Subject: the meadow of the world [open] 565 views

[airsylph]

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[atrb=style,background-color: #11053F; border-radius: 35px;] Mai & Hyokomon Normal Tamer | Crest of Love It was ridiculously huge. An expanse of land spread out beneath his feet, patches of emerald trees sprouting from time to time. Mai almost couldn't believe his eyes; the transition between city and park was almost instantaneous. He then looked down to his right where Hyokomon stood. The yellow chick-like Digimon looked up at him and cocked his head to the side. Mai looked right back up. So far it had been simply awkward -- why did I decide to play this game? Mai sighed. Was it strange that he felt awkward talking to a creature that had artificial intelligence? They were meant to be partners. There shouldn't be any fear. "Mai, don't worry! Talk to me," Hyokomon suddenly said, waving his little wings. Mai grinned. "It's really nice to meet you, Hyokomon." Hyokomon chuckled then started to run forwards into the expanse of land, beckoning Mai to follow. Mai shook his head and decided to sit down to watch the yellow bird play by himself. It was amusing how a creature, entirely made up of data, could amuse himself by running about, tripping over his feet like his namesake. Though... Mai had seen AI function before; and this was different. Hyokomon really seemed to be enjoying himself. "Do you want to play with me, Mai?" Hyokomon came running back, collapsing beside him. "How? What do you want to play?" Mai asked. He tried to remember the goals of this game -- it was to become stronger. Mai always hoped that he could try to surprise everyone, surprise himself even and suddenly show some kind of aptitude for battling. However, for now, he knew it was imperative to get to know his partner better and maybe meet some friends who could teach him how to be stronger. "I don't know..." Hyokomon lay down beside Mai. In the park, the two of them stayed like that, each of them wondering how to ease the tension and the awkwardness that came with new relationships. "Shall we try to become stronger?" Mai suddenly said. Hyokomon bounced up and nodded, face suddenly stern as he pulled out his sword. Mai couldn't help but laugh, falling backwards. Hyokomon giggled as well. Mai then continued, "Though I'm not sure how it works here. I think we need someone to teach us how." How did training worked here anyway? Mai regretted not reading the manual. Maybe a staff member could help; he stood up and scanned the area. They often looked different. Hyokomon stood up as well, wondering what Mai was doing. made by kiwii at btn & ote!

[rene1]

x

It wasn’t often that he dipped his feet into Digimon Online like this. He had a busy life out in the waking world; constantly flying from country to country, city to city, putting on shows that last from the early mornings to the latest of nights. Technically, coming here was to relax and get away from it all. That’s what he told himself for the first few times he came in; sit around, take a breather, something like that. But no, he couldn’t stay so still for so long unless he was snoozing away in a bed.So he began to perform here, too. Extending his network was always an amazing thing; he could jump and flip and physics worked the same as they did in the real world. Soon enough, he was importing his equipment in, juggling fires, balancing on poles, doing gravity-defying tricks that left people in awe. He was a muse; he was born to be their muse. At least, that was what his parents told him.

What he wasn’t quite expecting was to get one of those companion AI things. Digimon, or something of the sort. He’d gotten something relatively cool; a yellow fox, a Renamon or something of the sort. She was quick and agile, and sometimes she even helped out with his shows here in the game. Of course, battling wasn’t so bad either, but he’d yet to get the hang of that.

The parks were always a good place to start scouting for a new place, or a new friend, or something or someone willing to talk. The game was populated, but he just barely spoke the language, just enough to get by, and running into people was usually a language barrier.

Another glance up from the grass, and he squinted into the nearby distance. There was another person there, and what looked like… a chicken. Renamon tilted her head at them, but otherwise didn’t say anything. But it was a person, and Terpsichore quite liked people. He began to wander over, hands in his pockets, permanent smile on his face.

