The plain plains

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv noted Dante's confrontation attitude and saw it as his way of probing the situation. Shiv himself had tried a similar tactic with Inori and Wizardmon the night before. He turned his head slightly, looking in Dante's general direction, but more importantly putting his mouth close to Yang's ear.

"Be ready," Shiv whispered, "This could get ugly."

Yang nodded emphatically, but didn't break his sudden parrot routine.

"Ugly! Ugly! Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!"

Shiv sighed and pat Yang on the head, being sure to keep his hand where he could grab Yang if anything happened. This could actually come out well, the team could get a good experience on how their own powers worked with each other. Shiv had yet to see Nyaromon in battle, and wondered if she would prove useful at all.

"That's right!!" shouted Shiv, his agreement startling Yin, "It's just silly to expect ESP to move objects, one really should try to get it right. And what crops do you grow here?! Huh? All I see is grass, and I'm sure the digimon here don't all eat grass as their sustenance. Get your facts straight, Nohemon!"

Yang laughed as he repeated, "No Hay! No Hay!"

Yin riled at this, Shiv should be smarter than this. This would be a pointless fight, one would be better avoided than everyone get hurt. The fire of anger returned to Yin's eyes. His heart felt like it was pumped full of power. Yang, he tried to think straight, Yang was what was important, must protect Yang.

"What... are... you... doing!" Yin said at Shiv, struggling with his anger. His voice was soft, with an undercurrent of latent violence, that surprised Shiv in its potency. Good, this one had a fire in him too. That could be used. Shiv nodded at Dante, who didn't seem to be paying attention to him at all, and finally added.

"I think you are making all of this up, Nohemon!" Shiv shouted, "Prove your story to us! Or we will make as much noise as we please!"

[Inori]

Wizardmon was annoyed, to say the least. He probably would have had the chance to do something if Inori hadn't moved behind him and grabbed him in an awkward hug, taking a few steps back. The hovering digimon, struggled for a moment, then ceased when he realized what was going on.

"Probably shouldn't." She murmured. Wizardmon nodded slightly.

A smirk crossed Apprentimon's face. So she was smart enough to know when to back out and let another step in. Good....

[Usachan]

Nohemon narrowed his eyes. These humans were treading dangerous ground. The digimon present may outnumber him, but he was stronger than them, except the Wizardmon, but his human didnt seem to want a fight. "Maybe in your world human, but in ours, ESP allows us to practically do anything with our minds. If you dont believe me about being a farmer, then I will show you my crops." He glared at them, daring someone to defy his statements.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv coughed, though the cough sounded derogatory in nature.

"Please," he said, his mouth turning into a crocodile grin, "By all means, show us these 'crops.' And my apologies, I was unaware that the language here was so debunk as to lump two different terms together."

Yang was curious to see the crops as well, and peered over Shiv's shoulder to see.

"Crops! Crops!"

Yin was furious. This is why you can't trust humans! Why is Shiv doing this? Why? WHY? These thought spun around in Yin's head until they were ready to burst, and Yin almost wished that something would just HAPPEN to break this tension!

As if hearing his unspoken plea, Yin caught a flicker of darkness streak briefly across the sky and into the back of Nohemon's crow's head. The mon's whole body sagged for a moment, twitching a little. Nohemon's features darkened, as though his clothing was being dyed black.

When the crow raised its head again, its eyes glowed a subtle red.

"Watch out!" cried Yin, "Something's wrong!"

[Usachan]

Nohemon looked at the children and their digimon."Must.....kill.....the.....children...." his voice had a dark sound to it, like he was being controlled. He raised his bow and got an arrow from the quiver on his back. "William Arrow!" he fired multiple shots at the children and their digimon.

[Inori]

Inori was quick on her feet, moving quickly to her left. Not wanting to leave her partner in the line of fire, she waited a moment before letting him go. She only hoped her actions would not get him hurt. Unfortunately, she didn't calculate for the extra set of arrows meant for her partner.

Free of Inori's grasp, Wizardmon shoved her roughly back to get her out of the way as a few of Nohemon's arrows hit him. Wizardmon dropped to one knee, clinging to his staff for support. Holding his free hand out, he began to gather electric energy.

"Thunder Ball!" He called out, launching the orb of electricity at Nohemon.



