Silence In The Snow [Katsuro/Claire]

[Katsuro Hachi]

HERE WE ALL STAND

The trees were shaking idly in the frigid northern winds, the odd needle springing free of the pines and firs and taking to the air. The sky was blank; it was a pale, cloudless blue, the sun an almost whitened-yellow dot in the sky, its power vastly diminished as it cast a characterless stare down upon the steppe.

The needles continued to drift as the air current carried them, shedding some of their number when intercepted by other crosswinds, scattering like ripples in a pool or a pack of startled animals. One continued to drift its pre-planned path however, as wantonly and nonchalant as it seemed, carrying on its original trajectory.

Before long the wind begun to let up, reducing itself to a spluttering set of buffeting bursts like an aged, dysfunctional engine. Temporarily they would stabilise it, keep it present soaring and slaloming through the dark evergreens, before allowing it release again once more, and leaving it to fall.

Eventually the turbulence died; but the pine needle was not left to the cruel merciless grasp of gravity. Instead it settled gently, drifting from side to side like a feather, until it landed against the armoured, red-and-orange foot of an alpine guardian, who stood now, his hands bared and hot with residual flames, his eyes black darts, and his breath a haggard white fog upon the air.

He had burnt away the snow to reveal patches of the dark, crisp, frozen patches of grassless green beneath. The holes were wet but some of them scorched. The smell of burning fur was upon the air and the tree bark of this particular group of cedars was intermittently charred black, sap bubbling and hissing as the decades-old trapped molecules of oxygen within the tree's bark lining were given sweet release.

The Shadramon grunted as his hands acclimatised to the cool. The smoking, patchy pelts of a pack of four or five dispersed and now unmoving Gabumon were visible from behind the trees, tucked away. Their physical forms trembled for a moment, before giving way and finally crumbling into their thousand-strong crystalline protein shells. Data.

ATTACKS USED: N/A
HIVEMIND STACKS: 1

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

"I said, I'm fine."

Though no physical mark could be seen from the Devimon fight, Claire felt her body ache with every movement. Taking a direct hit from a Death's Hand was not a moment to be taken lightly, and her usually sturdy frame trembled every so often with pointed reminders of the dark energy damage taken.

Try as he might, Walter was unable to convince his tamer to take some time off from the Digital World, even temporarily. Her injuries had been severe, but stubborn as ever, Claire refused to rest. If she hadn't collapsed from the effort, Walter didn't doubt that she would have been out and about the very same night- she sure as hell had tried. Walter didn't know who was going to have a heart attack first- him, from worry, or her from overexertion.

"You are not fine," he pointed out for what felt like the hundredth time, sighing heavily. "Wherever you want to go, I'll be happy to carry you, Claire."

Claire shot him a glare. Walter had insisted on staying in his Lekismon form, hovering over her in case he needed to catch her- much to the woman's plain annoyance. As much as she loved her friend, he always got like this when she was injured- like she was this fragile girl hadn't been wounded before. "Nonsense, I have legs." Never mind that she was panting from the effort of going up the hill- unusual for her. "I'm not made of glass, Walter," she growled. "I'm just a little injured." Understatement of the month, for sure.

Her pride wouldn't let her be carried, much less rest. What would she miss if she were to spend time away? With the terrorist attack, it seemed like things were just getting fun. This world was her land, and she didn't want to miss a moment of it if she could help it.

The smell of burning filled the air, and walking just a few ( painful )steps forward, the two arrived on the scene just in time to see seared Gabumon disperse into data- and now they were standing directly across from the attacker.

"Awfully cruel of you to exterminate them like that," Claire remarked, making an attempt to straighten up fully and laying a hand on her sword instinctively- likely wouldn't be much use if the Shadramon used the same attack he used on the Gabumon as them, however. "I wonder what they did to agitate you..?" Walter stepped closer to his tamer, ready to pick her up against her will- for all they knew, this Digimon could be mad.

Why could they never just avoid confrontation? Claire called it confidence, he said recklessness.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

ON THIS CANVAS OF WHITE

"Awfully cruel of you to exterminate them like that," He'd caught wind of them making their approach, but hadn't turned to meet them yet. Katsuro looked back over his shoulder; Tamer and Digimon, as he'd expected. A Lekismon -- a tried-and-true Champion! Perhaps if things went badly, he had an excuse to break out the next totem in the line. That'd be fun. "I wonder what they did to agitate you..?"

The Shadramon looked from side to side, before turning around to face them directly. There was nothing left but scorch marks now; the data had channeled into him free and clear, and he sighed. The smell of charred fur still hung in the air amid the fresh smell of powdery snow, that said. Katsuro admired the smears and tufts of half-melted hair clinging to his gauntlet, idly trying to wipe it off as a human would pick at their nails.

"Cruel doesn't come into it," She had her hand on a sword; and the moon-rabbit looked just about as apprehensive as he would expect, even if it was hanging back a little. "They were feral. They were running around like uncivilised beasts, with no respect for the natural or digital laws imposed upon them. There was no cruelty, no agitation. They needed exterminating, and I happened to be nearby." It was all happenstance to Katsuro. Wrong place, wrong time for them, and the very opposite for him.

