The plain plains

[Dante]

Dante noted Shiv ignoring Wizardmon's question, looking like he was trying his best to ignore Yang's humming, and also Yin's incredible focus on whatever he was doing at that moment. Neither particularly mattered to him, but they were good to note. He smiled a little as he faced Wizardmon.

"I slept about as well as can be expected, but it was restful enough."

There was only so much rest that could really be expected of one who took the second of three watches, but Dante had somehow acquitted himself quite well in the rest department. He was more than willing to chalk it up to the fact that his watch was really peaceful or something like that, but ultimately that didn't matter either. The three of them were all just walking, heading towards some mansion or other, hoping to find traces of a group of kids none of them seemed to particularly want to make the acquaintance of. Comical, actually, if one thought of it like that. None of them necessarily wanted to find what they were looking for, and yet they were looking for it anyway...

[Inori]

"That's good." Wizardmon replied with what sounded like a smile. "Next time we will take the second watch, so you can get something closer to a full night's rest."

Inori chuckled lightly. "It'll be like finals week all over again."

"What week?" Wizardmon tilted his head slightly.

"Big tests...and pulling wierd hours to finish projects." Inori replied, making a vague gesture with her hand. "Never mind."

"You could always never sleep." Alchemon chuckled in a low tone from behind Inori.

"Yea, I'll get on that after the levitating thing." Inori shook her head, then laughed.

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv heard the rookie's glib remark about not sleeping in stride, not letting his stride change. Inside his head, his neurons were firing like firecrackers at the fourth of July. Alchemon not needing to sleep was an interesting development, albeit not a terribly surprising one. Shiv wondered if the rookie had any flaws at all. The only exploit that Shiv could see in the dark digimon's demeanor was that he had an almost fanatical devotion to Inori. Although as soon as he thought it, Shiv realized that devotion was the wrong word to use. He couldn't figure out what Alchemon saw in Inori, why he was willing to go to such great lengths for her. He had none of the characteristics that any of the other partners had. He seemed to be a follower like Yin.

Shiv looked thoughtfully at the others in the group. There strides betrayed little about the minds within. Dante's laid-back gait with a slight stiffness in the shoulders. Inori's methodical, rhythmic step. Both of these children had minds within, well guarded and seclusive. Shiv wondered what they had gone through in their lives that would make them this way.

The clouds in the sky drifted lazily by as the day progressed with little excitement. Yin and Yang conversed about this and that, mostly consisting of Yang pointing out something and Yin confirming its existence. Shiv lazily looking at the clouds, but always keeping in his mind the placements of everyone as they continued along. He would be ready for any attack, from anyone. Though truly, if Yang turned on the party, the shock of it would definitely cause a problem in Shiv's leadership skills.

[Dante]

For reasons as inexplicable as they were amusing, Dante felt like interjecting into Inori's conversation.

"What we could do is have you learn levitation, me learn to never sleep, then we'll teach each other. Saves time and I get to learn not to sleep, too."

Okay, so that could have gone better. Dante was surprisingly inept at social interaction. It wasn't that he couldn't relate to people, but rather that he chose not to and had done so for so long that his people skills had begun to erode. He could still talk to people and perhaps even make a couple friends along the way, but he kept his confidence to himself alone and such a solitary existence inevitably led further into solitude. Even as he walked along, he was unconsciously keeping tabs on everyone he could see without being conspicuous about his sight lines. His senses were tuned in particular to Shiv and company, who were lagging behind. If there was a backstabbing to come, it would likely come from that one. Although it was also possible that while Dante's attention was focused on Shiv, Inori would see this as her opportunity. Or, still more disturbing a thought, perhaps they were working in concert, having decided that Dante and Nyaromon weren't worth traveling with. Well, if it came down to a scrap, Dante would fight them with all he had, ridiculous disadvantage or no. If it looked like Nyaromon would get hurt, though, he'd run. All in all, if one of the two of them, if not both, decided to betray him, there wasn't much he could do about it, and that set him on edge.