[airsylph]

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[atrb=style,background-color: #11053F; border-radius: 35px;] Mai & Hyokomon Normal Tamer | Crest of Love Hyokomon nudged Mai and pointed at an approaching stranger. Immediately, upon seeing the nearing player, Mai put his head down, silently panicking a little. Most avatars people used were pretty, if not outstanding. Mai himself had tried to pick something that looked like him, but gave himself a nicer shade of hair that he would like. This stranger however… How would Mai be able to describe why he was different? There was something special about him. He had charisma, that was the word. Something that made everything click together. Mai bit his lip and sneaked a look again. Could this stranger really be coming toward him? Hyokomon scratched his head, looking at Mai’s pained actions. Without a moment’s thought, the yellow bird leapt up and ran towards the stranger, only to trip at his feet. Mai scrambled up to help the Digimon up; he muttered, “Hyokomon, you have to be careful!” The chicken-like Digimon only flapped his wings and nodded. As Mai helped to dust whatever dirt or grass that stained Hyokomon, he looked up at the stranger and said, “I’m sorry for that. I hope Hyokomon didn’t startle you.” Hyokomon then pranced around the stranger’s Digimon. Is that a child Digimon as well? The Digimon seemed to be a fox, her fur sleek and gloved arms poised. Mai then looked again as his own partner, a little chick Digimon. They had said your partners were a purposeful match; and at that moment, Mai somehow felt very small. He liked Hyokomon and he felt that so far, Hyokomon and he were a good match – but how could they match up to this man and his fox? made by kiwii at btn & ote!

[ronin47]

[atrb=border,0,true] turn your kindness into strength He takes a deep, awful sigh. “Ronin Forty-seven?” “I’m taking a break, Strabimon,” Ronin says wearily, slumping to a patch of grass under a nice shade of trees. “And cut it out with the forty-seven. It’s just Ronin.” “Oh, I see,” Strabimon says. “So forty-seven is just a glitch? A typo?” Ronin groans, pulling his bandanna over his eyes. “Yeah, sure.” “Your bandanna is over your eyes,” Strabimon observes. “Is this a visual bug?” “No, Strabmon.” “You can’t see while a bandanna is over your eyes,” the Digimon points out. “Geez, thanks,” Ronin says dully. “Can you shut up for five minutes? Just…give me a moment to breathe. Cover for me so they don’t catch me slacking, okay?” “Oh, okay,” Strabimon says again. “I should keep an eye out then,” he continues, speaking more to himself. “Since my tamer is a guide of the game, I should play the same role. But can I help them while I am starting over here and they are way over there?” He turns to his tamer. “Ronin, I’m going to leave for a while. “Why?” “I’d like to help players, if possible.” Ronin pauses, stopping himself in time to question the Digimon. He raises his thumb, pulls the bandanna up a bit so he can peek. Ronin folds his hand back at the back of his head; it’s not worth asking. “Sure,” Ronin says, turning to the side. “Be my guest.” “Thank you,” Strabimon says and he walks off, taking a look around. Soon, he catches two players and their partners who didn’t appear to be friends. The blue-haired one appears apprehensive and the other remains cool. Strabimon senses something isn’t normal and decides to intervene. “Halt!” he cries out, running between the two and spreading his clawed hands apart to keep them two from each other. Though his voice was loud, it is soft and gentle. “You are allowed to PvP by all means but please be courteous of the other player. Thank you.” Strabimon lowers his arms and steps back.

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[rene1]

x

Oh, was he being… intimidating? He was just walking towards the boy, but it seemed that he was shying away already, his head down at the ground. His Renamon paused to take a look, but continued by his side anyway. She was no dog; she was noble, and she’d follow at her tamer’s side as an equal, and not at his heels, like a hound. It was good that Terpsichore wasn’t treating her like a dog either, or they’d be having some major… discrepancies. Yes.

It was a second later that a little chicken suddenly came running at them. Terpsichore paused, watching it as it scrambled, then seemed to fall right on its face at his feet. Oh, poor thing. He was actually about to help the thing up when his tamer came running along, picking it up for him. Well… well at least he tried? Still, the faint smile didn’t disappear from his face.

“Oh, it’s not a problem.” Did he say that right? His Japanese was rusty, at the very best. He knew enough to get by, but fluency was an issue. He was a globetrotter by necessity; he picked up a little of every language, but only had a fluency in English and Spanish. So far, he wasn’t having too many issues, but then again, he hadn’t been here for more than a couple hours a time a week.

Terpsichore stuck out his hand for a handshake. It was a regular, international greeting, as far as he was concerned. “My name is Terpsichore.” Because here, unless you were close friends, first name basis wasn’t exactly a normal thing; it certainly didn’t stop him from being friendly, though.

His Renamon spotted the Strabimon first, turning her head to look before tugging at her tamer’s arm to get his attention. Terpsichore tilted his head at the creature that mentioned something about PvP battles. “Oh, um… I didn’t mean it that way.” Whatever he did… Did handshakes mean battle, here?