"Is that going to be a problem?" The moth nodded in the general direction of her blade, scraping the molten strands of fur off of his armour. The grass was too short to continue burning. This particular stretch of snow-tipped arable land was safe from self-combustion today. "If you're going to use your toothpick, girl, I suggest you do it quickly. I will not tolerate any further aggressive behaviour, and I'm starting to grow tired of your stance already."

"So," Katsuro lowered his hands and centred his gaze. Lekismon. Moon, ice, physical combat. He had come across one or two; specifically up this end of the world, too. "What will it be? Stand down and talk, or draw blade and fight?"

ATTACKS USED: N/A
HIVEMIND STACKS: 2
TAG: CLAIRE LYON

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

Mad indeed.

Claire had to raise an eyebrow at his response- seemingly, he was no beast, at least not entirely. He had enough "humanity" - so to speak - to have a reason behind his attack, although whether that reason was justified or ludicrous was strictly a matter of opinion. Herself, she couldn't be bothered to care for a mere couple of wild Gabumon, one way or the other and so didn't care for the debate- her mind was on the odd Shadramon himself.

The soft smile that appeared on her lips as he spoke gave the expression of amusement on her delicate features. Feisty, this one- a peculiar fellow, to be sure, maybe just as peculiar as she was. He gave the impression of some kind of enforcer of the law, righteous as if he had any real authority in this world. And if that was what he believed, surely he was delusional.

Well, that suited her just fine.

"Perhaps," she said softly after he'd finished speaking, tensing her hand on the blade handle. A speech like that deserved a proper answer, to be sure. "They needed exterminating, you say? Ferals, living wild and free- I'd say there's nothing wrong with beasts living how they please. There's not a thing wrong with anyone living how they please, and I'm unsure why you think you have the right to decide what is the right and wrong way to live." She didn't give much thought to her real opinion on the matter- it was more to see what kind of reaction she could provoke from the Digimon.

"Forgive me, it's a little unclear. Do you fancy yourself some kind of officer? Or perhaps- more likely- a budding dictator of sorts, thrusting his ideals and way of life upon others?" She pulled the sword from its sheath, preparing to fight despite her current state- Walter looked at her with alarm. "If that's the case, I simply can't allow such an individual to continue to exist."

"W-wait," Walter interjected, putting both on his gloved hands up. Of course, he would protect Claire with every fiber of his being no matter what he had to do, but he didn't trust his tamer to keep herself safe. For her own good, he stepped in front of her, much to the woman's indignation. "If possible, Shadramon, I'd like to avoid any more violence."

"Walter-"

"She was badly injured fighting in the Terabyte City attack, and I've been worried sick about her all morning," he said, quite honestly. It might be a mistake telling him about her injuries, but he felt he had to try to see if the Shadramon could be reasoned with- even if it meant overstepping Claire's command over him. "If she duels with you, I fear she may collapse, or worse. And while I, personally, do not bear any ill will towards you, I can't say that I'd think she'd stay back during our battle."

Behind him, Claire's eyes narrowed at Walter's insubordination. The damage had been done, but she was still hoping for continued aggression, and kept her sword drawn in preparation for it.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

OUR PALETTE HOLDS ONE SHADE TONIGHT

"Ferals, living wild and free- I'd say there's nothing wrong with beasts living how they please." A battle of wills and wits, was it? Bizarre that she should choose to challenge him personally with her blade. It didn't matter. Katsuro smirked and retorted in kind.

"I would. It's the phrase you used, see: beasts. This world has laws that must be followed, at all and any cost, to ensure it continues to exist in the capacity we know it to." It was a simple, textbook, canned explanation that he chanted when any confronted him about his work. "Attacking an agent and paragon of those laws is a heinous crime punishable solely by death." In other words? "They started it." It was as simple and black-and-white to him as that; when in reality he had, of course, provoked them upon his descent.

"There's not a thing wrong with anyone living how they please, and I'm unsure why you think you have the right to decide what is the right and wrong way to live."

"Is that so? Perhaps, then, we should all live like lawless, anarchistic animals, free from all mindful watch, without laws or governing bodies or institutions to guide us. We should all frolic naked in the forests and roll around in mud with leaves over our genitalia." Katsuro scoffed. This was ludicrous and infantile to him. "Grow up, girl. I have this right because I serve the Digital World, I am a paragon of its laws and an appointed avatar of its justice." Self-appointed.

"Forgive me, it's a little unclear. Do you fancy yourself some kind of officer? Or perhaps- more likely- a budding dictator of sorts, thrusting his ideals and way of life upon others?" Katsuro started to squirm; his superiority was starting to crack, and behind it was a force of wrath. A dictator? She thought him a dictator for simply serving his duty?! It was time, he had decided, to show him who she was. He cast his wings out, broad and infernal in their design as they fluttered, aside him. "If that's the case, I simply can't allow such an individual to continue to exist."