Nyaromon sensed the increasing tension in her partner and nudged him.

"Easy, Dante. You're kinda hurting me a little."

It was a total lie, but it would get Dante to relax a little, and perhaps even focus elsewhere.

"Sorry, Nyaromon," he replied, relaxing his grip, "I suppose I get a little tense when I know someone's following me."

The obvious reference to Shiv couldn't possibly be missed, and it also deflected attention away from the real reasons for his increasing tension. They had been walking for a while, so getting more and more nervous because Shiv was following rather than walking with the two of them was a totally reasonable excuse, right? He could only hope that Inori wouldn't see through his lie.

[Inori]

Alchemon seemed oddly amused. "Who is to say I cannot levitate?" He pointed out, his scarf mimicking a shrugging gesture.

Wizardmon rolled his eyes and shook his head, the gesture directed so that Alchemon could not see it.

"So, these other children that we might find. They're probably going to have partners too hmm?" Inori stated to nobody in particular. "I wonder what sort of creatures they are. I mean, considering the vast differences between the three of us and the five of you...." The last part was directed at Wizardmon.

"If one of them wears goggles and has Agumon following him, I am out of here." Alchemon commented aloud. "That is always asking for trouble."

Inori raised an eyebrow, to which Wizardmon shook his head. "Long story...don't worry about it."

[shivdeeviant]

Yang stopped humming for a moment, looking thoughtful.

"I bet I'd look great in goggles. Shiv too, for that matter."

Shiv gave him a sharp look.

"Not happening." Shiv said with finality.

"Yeah," muttered Yang, "You're right. It would probably clash with that bandana. Why don't you take that bandana off?"

"This bandana goes nowhere, and aren't my sunglasses enough?" asked Shiv defensively.

"Why do you even wear the bandana?" said Yang innocently, "Are you bald underneath? Did you have surgery done on your brain when you were a baby?"

"No!" Cried Shiv, flustered, "There is nothing wrong with my head! I just like the Bandanna, it helps keep sweat out of my eyes."

"Hmm," mused Yang, rubbing his chin.

All of a sudden and with surprising speed, Yang launched himself at Shiv. Before Shiv could react, Yang was behind him, bandana in his stony hand.

"Yang!" Shouted Shiv, "Give that back!"

Shiv lunged at Yang, but Yang dodged to the side and took off toward the other two chosen, intending to pass them and continue heading in the direction they were going.

"I guess I was wrong!" Shouted Yang over his shoulder, "You do have nice hair!"

Shiv's hair was reddish brown, like sun-baked clay. It was short, like it had recently been cut, but was pressed down on his head from the constant wearing of the bandana. To say that Shiv had a bad case of hat hair was an understatement bordering on criminal. Shiv, huffing loudly, tore after Yang.

Yin sat out of this entire predicament, enjoying Shiv's discomfort.

[Dante]

Dante paused ever so briefly as he noticed a ruckus behind him. Go figure, Yang was being a little punk again. Dante rolled his eyes. Still, there was something intensely amusing about Shiv's discomfort, especially seeing as it broke up some of the tedium of just walking, knowing that they weren't going to reach their destination today. He chuckled as Yang zoomed by, shouting something about Shiv's hair. A blur followed him, reddish brown hair trying to wave in the wind of his passage, but repressed by such a long time beneath a bandanna. Dante remembered as the blur passed a lesson he was once taught by one of his vagrant friends. The man had been a wizard, and had taught Dante the art of what he called the "redistribution of property." What on the face of it was simple pickpocketing was the sharing between friends of one deviant little soul's ambition to one day be good enough to not only take things from people, but put them back as well. While Dante had no idea if that person had yet reached his goal, he did know that if he timed his hand just right...there. He looked down at Nyaromon wearing Shiv's sunglasses.

"What do you think, huh?"

Nyaromon looked up, suppressing a chuckle.

"I think Shiv is going to be angry with you. He wasn't too pleased with Yang for stealing that bandanna, you know..."

