That done, she moved closer to the fire and purred a little. Warm was good, and fire was very warm. She looked up at Wizardmon.

"Thank you for the fire," she said, unaware that she might be viewed as discounting the contributions of Shiv and his partners.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv did not notice the possible slight, but Yang did.

"Hey!" He cried, " But!... But!..."

Yin floated over to Yang's side.

"It's alright, brother," he said, "I noticed what you did. And thank you."

Yang brightened instantly and hopped back to Shiv. He turned around, looking at Wizardmon.

"And thank you Wiz-somo! The fire looks really cool!"

Shiv sighed and started to set out his stuff for the evening. He got third watch, and there was a lot of things to get ready for.

[Inori]

Wizardmon nodded slightly to Nyaromon at her thanks, then peered at Yang.

"It doesn't seem much different then any other fire to me..." He commented, glancing to Inori to see if she could figure out what Yang was talking about. She offered him a slight smile and shook her head. She had no more idea then he, clearly.

"Thank you then, I suppose." He stated slowly, almost uncertain.

[Dante]

Nyaromon gave herself an imperceptible eye roll at Yang's continued silliness and Yin's continuing coldness towards everyone but his brother. Between the two of them, it was a wonder she didn't have gray hairs by now. She wondered how Dante could deal with it. The only thing that seemed to bother him was Shiv. How could he be so patient with some people, and so hostile towards others?

Dante's slumber was already far from peaceful. He began to stir slightly in his sleep, but he did not, could not wake. Already the dark tendrils of a dream were working their way into his mind. Soon the curtain would open on a nightmare he could never escape, even in another world.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv packed all of his thing closely together, with very little required to get them back into traveling condition. The only thing that he needed to do when he awoke was bundle his bedroll. He got into his bedroll, and promptly went to sleep, not caring about food. He wasn't hungry anyway.

Yang was another matter entirely.

"Pleeeeeeease Wiz-gumo-kun?!" He whined, "I'm sooooooooo hungry!"

He hopped back and forth, arms wrapped around his stomach. Yin was nearby, looking worriedly at his brother.

"My apologies for his attitude," apologized Yin, 'he always gets this way when he is hungry. May he please have some food?"

[Inori]

Wizardmon considered for a long moment.

"You have nothing to apologize for." He stated to Yin, then glanced back to Yang. "He is welcome to food when he can say my name properly."

The wizard digimon started to reach into his pockets of holding to retrieve some food.

[Dante]

Nyaromon watched somewhat apathetically as Yin and Yang prepared themselves to raid Wizardmon's stash of food...once Yang could say his name properly. That'd be the day. Another carefully concealed eyeroll was hers to cherish. She then looked up at Wizardmon, who was considerably taller than her.

"Would you mind if I took some of your food, Wizardmon? Dante didn't open his bag for me earlier, and I don't think I want to interrupt his sleeping right now."

She couldn't really explain it, but she felt a certain companionship towards the wizard digimon, even though they'd only just met earlier. She felt like he was one of the few stable things about this group. She trusted Dante implicitly, of course, but Wizardmon was much less prone to fits of instability. He'd taken a dislike to Alchemon, and Yang annoyed him, but both were totally understandable reactions, and she shared them to an extent. Aside from Dante, Wizardmon was the only one she trusted enough to call "friend."

Meanwhile, Dante dreamed of a time long ago, back to a time he didn't care to remember. He dreamt of a time when things were different for him. He hadn't carried the burden then that he carried now. He was innocent, then. Untouched by the human condition. Naive. His face was very clearly that of one who was experiencing something unpleasant, and he was already showing signs of his sleep being far from restful.

[shivdeeviant]

Yang looked squeamishly up at Wizardmon.


"I can do that, Wizardmon-Han!"

Yang caught that he didn't do just that.

"Darn it! I really can see, Wizardmon-Imo! Darn it again! Agh! Wizardmon-Pan! Wizardmon-len! Wizardmon-Emusama! Wizardmon-Kama! Wizardmon-Baka! Agh!"

Yang shook his arms wildly as he built up a tremendous amount of willpower.

"Wizardmon!..."

Yin turned to Wizardmon.

"See? There you go! He said your name correctly. Can we have some food please?"

Yang was beginning to turn red, which was quite a feat because he was made of stone, with effort.