Public Relations [Yana/ask to join]

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

Peaceful, that was one way to describe the atmosphere that lingered in Terabyte city on this particular day. Perhaps it was because most of the troublemakers were busy enjoying the aftermath of the tournament, or maybe it was simply because a DATS member was patrolling the streets in the company of a pair of rather impressive-looking Digimon. The Angewomon was floating lightly in the air at her left side, a calm smile lingering on her lips as she gazed at the surrounding area with a hint of excitement in her eyes.

"La-mama, I doubt anyone is going to be around to cause troubles today."

If was kind of endearing to hear the Angewomon still refer to her with that title, a habit the angel had kept ever since she hatched as fresh Digimon. However, it were the words of her other Digimon that seemingly voiced exactly the same concern that her tamer did.

"La-mama, there is a lot of tension lingering in the air."

Laila nodded her head curtly in response, a frown crossing her visage as she silently pondered the cause of it. Of course she had heard rumors of it, some said that the citizen had become slightly nervous around the agents of DATS after the recent performance of one of their members within the tournament hosted by the Seven. She couldn't help but groan with a hint of mild annoyance, a hand raising to her head as she shook it lightly.

"That Jeremiah, couldn't he at least told Kong to show some restrain? Now we're having the people think we're ruthless monsters who will eat anyone the moment they break a law."

No, there was actually another reason behind all this, a fact that made her mumble in annoyance.

"I didn't sign up with DATS to play a public relationships representative..."

However, a moment later a sudden scream came from nearby, and looking sideways she spotted a mother seemingly reaching for the edge of a bridge, a small river below it almost on the verge of consuming a boy and his koromon that had seemingly fell over the railing!

"Terina."
"Already on it~"

Terina's reply was accompanied by a swift wing-beat, the angel swooping down toward the small river and catching the falling boy in mid-air, slowly hovering back upwards toward the bridge while Laila and Coco approached the mother.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much."

The mother was on the verge of breaking down in sobbing while Laila shook her head calmly, watching the Angewomon gently help the boy and his Digimon back onto his feet and while she petted his head gently Laila replied calmly.

"Do not worry about it miss, protecting civilians is a part of DATS duty."

The words seemed to come as a surprise, yet the mother still bowed in gratitude while Laila turned toward the Angewomon.

"Make sure to hold Koromon tightly in the future, ne?"

The boy nodded his head bashfully as the Angewomon waved her hand lightly and floated back to Laila's side, making the girl sigh in relief at yet another disaster being solved. However, little did she know that soon the city would be abuzz with whispers of a DATS agent who actually saved a child just a mere moments ago.

Are things really that bad that saving a innocent bystander surprises them?

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 418 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

Another day Yana logged in Terabyte City... It was far better than doing so in Triton City and having to deal with the whole bloodthirsty aura she got from the Arena. It was like Crow's conquest had forced everyone to embrace the beast within them. Perhaps some only did so out of fear of being killed. No, that had to be the cause for most of them... Yana still tried to see the best in people and digimon, and couldn't believe the bulk of that city was made up of violence loving barbarians. Plus, with the whole commotion down south, the city was far from being as crowded as it often was! Yana looked up, closed her eyes, and breathed in the fresh air, a rather content smile on her face: "You look happy today, Nana-chan~!", Ari pointed out, equally chippery due to the whole contagious nature of her partner's warm, positive aura. She waddled around the streets with her hands behind her back, looking around and taking in the sights. Turning to Ari, she wiggled her finger, stopping her humming for a moment, "...But Ari, how long has it been since you've seen the Digital World this peaceful?" And Ari smiled and nodded in agreement; Yana made a good point. It looked like the tournament really drew most of the non peaceful people away, allowing Terabyte city to be like this... Even then, unusal things still happened. As the two girls walked by a group of talking Digimon, they overheard something wierd: A DATS Agent with an Angewomon just saved a civilian!? Yana looked visibly surprised at this; about a month back she wouldn't have been, but ever since meeting Jeremiah she'd had a terrible opinion of DATS. That man and his partner took on the role of judge, jury and executioner when he should be a simple policeman. In the Tournament too, he allowed his partner to nearly kill his foe's tamer, eventually killing one of his opponents at the crowd's command. Was this what DATS was all about?! At least one of them still held a sense of responsibility towards innocents... Yana didn't really feel more relieved that they allowed their corrupt members to run rampant however... She kept on walking around the City, until eventually they spotted the Angewomon. Was this the one they were talking about? She watched the Angewomon from afar for a while, eventually recognizing a familiar figure next to her: "Hey... Isn't that the girl from the tornament...?", Ari wondered

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

She had just resumed her patrol along the streets, her twins following closely beside her when she spotted a familiar figure just a small distance away from where she was. It took only a few moments before she recognized her, raising a gloved hand in a greeting while approaching the girl.