"I, child, am the Osuzumebachi." There it was, once more. "I am a servant of the Hive, and by extension, the natural and wrought desires and foundations of this world we live in. I am its line of defence, its purifier, its enforcer, its judge, jury, and executioner. That is why I have the right to decide how it is right to live one's life, and why I have the right to change those who think otherwise." He advanced on her, stepping forwards. "And that is why I have the right to exercise my justice and vengeance upon any who think themselves above or beyond the reach of natural law." He advanced on her, his hackles raised, his eyes black slits. He had heard enough.

"W-wait," The Lekismon rapidly stepped between them. "If possible, Shadramon, I'd like to avoid any more violence. She was badly injured fighting in the Terabyte City attack, and I've been worried sick about her all morning," The attack? The Shadramon opened his eyes an inch. So the girl fancied herself a hero, yes? Well, not even heroes were exempt from the Code, as far as he were concerned. "If she duels with you, I fear she may collapse, or worse. And while I, personally, do not bear any ill will towards you, I can't say that I'd think she'd stay back during our battle." The Lekismon -- Walter, he had heard her say -- was smart.

"Hm." Katsuro lowered his gauntlets and twitched his wings. "Usually it is the Digimon who serves as a pet to be leashed and fight upon their Tamer's whim, but in this situation, girl, it seems you are the pet here." He turned then to the Lekismon. "For your courtesy and your inoffence, I will grant her a moment's grace. She would do well to listen to you and cease threatening a protector of the Digital World." It was not quite, the Hive had dictated, a grievous enough crime to be punishable by death -- her rabbit had made sure of that. The Shadramon stepped back. "I will not fight, but..."

But it could not go ignored. What, then, would he take from her? Would he clap her in irons and carry her to Borealis to rot under Dianamon's crystalline palace? Would he take a limb, leave her burnt so she would remember to mind her manners around her betters? Katsuro flapped his wings idly, before it dawned on him. He set his eyes on the blade. Justice gave, and so it took.

"But your behaviour against an official justicar of the Digital World must not go unpunished. You must pay for what you have done, and if not in blood..." The Shadramon stepped back, erecting space between them. "You will give me your sword." Katsuro begun to smile as best he could with his snout's restrictions. "The tax of iron is less than the tax of blood. Place it at my feet and you may both leave here with your lives." If he would not have justice in her death, he would have it in its own dividends.

The girl would pay.

ATTACKS USED: N/A
HIVEMIND STACKS: 3
TAG: CLAIRE LYON

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

Quirking an eyebrow, the woman simply nodded, smiling at the Digimon as if he were humoring a child playing make-believe. As aggressive as he was, she'd dare to say she liked the theatrical fellow, in the way that one would like a villain from a television show- he definitely had enough personality to keep her amused. It had been a while since she'd found someone like that. "Of course. If that is what one wishes, all one would need to do is remove themselves from the society they didn't ask to be born into. That is what free will is."

He mocked her, as if she cared for his opinion one way or the other. "And may I ask, who exactly appointed you? This... Hive, you speak of, presumably?"" she eyed him with amusement, deciding to push him further. "The way you speak of it, sounds like a great and terrible order indeed. Such self-important tyrants should be exterminated from the Digital World like the infestations they are."

If there was one thing he had a point about however, it was Walter's behavior.

While she cared not about what the Shadramon or anyone else thought about the relationship between the two, Walter had overstepped boundaries never crossed before- something Claire wasn't entirely sure how to react to, if she was perfectly honest. He'd chided her many a time, complained about her actions, but nothing like this- becoming overprotective, like she was indeed, a child, as the Digimon had put it. It was a touching as it was noble, but she didn't like it- not from him, the partner that had always bent over backwards to her will.

Perhaps it mattered not however. With his next words, the Shadramon ensured that she most certainly would not pay willingly. A sword could be replaced- easily, in fact- but Claire was not one to turn down a challenge.

Though Walter had gained an expression of relief, it dropped off his face when the young woman barked a short laugh at the command. "Oh, 'official' justicar, is it? You're quite the humorous man, sir Osuzumebachi." His name was said with mocking emphasis, smiling despite the wince in pain as she readied her stance. Claire was not raised to be a quitter. She had failed throughout her life many a time, but laying down and giving up was simply not something she did. "Simply 'giving' you my sword would be suicide, would it not? I do not trust you not to slay me where I stand if I lay it down. Besides, how would I defend myself, in this world full of the powerful and obviously insane?" A nod was sent in his direction, as well as a smirk.

She stepped around to her partner's side, moving slightly away from the rabbit in the process- at this point, she wondered if her own Digimon would be the one to take the blade from her hands. "Perhaps, my Digimon would protect me, but a tamer standing idly in the background without helping her partner is pathetic, don't you think? Injured as I might be, I will stand with my friend." Everything continued to ache, but the adrenaline was beginning to pump through her. "Still, if you still insist upon having my sword, you're free to take it- pry it from my fingers, if you must."