'How dare he...' Apprentimon thought to himself. How dare this foolish scarecrow try and harm what he planned on making his. This would not stand...but at least it presented a perfect opportunity to make himself known in a way that could be used to his benefit. The moment was coming soon...soon.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv, ready and waiting for a fight of some sort to break out, leaped sideways using the hand that was formerly petting Yang to get a firm grip on his partners head. He gave a quick spin then launched Yang like a discus into the sky. Should Nohemon try to track Yang, he would be blinded by the sun.

"Yang! Now! Like we practiced!" Cried Shiv, "Yin! You too!"

"Right!" Responded Yang, "Shinka! Motimon digivolve to... Gotsumon!"

Yin shot forward, his front half swelling up as he prepared his attack.

"METAL STRAW!"

Yin fired his rebar-like sticks not at Nohemon, but around him, cutting down his maneuverability.

Yang the Gotsumon fell from the sky like the rock he was, pulling his arm back to attack.

"HARDEST PUNCH!"

Yang unleashed his attack aiming right at the Nohemon's head.

[Dante]

For all his spoiling for a fight, Dante didn't quite know what to do with himself at first when it finally broke out. He spent a crucial fraction of a moment frozen in awe of the battle descending upon him. The world seemed to go in slow motion as Nohemon, now acting so much different, raised his bow, preparing to fire a salvo in his direction. He watched, his body frozen in fear, as an arrow was leveled in his direction.

Nyaromon couldn't understand why he didn't move. He'd been spoiling for a fight the whole time. Why was he freezing up now?

"Dante!" she cried, willing him to begin moving.

That snapped Dante out of it. He began his dive to the side much later than he should have. His body was in motion, at least, as the Nohemon began firing. While he would possibly have avoided damage if he had begun dodging on time, he got off quite easily as it was. A couple scratches was the extent of it, by some miracle. As his dash continued, he felt Nyaromon shift in his arms, as if preparing to leap towards the hostile digimon. He smiled to himself and acknowledged her boldness.

Very well, my friend.

As Nyaromon jumped from Dante's arms towards the enemy, she felt him add power to her move, tossing her in the direction of her quarry. She couldn't help but smile inwardly. For all he pushed people away, he seemed to believe in her. It interested her that such a distant person would bond so quickly with a cat like her. Pushing those thoughts away as she honed her focus in on her objective, she began a spin as she neared the crow.

"Fox Tail!"

She felt the hairs on her tail straighten up like so many needles as she spun around. It was immediately after she called out her attack name in real time, but it felt so much later to her. She brought her tail around across the crow's face with all the power she could manage, hoping to distract it, if not actually wound it. The impact pushed her off a bit, sending her off to Nohemon's left. She landed with a cat's grace and spun around to face her enemy, ready to attack again once she'd determined her foe's condition. She recognized that their allies had also gone on the offensive, and would need to coordinate her movements with theirs, at least to an extent.

[Usachan]

Nohemon let out a feral growl as he stepped to the side to avoid the Thunder Ball but ran into the rebar sticks. As he sidestepped, he got hit by the Fox Tail but the Hardest Punch hit the Nyaromon as she was to his left. He took out more arrows and aimed them first at the rest of the needles surrounding him then launched a second set at the digimon. "William Arrow!"

[shivdeeviant]

Yang stopped, abashed.

"Oh my gosh! Nyaromon! Are you OK?!"

He waved his arms in worry around the Nyaromon, and didn't notice Nohemon's attack until the last second. Seizing the initiative for his own mistake, Yang leaped in front of Nyaromon, shielding her with his body. Yang takes the arrow straight to his chest, and flied backwards, skidding on the ground, and didn't move.

"YANG!" cried Shiv and Yin in tandem.

"Yin!" shouted Shiv as he recovered first, "Digivolve and distract him!"

Shiv takes off to Yang, his track speed coming trough in full form. Meanwhile, Yin charges the Nohemon, dodging the arrow meant for him with a midair spin.

"Shinka!" cried Yin, "kyokyomon digivolve to... Ryudamon!"

Yin stopped between Nohemon and Yang, a katana appearing in his mouth.

"I am Yin, the Ryudamon!" He declared, "And so long I stand, you will go no further!"