"Ah, Yana, was it? Out enjoying a walk?"

It was a casual greeting, but one not exactly mirrored by her twins. Terina happily floated down, seemingly leaning forwards in an attempt to pet Ari's head in an affectionate manner, a bright smile upon her lips.

"If it isn't Ari~ Pleasure to see you again, how did the tournament go? La-mama told us we couldn't stay because of work, but according to what I heard the later rounds became really intense."

Coco merely remained at Laila's side, seemingly attempting to hide herself partly behind her tamer as if a childish habit didn't fade away, a funny sight considering the Lady Deviwomon was much taller than her tamer.

"G-Good day to you."

Coco's bashful response seemingly made Laila realize something, for she smiled briefly, as she raised a hand sideways at her twins, as if to introduce them.

"That's right, you only met them while they were still children. The Angewomon is Terina, the Terriermon you seen during our first meeting. The Lady Deviwomon is Coco."

Terina finally floated back toward her sister, attempting to latch an arm around hers and pull her out of hiding while grinning sheepishly.

"My sister really is a shy one, at least most of the times~"

Laila couldn't help but chuckle softly at the behavior of her twins, soon explaining in a slightly more excited than usual tone.

"It must be odd to see those two interact with one another so friendly, or to be sisters for that matter, but there is a reason behind that. You heard them call me La-mama earlier, right? Well, it's exactly what it's supposed to be. I'm their mother. My parents used to be researchers at DATS and experimented with the idea of using the data of a human's gene to create a catalyst for a Digitama."

She paused for a moment, her eyes seemingly showing a hint of sadness.

"The experiment worked, but it was a one of a kind thing. Only a few days after my parents asked me to help with their research and the Digitama was made a criminal organization destroyed the laboratory of my parents. My parents' research and even their own lives were all lost during that hideous deed."

Shaking her head lightly in an attempt to erase her thoughts Laila soon continued her explanation.

"The Digitama had a delayed hatching period due to the artificial creation, in fact they only were born roughly about a year ago. Albeit it seems they have a surprisingly rapid maturing rate, to think they became Ultimate-tier Digimon in such a short period of time... Papa and Mama would have been proud."

She whispered the last part under her breath before focusing back onto Yana.

"Either way, are you lost or something? You looked as if you were searching for something or someone."

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 485 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

The girl noticed her soon after, the friendly wave on her part being all the proof she needed that it was indeed the girl from the tournament. Yana smiled shy but sweetly and returned the wave, approaching the trio and meeting them halfway. "Mm!", Yana nodded affirmatively, looking towards her and then her two partners, "Hello, Laila-san; girls...!" Meanwhile her partner just looked up at the pretty angewomon fluttering down, offering no resistance to her unusual greeting. Ari was obviously amused at being petted by a Digimon she could evolve into, purring softly, before answering, "Likewise~ I guess that's one way to put it... It's okay, you didn't really miss much...!", she'd smile kindly, knowing how much more violent the later matches got. Yana certainly didn't enjoy them, and even Ari had a hard time, no doubt Laila and her two partners would echo these same feelings, "At least nobody else got loaded!" Yet at the same time with this friendly greeting, the Ladydevimon remained hidden behind her tamer like a scaredy cat, enough to get a chuckle out of even Yana. "I see... So they're your partner's ultimate forms...? I'm surprised they can stay like that so effortlessly!", she observed, before looking at Laila attentively as she not only explained who the two digimon were, but also why they got along so well: LadyDevimon and an Angewomon were indeed an odd pair, they usually never got along at all. Their story, however, was a lot more interesting than even the pair might imply. Apparently they had been made from her own data converted DNA, some wierd research by DATS. It was a story with a sad ending, so much Yana's curiosity was soon repalced by a sympathetic sadness: "I'm sorry to hear...", she'd reach out and touch Laila's arm, as if to affirm her presence, trying to look into her eyes and finding something to reassure her, eventually turning to the two Digimon, "At least you three have each other..." "Just looking around really... It's been a while since I saw Terabyte this peaceful...", she'd comment, looking around some more until something struck her and she looked at Laila with a sign of fear in her eyes, "Wait... Did you say DATS made your partners... D-does that mean y-you're...?" Yana slowly crossed her arms, with faint, yet visible unease. She didn't trust DATS following her experience with Jeremiah, the very idea of being close to one put her on edge... The Russian girl knew first hand how frightening crooked cops could be. In russia, any attempts to call the police in response to the scary men showing at their doorstep were met with a big flat no. They either ignored it or outright refused to help, claiming there was nothing they could do. In Yana's eyes, there was no difference between a corrupt policeman and the same criminals they were supposed to work against.