Petty and foolish? Of course. Melodramatic? Yes, obviously, but so was he. She had done nothing wrong- despite what this deranged bug thought, this world was a lawless place.

Maybe it was a little out of spite for Walter, as well.

The rabbit grimaced, reluctantly bending his knees to prime for battle. It wasn't at all that he was afraid to fight- as a Digimon, he could take a lot more than a human. But he was afraid for Claire, her and her rash ways. For a moment the Lekismon was tempted to offer himself, but he knew that wouldn't fly with Claire- not in the combative mood she was in.

"Osuzumebachi, as infuriating as she might be- I know better than anyone- she has done nothing worth punishment." Well, that was an outright lie, but no need to let their friend here know that. "We are not truly the evil you fight against."

It could never just be easy to keep her safe, for once.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

SILENCE SNOWS IN

"Of course. If that is what one wishes, all one would need to do is remove themselves from the society they didn't ask to be born into. That is what free will is." Katsuro shook his head in exasperation. The girl's naivete was almost astounding. "And may I ask, who exactly appointed you? This... Hive, you speak of, presumably? The way you speak of it, sounds like a great and terrible order indeed. Such self-important tyrants should be exterminated from the Digital World like the infestations they are." That was it. He cared nothing more for what she had to say. Even if the sword went down, it was simple: today, the girl would burn.

"Free will? FREE WILL!?" Katsuro spat upon the floor, a globule of insectoid expulsion. "By living in this world as more than the specks of data we breathe in lieu of air, they sacrifice their free will by accepting these limitations! They consent to our laws, to the foundations of our society! Their tacit agreement is all I need to see fit they perish for disobedience. There is no true free will here." He cast his wings out wide and broad aside him, veins bulging within as she continued then on a tirade against the Hive. It was crunching at the back of his mind, the ambient buzzing rising, along with the anger, the passion for what he did, surging and pumping through his veins.

"The Hive is an ancient foundation and core of this world. To suggest it is incorrect in anything it orders its agents to do is... is... is..." He could not fathom how wrong he believed the girl to be, bursting out with: "LUDICROUS! Haha!" He shook his head, looking to the Lekismon. "Is she perhaps always this awful when you babysit her, guardian?"

"I do not trust you not to slay me where I stand if I lay it down." Katsuro had stopped listening to the rest. He cast his arms out wide and begun to sigh, shrugging in relative agreement. It was the first statement she had made all evening that made relative sense, and was anywhere close to being correct. At this point, he would execute the both of them, sword or not. "Still, if you still insist upon having my sword, you're free to take it- pry it from my fingers, if you must."

"Gladly." The Shadramon fluttered his wings. "I was almost hoping you would say that. I've been waiting to a chance to stretch my legs," He cocked his head quickly to where the Gabumon pack had met their respective demises, behind him. "They were little more than a warm-up!" The Lekismon gave it one more chance, but Walter was too late: he could see the bent knee, the fighting stance. They were both displaying aggression now. He would tolerate this no more.

[ INITIATE BATTLE THEME ]

"We are not truly the evil you fight against." Perhaps. Perhaps he was right. But there was one thing he knew, and now, his cards would fall from his chest, and he would let slip the adapted code. The Hive spoke for him now, his form a mouthpiece for the Spirit's ideology.

"That may well be true," Katsuro backstepped, shaking fire into his gauntlets. "But if you are not part of the solution..." At first he lunged them dead ahead, as if he were aiming between the pair. But quickly enough, he leveled each of them, dead at the respective members of the duo. "You are part of the PROBLEM! SPIRAL BLAZE!" With no further ado, the gauntlets detached, aflame and charged, ready to burst upon impact: a wonderful incendiary bomb, and a prime opening to his symphony of execution if they both, especially the wounded Tamer, made themselves immobile enough to let the would-be missiles hit.

It was, however, part of a two-pronged manoeuvre: the moment both gauntlets detached from his hands and became flaming rockets, he begun to beat his wings rapidly, and launching himself upwards into the sky with gratuitous speed, to watch above. Perhaps they would strike at him from below: or perhaps Walter would try to join him! He sighed, almost, up there as the winds grew frigid and powerful, their blistering force starting to lash at his armour. He almost felt a tad impolite, too.

The staff at the orphanage had always taught him not to play with his food.

ATTACKS USED: SPIRAL BLAZE
HIVEMIND STACKS: 4
TAG: CLAIRE LYON

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

Not one to take things personally in this world, Claire shrugged off the Digimon's laugh at her as the ramblings of a disillusioned lunatic. Still, quite a mouth he had on him she had to wonder who wrote his speeches. "Never heard of them," she said dismissively, and would have shrugged in a grandiose way if she weren't wary of the pain it might cause.

If Walter were to answer, he'd say yes, she was in fact always like this, but never before had he seen it necessary to intervene, as much as he nearly always disagreed with her actions.