[Dante]

Dante stood stunned. He watched in horrific slow motion as the best friend he'd made in a very long time collapsed under the force of a rookie's attack. One meant for their opponent, who had dodged, apparently specifically to cause this terrible fate to befall the little in-training digimon. He couldn't even bring himself to move towards her. He stood there, denying the truth his eyes reported. His vision blurred, and the only thing that was at all clear to him was Nohemon. He wanted it dead. No attempts to understand or negotiate. No mercy. Unrepentant slaughter of their opponent was the only course now. The only reason he didn't just try to throttle Nohemon right there was that he recognized that rushing someone who was firing arrows at you generally qualified as a poor tactical decision. He instead dodged the latest volley and ran towards his partner. If Shiv didn't get out of the way, Dante would remove him by any means necessary, and with a bit more force than was necessarily called for. He didn't care. His partner was down, and as far as he reckoned, Shiv was the cause, so if he hurt Shiv in the process of getting to Nyaromon, so much the better.

"Speak to me," he said, gathering up Nyaromon in his arms.

She stirred slightly as he picked her up. The attack had hurt quite a bit. She had been expecting to end up back in the egg, but it seemed such was not meant to be. She smiled up at Dante, speaking weakly.

"I got him, Dante. I was the only one who hit him..."

Dante chuckled despite his immense well of anger.

"Yes you did, Nyaromon. Just rest now. Let the others handle it."

He turned to Shiv, his eyes narrowing as he spoke in level tones backed up by a complete lack of emotion.

"Walk all over him."

[Inori]

As the arrows flew towards Wizardmon, the cloaked Digimon closed his eyes and braced himself for the attack...which never came...or at least not from the direction he expected. Something slammed into him from behind, launching him forward. Something which was Inori, based on the sound of the girl calling his name. This was followed by a pained sound, as Inori found herself getting nicked in the leg with an arrow.

Wizardmon's eyes opened, finding himself face down on the ground. Something heavy was pinning him down and keeping him from moving.
"Inori?" He sounded a little panicked.
"I'm fine just...give me a minute." She did not sound fine...she sounded like she was a bit hurt. The weight was lifted from Wizardmon's back, and he shifted to be on his back instead of on his face. Inori was lying there, trying not to move. Momentarily stunned, the champion level digimon just stared at his partner his mind blank.


Now was the time to strike. Apprentimon slithered forward so he was roughly in front of Inori (and Wizardmon to some extent). Enraged, the small serpentine digimon acted.

"Apprentimon, shinka...Alchemon!" The small shadowy snake now turned rookie grinned in a malicious sort of way. "Nobody hurts what is mine." He stopped and pointed at Nohemon. "Especially someone like you."

The humanoid digimon took up a defensive stance, waiting to see what would happen.

[Usachan]

Nohemon growled as another digimon evolved and seemed to go beserk. "William Arrow!" "William Arrow!" "William Arrow!" "William Arrow!" He kept shooting arrows, his quiver never seeming to run out, firing in all directions.

[shivdeeviant]

Yin spun into action, slashing in all direction that the arrows came at him from Nohemon. Each arrow that came at him was bisected neatly in half. Yin's anger was building, the power within him surging, his discipline on his digivolution was slipping ever so minutely.

"NO!" He shouted suddenly, "I will not do it! Not for someone as unworthy as you!"

He turned to the newcomer, also a rookie.

"Stranger! I know not who you are or what you mean to do, but your assistance is necessary against this threat! I will give aid, should you accept it!"

Yin conjured another blade, this one appearing on his back. And charged the Nohemon. Slashing at the crow. His anger telling him only to attack.

[Inori]

Alchemon's scarf reached back and grabbed onto Wizardmon's discarded staff, and delivered it to Alchemon's hands. The digmon deflected the oncoming arrows using his temporarily borrowed weapon.

At Yin's words, he cackled. "Yes, lend me one of your blades...or both if you want yours to do something a little worse....or a lot worse." Alchemon began walking forward and a measured pace, his grin becoming down right vicious.


Thoughts began to flood into Wizardmon's mind. Things like how Inori had gotten hurt because of him...and how useless he was...how unworthy he was of his given task as Inori's guardian and partner. How another had to step in...and...wait, did he say she was his? No...that can't be right.

Wizardmon sat up slowly, taking careful note of Inori, and shifting so he would be able to at least take a hit if it went towards her. The girl's leg seemed to be damaged, if the state of her clothing was any indication of anything.

"I'm sorry, Inori...I..." He started, only to be cut off by her laughing.

"Don't you dare. My choice." She stated, giving herself a bit more time to recover.