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

"Quite insightful of you, it's true that the girls can keep this form without much effort. In fact the only time they devolve is when they are seriously injured. It seems this form has become natural for them to dwell in, not that I'm complaining."

However, Yana's comment about the peacefulness of the city was accompanied by a rather restless and perhaps even uncomfortable inquiry about her alliance to DATS. She should have expected as much, to the point that rather than getting offended she merely smiled calmly, a light wave with her hand being made toward the road ahead, as if inviting Yana to walk alongside her.

"It's true, I am a member of DATS. Like I mentioned earlier, my parents worked for them as researchers and after their death I was taken in by a colleague of them. Afterwards I started training in order to join DATS myself someday."

If Yana had decided to accompany her, the girl would likely notice they were heading into the direction of a small park, in the end Laila did enjoy the tranquility of nature a little bit more than the hustle and bustle of the city.

"Then again, your reaction is to be expected. It is a understandable response, albeit misplaced."

She sighed loudly as they arrived at the park, seemingly heading toward a nearby bench where Laila took a seat and the sisters were merely content to sit down under the shade of a nearby tree as Laila continued.

"While it's true that Jeremiah Regis his attitude was quite misplaced for someone who represents a peacekeeper, an enforcer of the law and justice you have to keep in mind some important elements people have been eager to forget. First and foremost: This was, at its best a bloody competition in no way approved by DATS, for that matter I would have been inclined to say it was illegal, but obviously even we lack the manpower to confront the Seven without major consequences."

She shook her head before leaning backwards against the back of her seat, continuing her explanation.

"It was a tournament where, even prior to signing up the participants were told that 'anything goes'. This includes even matters like assimilating Digimon or... murdering your opponent."

She seemed to speak with a clear hint of disgust at the last bit, but was quick to resume speaking.

"Nevertheless, Jeremiah at that time didn't act as a member of DATS, in no way was he representing us when he participated in that event. It was neither a mission or an activity approved by DATS. Does it mean he was doing something illegal, or acting out of his boundaries? Unfortunately not, in the end unless he signed up as 'Jeremiah of DATS' we have little to use against his behavior."

A weak smile lingered upon her lips as she stretched her arms into the air, a long sigh following before she explained a different subject.

"While it's true that we are peacekeepers and enforcers of the law, and we have the authority to eliminate threats, deletion of a suspect's Digimon is usually a last resort- Yes, I actually read the report about your encounter with our esteemed Squad Leader. Nevertheless, when I approached my mentor about the matter I was told that at best he'd receive a tap on the fingers. In the end he did restrain a criminal and ensured a Digimon that was being employed as a weapon was properly dealt with. If it was an innocent person it would had been a different story, but that suspect had a history of multiple assaults, robbery and other accounts of violence so he acted within the established boundaries of his authority."

For a moment she closed her eyes, her expression seemingly softening as she explained a bit further.

"With great power comes an even greater responsibility. DATS responsibility is to ensure the peace and order remains within the Digital World and the real one. Digimon are wonderful beings, of that there is no doubt, but when partnered up with those filled with ill intentions you can imagine the disasters that follow. Can I remind you of the events at Brooklyn Spire? A unruly boy, a self-proclaimed hero ended up raining down a whole building upon the city, the massive amount of destruction that followed because this boy wielded the power of his Digimon in such an irresponsible manner led to so much chaos and suffering. It is in order to prevent such scenarios that DATS was made. We know that every action has a consequence, and to ensure those consequences don't disturb the peace and prosperity of both worlds we sometimes need to make unpleasant choices. However, do not take this as me saying I agree with Jeremiah's work method. Although I wouldn't hesitate to delete a suspect's Digimon to ensure no risk of danger is retained, I do not believe in destroying a harmless foe. In my case I would have forced him into a Digitama and restrained both till their punishment was decided."

Finally she opened her eyes once more, turning to look at Yana.