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv felt the sunglasses slip off from over his eyes in the space between moments and instantaneously pushed off of his left foot. This had the effect of killing his forward momentum, which all in all wasn't much as Shiv wasn't that heavy a kid, and projecting him toward Dante.

Shiv twisted as he turned so that he was facing Dante, there was unbridled rage dancing in Shiv's eyes. This took just enough time that Dante was able to ask and be replied to by Nyaromon. When Dante glanced up again, he would see Shiv careening through the air at him, a human projectile with the intent to tackle.

"GIVE THAT BACK YOU ASS!" Bellowed Shiv.

[Dante]

(Sorry for skipping you, Inori-chan! I decided to initiate party combat to pass the time!)

Dante looked up, ready to explain himself to a probably irritated Shiv, and stared directly into the extremely furious eyes of a literally ballistic Shiv. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, time beginning to slow in his eyes like it had in the fight with Nohemon. He made a mental note in that fraction of an instant to ponder the dilations that had seemed to accompany the start of battle while he was waiting for an indication that Nyaromon would handle the fight. A Fox Tail would snap Shiv out of it. Or maybe it would just piss him off more. Either way, when no indication came, he tossed her to his right.

Traitor... he thought to himself with an internal smirk as his arm moved all too slowly to cast aside the small digimon lest she get hurt by the struggle between him and the other boy.

She left his hand, propelled in part by a hop on her part, the instant before Shiv impacted his quarry. Both boys tumbled to the ground, but it wasn't until they hit that Dante was able to get his hands anywhere near Shiv. The other had the advantage, momentary as it was, but the fight was only beginning, and Shiv wouldn't hit Dante too hard. After all, would he risk breaking his own glasses?

For Nyaromon's part, no way was she going to get in the middle of this. It was Dante's fight. He was the one who'd pickpocketed Shiv's eyewear right off his face, and if he thought she was going to protect him from well deserved vengeance, he had another thing coming, and before she could even turn around, he was already in the process of receiving it. Now it was her turn to see the combat abilities of her partner.

[Inori]

Inori frowned at the turn of events. It was more annoying then anything. This was not going to help what little group cohesion there was.

"Oh good. Entertainment." Alchemon mused in a quiet tone not meant for others to hear.

"Is this normal?" Wizardmon inquired, peering up at Inori. She shook her head quickly.

"No, this is potentially very bad." She replied, then raised her voice at the two fighting boys. "Knock it off you two!"

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv brought himself to a straddling position on Dante's stomach. Shiv did not hear Inori's plea, so lost was he in his anger. This was just like any other day at school, bullies were trying to take what was his and he had to do something about it. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to do anything more than merely take it back.

Shiv had already been suspended from school once for breaking a boys nose. His parents had overreacted, their shock at their perfect child being capable of such violence had sent Shiv into a deep depression for several months. During this time, Shiv had wondered what the purpose of violence was, and began studying history. He immersed himself in the strategies of war, the tactics of different cultures and nations. He discovered the glories of honorable combat and the usefulness of guerrilla warfare. He looked at self-defense, where to hit a man to make it hurt with little damage, or where it hurt and caused a lot of damage.

He chose one of the latter for his first strike.

Curling his fingers halfway to his palm, Shiv used his index and middle fingers to jab at Dante's throat. The blow intended to stun Dante and limit his breathing. And even as he made this strike, he was pulling his left fist back for an overhand thump to Dante's chest.

[Dante]

Dante was hurting. The impact with the ground wasn't comfortable, but it was mostly shock that he was dealing with. That was until he opened his eyes. He heard a voice somewhere far away from him cry out, but he didn't hear the words as he stared into the eyes of his companion. Shiv's orbs held no solace, no mercy, no hope of a diplomatic solution. Something clicked over in Dante's brain upon seeing such a look again. He'd seen it once before, or rather one like it. The situation had been similar. What had started innocuous enough had resulted in Dante being pinned under someone he'd trusted. He'd gone home with several injuries, having not thrown a single punch in that fight, and had resolved to never be so foolish as to trust again. Now, years later, he was true to his word. He'd known that Shiv would betray. It was human nature. What had begun as a joke was now a fight. Shiv had become the enemy, and not one Nyaromon would help him fight. Well so much the better. This was between Dante and Shiv, and Dante knew who he'd allow to prevail.