He blamed himself, really- if only he hadn't spent so much time hovering over her- no, if only he'd physically forced her to stay home and rest, this wouldn't have happened. Or maybe, instead of pestering her to rest, he could have quietly let her patrol the city... maybe that would have quieted her restlessness enough that she didn't have to wander and eventually run into this maniac. The Lekismon had tried, and if Claire was the type to stay back like the so 'pathetic' tamers she described, he wouldn't have a problem with taking on the Shadramon.

But now the real show started. With Osuzumebachi calling his first strike, the battle begun.

Walter's powerful legs however, aimed first not at the foe during it, but gave his tamer a swift, unexpected kick, roughly sending Claire tumbling into a small patch of unburned snow a short distance away. She hit the powder hard on her side and coughed hard, winded from the impact- it took the woman a second to realize what had happened.

He hit her.

Possibly, she could see, it had been to avoid the rockets, but anger still burned in her eyes. She had been ready to move, and felt she was still capable of dodging on her own, even if it hurt. She was wounded, not incapacitated. The coward had flown into the air, but the two of them were surely more than enough to beat him. Together.

Walter didn't look at her, focusing on the fight. He had no choice but to take charge. The Lekismon would likely have some apologizing to do for that later- among other things- but it was better him than the rockets, which he then leaped away from- considering what happened to the Gabumon, a firey ranged attack was to be expected.

But an aerial strike? As a ground-based Digimon, this was going to be hard to deal with.

Skidding to a halt at the end of his jump, Walter launched his own attack, pointing at the flier. "Tear Arrow!" An icy arrow went shooting for the Shadramon, immediately after which Walter moved again, this time for Claire- at this point, she had antagonized the Shadramon enough that he would be going for her regardless of her current state, and any attempts at peace had failed. He hated to say it, and he didn't think he could to her face, but she was currently just a liability.

He had to get her out of here.

---

○ TEAR ARROW - Summons an arrow of ice and fires it at the foe.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

HER WINTRY CHILL

It was no surprise to him that she had not heard tell of the Hive. Katsuro himself had not until he was appointed its avatar and paragon: it was a mysterious and silenced institution, and the Spirit itself seemed to have been reawakened. Of its archaic nature he had no doubt -- perhaps there had been other Osuzumebachis across time?

It did not matter now. He smirked from above, up there in the air, as the rabbit cleft his Tamer aside to move her out of his projectiles' trajectory. The Shadramon cracked a smirk as they detonated and swiftly evaporated in the snow -- both had avoided them thus far, but that did not matter.

His hubris, however, stopped him from seeing the impending attack. Katsuro had not heard the call-out, and as the arrow came whistling through the sky up to meet him where he hovered, it was almost too late. He sidestepped, but the head and its collected chill grazed his leg and opened a deep gash in his armour. The Shadramon winced and it knocked him completely off-kilter, plummeting as his wings begun to beat erratically.

Katsuro regained his aerial priority halfway down and stabilised himself for a landing, sending out a blasting ripple of snow around him as he did so, the edges of the sheared armour still frozen from where the Lekismon's arrow had struck. Perhaps he had underestimated these two a mite. It did not matter. As far as he was concerned, he would still destroy them.

"You caught me off-guard," He admonished with a touch of arrogance. "It won't happen again. FLASH BUSTER!" The Shadramon cracked his newly-reformed gauntlets together; a great burst of blinding light emanated out from them -- unless the duo looked away in time, they would surely suffer the full brunt of its stunning radiance.

Upon the frozen ground, however, moments after that, he skidded around in a quick, circular reversal, gliding his feet along the icy surface, before lunging in from behind with one gauntlet and a simple, basic punch. The Hive was at his back; his agility was fluid and his movement alacritous. His strike, however, was levelled not towards Walter, but instead, Claire -- aimed dead-on for the shoulder of her sword-arm, trying to knock the blade free quickly. He had said he would take the sword from her, and by god, he would take it.

ATTACKS USED: FLASH BUSTER, BASIC ATTACK
HIVEMIND STACKS: 5
TAG: CLAIRE LYON

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

Their foe had the combat skills to back up his claims, to be sure. Claire and Walter were dealing with no novice today.

Walter didn't bother to see if his arrow had hit- damaging the Shadramon was a bonus, to be sure, but he was concerned about moving for his tamer- perhaps it was this carelessness that caused him to be struck, in a sense, by the Shadramon's next move.

The Lekismon shut his eyes just a tad too late and caught the blinding light from the Flash Buster, his sensitive ears ringing with the sound. Mostly deaf and partially blind, the rabbit couldn't help but stagger, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his head and straighten out his senses. White. All he could see was white, blurry white mixed with hints of other colours, and in the snow against pale sky, that was dangerously disorienting.

Claire shielded her eyes from the blast in time however, throwing her free arm over her face. This did not save her from the strike that came next from behind- unable to whirl around in time, she was struck dead in the shoulder. With a hiss of pain, the woman dropped her sword and staggered just a half-step before putting her weight into thrusting back against him, jutting her elbow out and aiming for the face. Armored as he seemed to be, this might not do any significant damage to the Champion, but perhaps could force his head back, somewhat.