"I hope you realize Jeremiah does not represent DATS as a whole, although he is a high-ranking member, there are good cops and bad cops in every police force. In the end we do have the best intentions in mind for both worlds, but I still wish people wouldn't label us all like crooked monsters merely because of a man who was even off-duty at that time..."

In the meanwhile she could see from the corner of her eyes that Terina and Coco had seemingly decided to rest a bit, gently leaning onto one another as they enjoyed their break beneath the shade of the tree.

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 620 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

When comfronted with Yana's unease, Laila simply gave her a calm, almost understanding smile, the polite reaction as far as she saw it. But when the girl turned around and waved at her to follow, she had the odd feeling that a long winded speech was was coming... And even Yana herself had no idea just how right she would be. She started off by saying how she understood her concerns, but the more she went on the more Yana felt that she really didn't. Being a DATS agent ran in the family for her, so it might seem hard for Laila to understand what it felt lik to see a Police force with too much power and too little liability. Once at the park, she sat at the same bench with Ari promptly curling up at her feet. But when Laila went on to say the tournament wasn't approved by DATS she couldn't help but shake her head, clearly having something to say. Yet even as she did, she reached for her pocked and grabbed hold of her digivice, just in case Laila would take her reluctance to accept her words as a crime of some sort. She didn't seem that bad, but there was no way to be sure, was it? "T-then you're saying he left his badge at home so he c-could play by the rules of a know terrorist; to kill for his entertainment?", Yana inquired, clearly letting on that she didn't find that to be an acceptable excuse... Her words revealed the kind of person Jeremiah was; a man who wanted his partner to load as many digimon as possible to get stronger. Another person who went on loading Digimon like that would be branded a thug, a murderer... But since he was a DATS agent, then he was none of those things. In the end She found nothing in Laila's speech to be even slightly reassuring, quite the opposite, it only seemed to make her more nervous that other agents knew of this behavior and willingly tolerated it. Even worse, he actually had the authority to do all of these awful things! Laila didn't seem to agree with his methods, Yana nodded in agreement at how she would have handled it; yet her complacency towards Jeremiah only made it worse: "Used as a weapon you say...", there was clearly a hint of disgust in her words, something too strong for her to hide. A pacifist by nature, she couldn't accept such blatant disregard for life, much less calling it justice! Her expression was gradually growing colder and more distant, reminded of a darker time in her youth, gripping her digivice a bit harder, "To me it sounds like every DATS agent has the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner as they see fit... So long as they get the job done that is." Even if Jeremiah wasn't acting as a DATS agent at the tournament... Is that really the kind of person you'd want as a police officer? He made it clear enough that there was no length he wouldn't go to, no concern about incapacitating a subject instead of killing them. The fact that such a person was allowed to hold such authority still baffled Yana, and most of all scared her. How many others like him could there be? Ultimately it would seem as if Yana had her own past experiences with law enforcement abusing or misusing their authority, and seeing Jeremiah's display might have permanently charred her impression of DATS. She had her arms in front of her body in a defensive posture, occasionally shooting a glance at Laila to see if there was any hostility on her part...

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

"Yes Yana, a person who orders their Digimon to attack someone unprovoked is the same as brandishing a sword and slashing it at someone. Both actions are considered a crime, especially if done against an innocent person."

She sighed as Yana continued to place the blame with DATS for Jeremiah's actions, the fact his behavior was being tolerated clearly unsettling a nerve within the Russian girl, who was seemingly getting more restless by the moment. She shook her head lightly at the girl's remark, simply replying with a curt.

"Whatever Jeremiah did during the tournament is in no way associated with DATS, in fact if my mentor was around he would have had a word with Jeremiah already. Nevertheless, the deletion and loading of a Digimon is permitted, only if the suspect's threat level is considered high enough to warrant such a punishment."

Still, the disgust in Yana's voice was evident as she continued to talk about the situation with DATS, and slowly she started to understand that the girl's opinion of the organization was largely founded upon prejudgment born from the actions of Jeremiah. Silently she couldn't help but feel annoyed at this, and in the back of her head she made sure she would have a long discussion with her mentor about this, cause she really was starting to feel annoyed at how much shit she had to endure cause Jeremiah was tarnishing their reputation.

"In a way your assumption is partly correct. Normally the procedure involves merely retaining a suspect and their Digimon while our superiors decide on the punishment, a punishment decided in the form of a jury that is DATS and the governments that helped create it. Do keep in mind that the existence of the Digital World, and Digimon isn't entirely public knowledge yet, and believe me it's a pain in the ass to keep it that way. So just sending a suspect to court is a nightmare, part of why DATS has such authority and works closely with the governments of various nations and countries within the real world."