He saw Shiv curl his fingers back and aim a weird looking strike towards his chin and moved his right arm to catch the blow and divert it off course. He didn't fail to notice Shiv's left fist moving to strike as well, and moved his right arm up to close the avenue of the attack. With his left fist, he struck upward, towards Shiv's ribs beneath the deflected right arm. All the while, he looked for a point of leverage by which to get out from the disadvantaged position he found himself in.

[shivdeeviant]

(Sorry, breaking turn order again)

Shiv felt his blows be deflected, and foresaw the counterattack coming. Rather than block the strike, Shiv diverted it with a quick bend of his elbow. This had the desired effect of aiming the punch at his stomach. Shiv tensed his stomach muscles and bent over the punch. The impact was lessened, but it still hurt. Shiv cried out in pain and rage as he continued his downward bend into a headbutt aimed at Dante's mouth!

Yang turned, his mouth falling open. This was not what he wanted at all! They weren't supposed to be fighting! Yang started running back to his partner. This needed to end.

Yin sank into an objective watchfulness. These humans were weak! They could only flail about when in danger. Pathetic.

[Dante]

(When in Rome...be a jerk and apologize later! I promise it's not because we don't like you, Inori!)

So his counterattack failed. That wasn't all that important to Dante. He expected to have trouble inflicting significant damage from a position like the one they were in. What was important was that Shiv's face was suddenly getting a lot closer than it needed to be, and coming in fast! Dante's body moved on its own, first to deny his order to move, then shifting without his bidding to move his head out of the way at the last possible second. He wasn't even paying attention to whether Shiv hit the ground or stopped in time to avoid it, because while that was going on, he was taking a second to rally his strength for a concerted push to try and swap positions with Shiv. As he propelled himself into the body of his assailant, hoping to dislodge him, he swung around with his left fist, digging it into the appropriate side of the body, hoping to thereby distract and lessen the tension. If he could manage to get to a position of even neutral advantage, Shiv would suddenly need to worry about what Dante could do to someone who would dare turn on him after all they had been through. This time it would be the betrayer who limped home, not the betrayed.

Nyaromon sat frozen in the moment, watching two boys who had been friendly enough even a moment before attacking each other with the utmost in intensity. She wanted to cry out, to get them to stop, but she knew from the look in their eyes that they couldn't hear words any longer. It was like a living nightmare for her. Dante was her partner. She was supposed to protect him, but did that include from other humans? Why wasn't she strong enough to break the fight up? Why couldn't she even move or yell out to them? Tears streamed down her face as she came to realize the depth of her helplessness, her powerlessness to intervene to keep her partner from getting hurt. Just like with Nohemon. She was useless, a disgrace to the name of chosen digimon, and all she could do was sit and cry bitter tears, hoping that her partner would be okay.

[shivdeeviant]

(Great apologies again!)

Shiv's face was able to stop before it hit the ground, which was good. It would have been a shame if Shiv had hurt himself following his own plan. Shiv's head snapped up, his mouth clamping over the leg of his errant sunglasses, and pulled them off of Dante's head. Then Dante lurched forward, trying to even the odds. This returned Shiv to his sitting position. And right into line of Yang's charge.

Yang tackled Shiv, throwing him off of Dante and clattering him to the ground.

Shiv grunted with the impact, but his glasses were still in his mouth. He smiled, a look of victory in his eyes, and he snatched his bandana that was still held by his partner.

"Shiv!" cried Yang, "What was that!? You need to play nice with the other children!"

"You sound like my mother," mumbled Shiv, still keeping his eye on Dante.