Movement. Walter had to stop, and look for movement-- there, it had to be there- that flash of red was with Claire, most certainly.

Though he was tempted to run the insect through with an arrow or stomp him into data, Walter couldn't afford the need to be accurate, not with his vision loss. "Goodnight Bomb!" Doing his best, he aimed for the Shadramon's back and after throwing it charged for the two, swinging hard with a gloved fist at the brightly coloured form- the rabbit cared not at all if he took the sword, but his concern was that he'd use it. "Lunar Pound!"

Hearing her partner's calls, Claire crouched down- if Walter were to somehow miss, she couldn't have him ruining things further by damaging her, as well- he'd already made enough of a mess of things, in her eyes.

---

○ GOODNIGHT BOMB - Summons a perfect sphere of ice in his hands that is then thrown at the foe. Explodes on contact and releases a mist that causes foes to experience major drowsiness for 2 posts, slowing them down. Has a 50% chance of putting lower leveled Digimon to sleep entirely. Has a 3 post cooldown.

○ LUNAR POUND - Strikes the foe quickly and repeatedly. Under moonlight, Walter's Moon Gloves react to give him additional speed and power during this move.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

PAINT THE GROUND RED

The human dropped the sword and thrust her elbow out in a responsive attack. Katsuro weaved underneath it; the Hive was almost fully at his back now. He could feel its power surging thick through him, the noise in the back of his mind loud and heavy, the adrenaline-like compound the Spirit bestowed him with surging through his blood.

The Shadramon grasped the blade deftly as she missed and skimmed backwards, casting it down into the frost where it stuck into the grass at great force, still within melee range -- he wished, now, to toy with her. The Goodnight Bomb skimmed past him, instead shattering on the ground and releasing a thick, foggy mist immediately; that, however, the Shadramon was not deft enough to sidestep. One draw of it was enough; weight descended upon him, and he barrelled away in time, taking a few moments.

The Lekismon, however, did not relent. Its charge and the resultant flurry came in swiftly; and the mist had diminished most of the Hive's boon upon his fleetness. He spluttered and regained vision just in time, raising his armoured hackles, with their increased defensive prowess, to parry most of the rabbit's jabs -- but one skimmed beneath a high block and met his midsection with a crack. Katsuro stumbled backwards, and regained his footing quickly with a glare towards the Lekismon. It was only one strike -- but he knew full well that he would have evaded the rest, had the bomb not reduced his alacrity. It was lucky his defensive boost was still present. The insect let out a low growl. He was growing more aware of his minor underestimation with every passing moment. It did not matter. His wings begun to beat -- but he remained on the ground, back to a pocket of alpine evergreens behind him. Thank the Great Bee he was not farther up the slopes. He kicked the nearby embedded sword up into his arms, clenching it tightly in one of his regrown gauntlets.

"ULTRASOUND..." His wings were beating faster with every passing millisecond; in a matter of moments, they seemed to be liquid flame upon his spine, their form and structure otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Slowly, he begun to step backwards, beyond the treeline of the steppe, their great jagged shadows cast upon him. It was time to stop fighting in the cold, open light of day. "MIMICRY!" His wings stopped beating; on each flank two more, identical image-perfect clones appeared in a flash; and all five of them, Katsuro included, dispersed up into the forested pocket without any warning, each taking perches deep within their rich green breadth, treading lightly upon branches, perching between leaves from above.

They would continue to move, each jumping from tree to tree -- thanks to Walter's mist, not fast enough to flit as they would usually. The area was small, but dense with the pines: rooting the original Katsuro out would surely take some doing. Chiding voices begun to echo out from five different, ever-changing positions within the trees, the Shadramon now barely visible under the thick canopy cover. It was a taunt. He was taunting them.

"Won't..." "...you..." "...come..." "...in..." "...and..." "...get..." "...your..." "...sword..." "...back?"

ATTACKS USED: FLASH BUSTER (STILL ACTIVE FOR 1 TURN, 1 POST COOLDOWN REMAINING), GOODNIGHT BOMB (EFFECTS ACTIVE FOR 2 MORE TURNS), ULTRASOUND MIMICRY

HIVEMIND STACKS: 7	TAG: CLAIRE LYON
HEALTH: 75%	ATTACK: 100%
DEFENSE: 170%	SPEED: 120%

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

Walter halted here he stood in front of Claire. Ears were perked, trying to catch any sound and still failing- Osuzumebachi's taunts went unheard on his end at least, but that didn't stop the Lekismon from speaking anyway. "Enough of this, Shadramon. I said, I don't want to fight you if I can help it- keep the sword."

It wasn't that he was really hurt- the only thing that had really hindered him so far was the flashbang. But whatever this fellow's sense of honor was- if he had any- did not match Walter's own. Shadramon's target constantly seemed to be his tamer, and an injured tamer at that.

As angry as he was for the strike on Claire, this was going to go nowhere for them- he was stressed enough as it was. The Shadramon was swift and skilled- clearly, whatever the true nature of his calling, this Hive of his had chosen him for a reason. At this time, fighting him was foolhardy- the effects of Flash Buster hadn't let up yet, and he was unsure of when they would.