She smiled weakly for a moment before her expression turned more serious once more.

"Yana, you seem to have your opinion on the existence of authorities warped in such a way you're growing ignorant to the reason why they have such power. Why were such organizations given the authority to act with so much power? Obviously it's because society saw the need for it, without us the real world would had been consumed in chaos already. And even DATS has an etiquette to follow, a set of rules they need to abide by, but unfortunately..."

Her hands balded up into fists, seemingly agitated by the thoughts haunting her mind.

"Let's just say that with the way things are right now some of our members are no better than the enforcers of the mafia or a yakuza. Do you seriously think I'm having fun watching people destroy an organization that was the pride and life-work from countless people? My parents and grandparents worked for DATS because the are a symbol of order and peace, there have even been people who sacrificed their lives to protect the very things DATS represents. However, because of the acts of a select few individuals we got people prejudging us. To think things have gone so far that people seem shocked when a DATS agent saved an innocent bystander."

She finally sighed out loud as she lowered a hand toward her pouch, withdrawing the familiar looking IC-digivice from within.

"My mentor once declined my request for joining DATS because I didn't know what they stand for. However, it was after the events at Brooklyn Spire that I realized DATS true nature: We aren't there to play the saviors of this story, We are there to ensure peace and prosperity remains within both worlds. But to be entirely honest, right now DATS has become a shadow of its former self. With most of the veterans gone after the last war, including my mentor. We are now stuck with squad leaders like Jeremiah tarnishing our reputation. Albeit it won't stay the same for long. I hope to personally convince my mentor to finally return to DATS, perhaps he will be the catalyst we need to finally deal with the darkness that covers both worlds."

Yes, if only her mentor would finally return to his rightful place as the DATS commander, then perhaps things would finally turn better again.

"Nevertheless, until he returns, or Jeremiah messed up and makes a mistake that goes beyond his jurisdiction there is nothing I, or anyone else can do. Still, if you desire to continue painting us as the villains merely because of the actions of one man, then that is your choice Yana. Just keep in mind that DATS has been preserving the peace and order long before you were even born, it's not because we aren't omnipotent that we aren't working to improve things..."

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 426 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

The way she answered made it quite clear Laila didn't understand what she was talking about. She was right, ordering a digimon to attack someone was a crime and rigthfully so. But the way she compared it to wielding a sword made Yana interject: "Digimon aren't tools...! I cannot accept Digimon would be treated as mere tools that could be disposed of if they got stuck with a criminal for a partner... How can i respect anyone who believes that to be justice?", Yana would answer, shaking her head resolutely, balling her fists and looking down, casting her protective gaze over the dozing Ari at her feet, "They can talk, exist in the real world like we can... And yet..." There was no point in saying that again. She had said it time and time again and simply failed to get her point across. Hopefully Laila would understand this time. She'd keep listening and the more she did the more it felt like the girl was just as outraged as she was. She went on about the need for law enforcement and once more while it was something Yana could understand, there was something else Laila couldn't quite grasp. Yana just looked into her eyes and opened her heart: "You have no idea... How frightening a corrupt cop can be.", she explained with a serious, grave tone, and clenching her fists;all in all speaking from experience and not really making a point to hide it, "To believe how they have all the power to do as they will with you - or even let criminals do it - knowing you'll be treated as a criminal if you speak out or fight back. And there's nothing you can do about it, that's how powerless you feel. There's no way you could know that, but wouldn't wish that upon anyone: I hope you never find out for yourself...", she shook her head at the thought, knowing that deep down Laila wasn't a bad person. Law enforcement is necessary, I understand that. But who polices the law enforcement? Still, the moment she looked closely and saw her anger... She was right, some DATS agents carried themselves like Mafia enforcers, Yana had experienced enough to agree. And most of all... Laila looked a good cop: "I'm sorry... It must hurt to see your parent's legacy dragged through the mud thanks to the actions of a select few.", she bowed her head in shame slightly, gazing up to meet Laila's, "I can't claim to understand it and I don't think I'll ever trust DATS anytime soon. But I don't think you're bad either: You and your mentor both sound like good cops if I ever met any..."

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

"I agree entirely with you Yana."

It might had sounded surprising to hear Laila say those words, especially considering her own Digimon were artificially made, and yet after giving her own twins a glance she decided it was time to speak the harsh truth, in the end it would do her no good to sugar-coat the reality they lived in.