"We'll be leaving your territory shortly."

That is, if he allowed it without attacking them first, as Walter strongly suspected he would. For now, the rabbit Digimon remained still in his position in front of Claire. He blinked quickly, keeping an eye out primarily for red.

But on Claire's side, it was dawning on her, as she stood slowly, why her partner was acting like this- even injured, Walter would have never before gone against her, deliberately attempting to forfeit a match- something she found herself disgusted with. Losing wouldn't be so bad- the woman cared little about her loss count or injuries- but laying down and giving up? It was disgraceful. It was downright cowardly. It... wasn't him.

Walter had always been of the fretful sort, but until that day it had always been her command, without question, no matter the situation he would always do his best to follow her, if at all possible.

Maybe it was her fault. As close as they continued to be even after losing his memory, Claire couldn't help but feel there was something missing between them, and admittedly, treated him as such. But could she really be blamed for that? All those years missing, all they had done together only remained in her memory, not his. He was re-trained. He could Digivolve again. He still wanted to be with her.

But in the end, it wasn't the same. He wasn't the same.

He was her partner in body and personality only.

Panting, she looked down at the snow, then at the clones in the shadows. Walter's head was switching very slightly back and forth- he still couldn't see properly, and Claire realized that the clones were visible mostly only to her.

But going in there was just asking to be struck, for either of them. Claire didn't move, unlike Walter, to leave though- with her partner's new attitude, he might force her to, but now the woman was pushing Walter rather than their foe, to see what he would do.

She laughed humorlessly, with a wry smile. Osuzumebachi's taunts were only half heard, but what she did hear was enough. "It would be my pleasure, Shadramon! But..." She patted Walter's shoulder. "as you can see, my partner has apparently turned coward. A shame, isn't it?" Her words were expressed, though on the surface almost cheerful, with irritation and even malice. The Lekismon made no reaction to her words, large ears probably more affected than hers were. "So, you can steal the sword and fly away back to your queen, if you like." Or, you can hide in the trees and taunt us.

---

[[ sorry man, my brain hurts rn lol, but i wanted to finally get a reply up- sorry if i missed anything ]]

"Claire speech."
"Walter speech."

Flash Buster Effect Counter: 2/2

○ GOODNIGHT BOMB - Summons a perfect sphere of ice in his hands that is then thrown at the foe. Explodes on contact and releases a mist that causes foes to experience major drowsiness for 2 posts, slowing them down. Has a 50% chance of putting lower leveled Digimon to sleep entirely. Has a 3 post cooldown. 1/2 posts active, 1/3 post cooldown remaining.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

WITH THE BLOOD OF OUR KILL

"Enough of this, Shadramon. I said, I don't want to fight you if I can help it- keep the sword." The Shadramon smirked, his true form somewhere amid the branches. He would be keeping the sword. "We'll be leaving your territory shortly." Their price -- had it been paid? Both had assaulted him, a paragon and representative of the Hive. He had assumed they would take his taunt. Katsuro went silent, cogitating on this, waiting for a response from the back of his mind, when the girl begun to speak.

"It would be my pleasure, Shadramon! But as you can see, my partner has apparently turned coward. A shame, isn't it?" Even she was trying to avoid it, now. A grin -- or the semblance of it upon his pink, wormy snout -- begun to form. "So, you can steal the sword and fly away back to your queen, if you like." Well, they had resigned their combative ambitions. The Katsuro beneath considered just leaving them be; the Hive lashed out fiercely at the very idea. They had wronged him -- their lives were as good as forfeit. But leaving his position of superiority, above, betwixt the twigs and leaves and branches, was not strategically viable.

"Perhaps I was a touch too hasty," Katsuro spoke as it descended; it carried the sword between its gauntlets, emerging to the very fringes of the treeline, the other four watching from above. It planted the sword into the frosted ground, leaving it to stand there, and backed away a few feet -- leaving the blade embedded just inches into the woodland pocket. "Your submission has been noted, Walter," The Shadramon spoke, bowing its head, before turning to Claire. "Girl, you are lucky. Should you stray from your comrade's advice again before me, you will likely burn." It was efficient and matter-of-fact. The Shadramon left himself with enough reach between his body and the sword to lunge if Claire bared it and charged for him -- but not so close that it appeared an inherent trap...

Above, the puppeteer -- and real Katsuro -- smirked. It was almost hard, to force an image of himself to suppress a little hubris all for the purposes of an elaborate ruse...

ATTACKS USED:	ULTRASOUND MIMICRY
HIVEMIND STACKS: 9	TAG: CLAIRE LYON
HEALTH: 75%	ATTACK: 100%
DEFENSE: 190%	SPEED: 140%

deltra of gangnam style

[CLAIRE LYON]

Maybe I like this roller coaster

Maybe it keeps me high

Katsuro Hachi

Finally, Walter's eyes and ears began to clear. Again, he twitched his head back and forth, but increasing success this time, even able to hear at least most of Osuzumebachi's words.

The rabbit focused on the blurry figure that stepped out of the trees, frowning at his statement. Surely, Claire wouldn't like that- and one little glance behind him told Walter that was the understatement of the year. Her lips were curved upward, but unlike the usual, there was little humor behind her expression, no sense of condescending pride that was usually present even when she lost. Replacing the quiet, smug display she was useful was a tight-lipped one of anger, and one directed toward him.

Knowing very well it wasn't the sword she was mad about, the Lekismon swallowed- but no time to argue about that now, not in front of a foe. Eyes flicked away from her to the Shadramon, nodding slowly and ready to cover his eyes upon the first sign of another flash.

He wasn't one to worry about petty things- items and loss counts, those things didn't matter as much as lives. Claire's life. "Thank you. I'm happy for the opportunity to get her out of here as fast as possible. Really, like I said, she should be home resting."

Claire didn't take the threat too seriously- like with most dangers. "Possibly. It wouldn't be the first time," she replied, eyebrows raised as their enemy appeared to have a change of heart. Their foe was a fun play partner, but she could play knight and villain with him some other time, under better circumstances. Claire gave the Shadramon another glance but chose instead of focus on Walter, instead eyebrows raising at her partner's earlier words.

"And you- suddenly outspoken, are you? Hm." She made a small noise at the end of her rhetorical question, just to make sure Walter knew exactly how displeased she was. Someone who she considered an extension of herself had gone rogue, and it was as disturbing for her as it was aggravating.

Her blade stuck in the ground, not far, and slightly away from the Shadramon, who backed up. Oh, charge for him was what she wanted to do, to be sure, and she considered it, eyeing her blade silently.

But it was Walter that walked forward before Claire could hurt herself trying to get it- as if he was going to trust her right now not to attack. He kept his eyes on the Shadramon and moved slowly, ears continuously twitching as they slowly recovered from earlier damage, searching for signs of any other attacks from the quick insect.

Should that happen, he was absolutely ready to go without it. "I'll be holding onto this."

---

"Claire speech."
"Walter speech."

Flash Buster Effect Counter: Residual effects only.

○ GOODNIGHT BOMB - Summons a perfect sphere of ice in his hands that is then thrown at the foe. Explodes on contact and releases a mist that causes foes to experience major drowsiness for 2 posts, slowing them down. Has a 50% chance of putting lower leveled Digimon to sleep entirely. Has a 3 post cooldown. 2/2 posts active, 2/3 post cooldown remaining.

MADE BY ★MEULK

[Katsuro Hachi]

THE BATTLE GOES

"Thank you. I'm happy for the opportunity to get her out of here as fast as possible. Really, like I said, she should be home resting."


"Possibly. It wouldn't be the first time. And you- suddenly outspoken, are you? Hm." Her wariness was, of course, not unwarranted. Perhaps the Lekismon was too trusting: her suspicion was if anything, apt. The Shadramon clone threw up its hands in a perfect imitation of submission and concession.

"I have given you your warning. Your partner will see to it you learn your lesson, I imagine." Up there in the trees, the real Katsuro began to, as subtly as he could, descend. There would be little but a rustling to give his movement away; but the Hive was truly at his back now; his alacrity was nigh-on unmatched. Ensuring the girl and the rabbit were otherwise engaged with his visage, he softly and quietly landed a few feet behind them both.

"I'll be holding onto this."


"Will you now?" This voice came not from the Shadramon baring the blade, however, but the one stood now behind them, within charging range. He was fully powered; the energy was in the air and palpable. "It always amuses me when this works. Your suspicion was correct, girl." The other three clones emerged, landing equidistant and forming a tightening circle around them. "But I'm afraid this is the last ambush either of you will be walking into. INFERNO WREATH!"

As he spoke the words, his body begun to heat up; the air around him begun to distort and shimmer, as it would in a heatwave -- before finally bursting into intangible flames. The aura surrounded him, a woeful, crackling orange inferno engulfing his entire form, as he stretched his arms out wide and let the image of the fire dance in his sleek black eyes. The snow was melting beneath his feet, and the grass starting to burn and curl, the frost within crackling gently. He raised both arms once more -- at Claire and at Walter. 

"Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair," An unfitting recital for a man who was not king, and whose primary traits encompassed greed and malice. "I said you would burn," The Shadramon readied no attacks but simply lunged in at the Lekismon with both fists bared, unleashing a flurry of punches set aflame towards his midsection, which would sear his fur and flesh upon contact.

After the rabbit, the girl would be next. Should she attempt to leave the circle, any one of the clones would lunge for her and attack.

ATTACKS USED:	ULTRASOUND MIMICRY (1 TURN LEFT) INFERNO WREATH (4 TURNS LEFT)
HIVEMIND STACKS: 11	TAG: CLAIRE LYON
HEALTH: 75%	ATTACK: 150%
DEFENSE: 160%	SPEED: 260%

deltra of gangnam style