"Unfortunately those judgments disregard our personal feelings on the situation entirely. According to the laws made under a collaborative decision between DATS and the highest-ranking authorities of several nations a Digimon is considered just as much responsible as a tamer. Consider it like this: Since we were talking about the mafia earlier... The Tamer is the Don of the family, while his Digimon are but mere pawns. Although those Digimons have a mind of their own, an existence just as precious as that of a human being, it does not disregard the fact they are partly responsible for the crimes of their master. Unfortunately it is a way of thinking I agree with. It's not because they are Digimon that they receive a free-pass into committing crimes for their Tamer, but if it was up to me I would already have ensured such suspects like criminals would have lost their ability to force Digimon to do their bidding."

She smiled sorrowfully before turning her gaze away from Yana and into the sky. If only such a thing was possible, if only she had the means of advancing such research like her parents could have done. But unfortunately she was not her parents or grandparents, she was but a mere girl wanting to uphold order and justice.

"It's actually a field of research we been looking into, the ability to eliminate the connection between Tamer and Digimon, so that the Digimon can regain its freedom if it is innocent or willing to cooperate. Unfortunately it's still in its early phases."

When Yana finally revealed the reason behind her dislike for those with authority, explaining how she was so frightened of the existence of a bad cop the girl tried to raise a hand, as if she was on the verge of trying to reassure the girl but she merely withdrawn her hand, resting it on her lap as she whispered softly.

"Unfortunately I do know how it feels. For I'm the good cop forced to watch a corrupt colleague be given free reign with his actions, and no matter the amount of paperwork I fill in, right now there is nothing anybody can do against it."

Obviously she was talking about Jeremiah, but after a moment the subject of her mentor was raised, causing a rather remarkable change in the girl's attitude. Her eyes started to shine with a sparkle of excitement and her lips curved up into a smile as she started explaining, clearly fond of the man she was describing.

"Of course! General Alfred is a very honorable and just man. He taught me everything when it comes to being an officer of the law and a peacekeeper: Stern but just, not too mild, put all those schmuck in their underwear, and make them repent! Stern, we must be!'"

She giggled for a moment before shaking her head gently.

"It was a little song I loved to sing whenever I trained with him as a child. General Alfred is the type of man you'd consider a true guardian of the law, someone like him would never forgive such underhanded approaches. Even if one gets the job done, there are still certain standards we got to uphold ourselves. To be honest, a lot of people are voicing for the General to return as the DATS commander, but since he retired there isn't much we can do... At least right now."

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 430 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

The DATS agent still defended that like a human a digimon had to be held accountable. And though Yana agreed, she certainly didn't believe that loading a digimon for following his tamer's orders to be acceptable, let alone fair or just. The only thing she could do about was stop if she saw it happen in front of her... Even if it meant going against DATS... At least Laila didn't seem ready to do something that harsh herself, which Yana appreciated. Perhaps she lacked the power to change it or perhaps she just didn't want to. "You should still refrain from loading Digimon, especially treating it as just. Digimon aren't born evil; not without an evil influence to corrupt them.", she's answer, shaking her head but clearly not wanting to dwell on the topic much longer. She did look intrigued by the idea of severing a tamer's connection to their partner, nodding approvingly at what felt like a better way to keep a Digimon's power from being misused for ill purposes. It wasn't complete yet but Yana smiled and nodded, giving her encouragement, "I hope you complete it soon... Digimon shouldn't be manipulated for evil purposes either...", Crouching down slightly, Yana picked up Ari and placed her on her lap, gently petting her until the Gatomon purred, yawning sleepily. Laila went on to say she understood her powerlessness: Yana didn't feel watching it from afar could be compared to actually being under the heel of one such corrupt cop, being stepped on to their heart's content. But it was probably as close as Laila could get and she appreciated the consideration. She looked enraged at how agents like Jeremiah destroyed her agency's reputation and good name, leading them to be seen as villains as opposed to policemen. And if she tried to fight fire with fire, she'd even worse than he was... But at the mention of her mentor, her face seemed to light up with pride and joy: She looked up to him as a father figure of sorts, no doubt, judging from the story she just told Yana. There was no doubt as to how much she admired the man - General Albert as she called him - and lamented his retirement as the main cause for DATS' fall from grace. "It really sounds like you really need him back~", Yana said in a chipper tone, chuckling at the little song, turning up to look at the skies as Ari let out a yawn mixed with a meow, "No law enforcement agency should be left to be run by wolves."

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

"Of course, there is a huge difference between erasing a Digimon and loading it. It's been proven that loading, or devouring Digimon has consequences upon the Digimon's mind if done extensively. Besides neither Terina or Coco desire to gain power in such an unsightly manner."

She shifted her gaze away, seemingly displeased at the thought of loading a Digimon. She understood the reason why people sometimes got tempted to do such a deed, but to say that she herself was interested in committing such an act was a lie. Power had to be earned, and devouring another Digimon was in no way or form the act of earning power.

"Besides someone who relies on devouring the data from his fallen enemies would never stand a chance against someone like Mastemon. My girls earned their power the righteous way, through intensive training. Nevertheless, a jogress evolution isn't exactly an easy thing to best, or I believe they call it DNA evolution those days."

She smiled briefly as the conversation turned back toward the earlier subject of the research, making her ponder about it. If it was her parents they likely would have long found a means to complete the experiment, but to her it was just too confusing. All she really understood after talking to the researchers was that Digimon and their Tamers were fundamentally linked with some form of connection, as if a wire of data tied one to the other. If they could figure out how to snap this wire they might had been a step closer, but such research was currently beyond her means to accomplish.

"Yes, unfortunately the general is really tired after the last war. He had to endure a lot during those events so it might be that he simply needed some time to recover. I'm actually going to be visiting him in the near future, at least once work calms down enough for me to be able to return to London."

She missed her home a little, the peaceful tranquility of the Lancaster mansion, but it would only be a bit longer before she could finally enjoy a well-deserved break. Just a few more days at best perhaps? Still, she couldn't help but think about something, an idea of sorts if one was to call it.

"I'm actually about to propose something to the higher-ups. A special activity that in layman terms is akin to an examination. DATS agents and citizen alike can sign up for this, either with the intention to join DATS or gain permission to assist DATS with missions. Nevertheless, it would test various matters, from theoretical exams involving providing answers to potential situations a peacekeeper might have to deal with but also physical tests to see if people have the aptitude for the work, in the end being a member of DATS is quite a tasking job when you're out in the field. But part of me is hoping to include a psychological test to ensure only those just of heart are given the power to decide over things."

She whispered the last bit with a soft sigh, shaking her head lightly.

"At best it's just an excuse to reevaluate DATS members and flush out the rotten apples, but getting a healthier public imago by conducting things like this for the public might be a stimulant to revive DATS in its own way. Perhaps the General will have an idea..."

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 422 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

Laila went on to add something that the Russian girl had not only heard once before - from Ari of all people - but also guessed it herself the first time she saw it: Loading a deceased Digimon's data gradually ate away at the eater's mind. Naturally, callously killing others as a cheap way to get stronger had to have its own side effects: "...And for good reason.", Yana would add, sternly narrowing her eyes as Data Loading was undoubtedly the topic Laila and herself could best agree on; even if they disagreed on the ethics of DATS modus operandi, "It's the Digimon equivalent of cannibalism." It was a dreadful way to get stronger, naturally practiced mainly by overly dreadful people and beastlike Digimon. In commanding their partner to do so a tamer proved to be no better than such a primal, bestial behavior: But while a beast can be excused for its actions due to acting on raw instinct, a human with the rational mind can't and shouldn't. The very though made Yana feel sick in her stomach... But then Laila happily suggested a much better way to grow stronger, one that visibly impressed the Russian girl: "It's still called Jogress Shinka in Japan.", Yana rectified, smiling and nodding, "Still, im surprised you can do it too!! Not many people can... Though Ari doesn't have her partner around at all times..." Yana looked disappointed to hear such an influential and comparatively just DATS leader was still tired after the last war, something Yana didn't really know about but didn't feel like bothering Laila with it right now. She would ask her about it some other time, especially when she obviously had something more interesting to talk about. Mentioning a new idea was enough to make Yana curious, looking at her with a quizzical eyebrow as a purring Ari adjusted herself in her lap. Apparently this idea consisted of a recruitment action disguised as a re-examination of existing members, or the reverse. Either way, it was likely to boost DATS' reputation if they could seriously re-evaluate the current agent and arrest the crooked ones. "If you make the current DATS agents undergo that test, the corrupt ones could easily be identified and appropriately punished.", Yana commented sternly, narrowing her eyes and adjusting her glasses, nodding at the psychologist prat, "Put everyone in a room with a psychiatrist and a lie detector, it shouldn't be too hard. No law enforcement agent a reputation as corrupt, much less actual crooks working under the cover of justice."

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW

[Laila Lancaster]

♚

When Yana expressed her surprise at her ability to perform the act of merging her Digimon together Laila merely smiled for a moment, her gaze drifting back to the slumbering Angewomon and Ladydevimon. She could understand the surprised reaction, in the end to properly perform a Jogress Evolution one needed to have a powerful bond not merely between two tamers, but their Digimon also. Of course in her case she was cheating a little bit, in the end with Terina and Coco being sisters, and so close to one another not just in their bond but even the very data that made up their bodies there was a clear sense of trust between the two sisters, and that in Laila's eyes was something she considered precious, and partly the reason she considered this combined form of the twins not just her secret ace card, but also the manifestation of the bond the three of them shared.

"It's understandable that not many possess the means of undergoing this type of metamorphosis. The strength of the bond one needs to perform the act of merging two Digimon together is quite intense, and it's not merely the tamers, even the Digimon need to be able to trust one another down to the core of their existence."

Still, Laila's idea seemingly had brought Yana upon some way of thinking, one that made the girl shake her head lightly in response. While it would be ideal to figure out the corrupt among their ranks, it was obviously not that easy to accomplish, and she doubted that unless the General returned there would be none with the influence to carry out such a task, a task that would demand one to comply with the regulations Yana suggested.

"Unfortunately it wouldn't be that easy. Unless someone much higher in the ranks, like the Commander would have given the order, then everyone would have been forced to undergo this test, but someone like me simply doesn't hold the authority to force everyone to undergo such a test."

She sighed softly, seemingly a bit displeased about the matter, but she soon decided to continue the explanation behind her intentions for the examination.

"It's a bit more complicated than that Yana. Lies often beget more lies, and even the greatest actors mess up sometimes. This examination is such a terrain where the corrupt are put on edge. Aside from being forced to act according to the regulations set before us, the behavior of the participants will obviously help us decipher more about each individual. Still, it's the first step to put the troublesome individuals on the map, so that we can slowly hone in on them and exploit their true nature."

Albeit, she had enough about the talk of the corrupt and the wicked, instead seemingly trying to change the subject to something more pleasant, and recalling the earlier conversation about Jogress Evolution she decided to approach the matter once more.

"If you're curious I could show you, the Jogress Evolution of Terina and Coco. At least if you're interested?"

### | Yana Sekigawa

❖

[Yana Sekigawa]

SekiGawa Yana Unyielding Love TAG: Laila Lancaster WORDS: 280 Health 100% Gatomon Champion NSp, VB Vaccine, Free Holy Beast Heaven's Knuckle 1 Turn : No Cool Down Pounce 1 turn : No Cool Down Lightning Claws 1 turn : 0-1 Cool down C.E. Hypnotism 1-2 turn : 1 Cool Down Move 5 Move 6 Move 7 Passive Holy halo - The Holy ring around Gatomon's Tail protects him against Virus digimon and their attacks. [Virus Resistance] Battle Synopsis ▪ ▪ ▪ 80% Experience until Mega480/600 Posts

Dna digivolution was undoubtedly a rare skill, it was just as Laila said. Throughout all of her adventures, she still had yet to see another tamer capable of pulling it off. She suspected those with twin Digimon to be the most likely candidates, but even then she hadn't really seen them do it. "Either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain...", Yana quoted grimly; indeed DATS in his current state was more villanous than heroic, imposing its authority with fear and other tyrannical means. Regardless, as much as she agreed with the solution she didn't have the means to enact it herself, lacking the necessary influence or authority. It made Yana visibly saddened to see the so called law enforcement agency would keep being run by sharks for the time being, but Laila expressed hopes that her mentor would go back into active duty sometime soon and weed out the bad cops. In the end, it sounded like bureocracy was in the way... Enough of chatting about crooked cops... The girl had a point and Yana smiled and nodded at the suggestion. All she wished was that solving the actual crooked cop problem were as simply as that. "Ohh...? You would do that...?!", Yana asked, eyes widening excitedly Ari's ears twitched, her eyelids slowly fluttering open. Clearly something Laila had said interested the little Gatomon, she was naturally interested in seeing the Jogress evolution of two Digimon she was capable of evolving into. And then she yawned, making her tamer giggle as she pet her partner's head, "Ari seems interested. I have to admit, im really curious too!", Yana commented, eyes visibly glimmering eagerly.

MADE BY VEL OF GS + WW