[airsylph]

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[atrb=style,background-color:#11053F;border-radius: 35px;] Mai & Hyokomon Normal Tamer | Crest of Love Mai hastily stood up, almost took the hand before remembering to rub off the dirt on his jeans. He had tried to help Hyokomon up and the slight smile on his face never wavered; Mai liked that. The person had a strange tone to his Japanese but Mai understood him well enough – tentatively, he ventured, “Would English be better for you?” Having an American father had both its pros and cons; he could speak English well enough but his heritage alienated him from his schoolmates (not to mention the fact that he was gay as well). He grasped the stranger’s hand and was suddenly aware of how warm his hand was, that although technically he was in a pod, wired up to the Digimon World, that this was real. He then shook his hand twice and let go; and he introduced himself as Mai. The stranger’s name was Tepsichore – and Mai wracked his brain, trying to remember how he knew that name. “Your name… It’s from Greek mythology, isn’t it?” Mai began to say, but his train of thought was abruptly stopped when a digimon ran up to them and broke them up. His claws seemed sharp and Mai quickly withdrew; Hyokomon pulled out his sword and held it between the new digimon and them. Mai pointed at the digimon: it was a Strabimon. It seemed almost feral and yet controlled. Mai whispered to Hyokomon, “Be careful.” “You are allowed to PvP by all means but please be courteous of the other player. Thank you.” It was a gentle voice. Mai gave a sigh of relief. It must be one of the staff Digimon around here to keep the peace. Mai broke out into a smile and bowed at the Strabimon, who took a step back. He said, “Thanks for patrolling, but Tepsichore and I are fine. Sorry if you thought otherwise.” Maybe it was his fault again – did he appear a little too afraid again? It seemed strange because this was the online world; there was no reason to be afraid of meeting new people. Tepsichore again replied in his halting Japanese that he didn’t mean to fight. Hyokomon suddenly piped, “But do you want to battle? I want to become stronger but I don’t know how.” Mai wondered if Tepsichore would understand those words or whether Strabimon would be willing to teach them how to train. He wouldn’t like battling with a new potential friend and his digimon. made by kiwii at btn & ote!

[ronin47]

[atrb=border,0,true] turn your kindness into strength “You didn’t?” Strabimon asks, cocking his head at the player called Terpischore. “Oh, I see. No PvP then.” Next, Strabimon cocks his head at Hyokomon to his other side. “I neither want nor do not want to battle. Terpischore said he ‘didn’t mean it that way’ so he doesn’t want to battle either. Perhaps you can find lower-level mobs to get stronger? You can get stronger by earning more experience. This can be done by defeating wild or partner Digimon.” He looks to the Hyokomon’s tamer. “Everything’s in the manual.” Several feet from them is a Kunemon. Strabimon points to the insect Digimon. “That is a wild Digimon. I will demonstrate a battle with a wild Digimon.” As soon as he said that, Strabimon bends his knees in an attacking position and pulls his arms to the back. His crimson eyes are drained of any softness, replaced by a bloodlust glint as sharp as daggers as they lock on to the unsuspecting Kunemon. Strabimon sprints forward and jumps. The Kunemon notices his shadow and looks up in time to move and dodge the claws that dug into the dirt. Strabimon growls and places his palms on the ground, twisting his leg in the air and pinning the Kunemon with a kick before it can strike back. He thrusts his foot into the struggling Kunemon and crosses his claws together. “Licht Nagel!” He swipes at the Kunemon like a wolverine, glowing claws tearing the Kunemon apart into bits of data. Strabimon walks back to the players and gestures to the spot where the Kunemon was. His eyes are back to normal. “That is how you defeat a wild Digimon.”

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[rene1]

x

Oh, someone who knew English? That was such a relief, and if Terpsichore thought he was smiling before, he sure was now. His Japanese needed a lot of practice, but sometimes, he felt a little better about speaking a language he knew the ins and outs of. Of course, Spanish would always be his first language, but his English was better than his Japanese by leagues.

“Oh, yes, English would be good. Thank you.” A bit more of a relief than it should have been. Perhaps he should go and buy a book or two to help him with the language. But now it was his Renamon’s turn to be slightly out of the loop. She stared up at him, her ears perked to catch any sound and the subtleties of the language. He had been trying to teach her Spanish and English as of late, so it was better to test her sometime.

There was a surprised little pause, and then the smile returned. “Yeah. Terpsichore is the muse of dance.” Few seemed to know that, and he hadn’t quite known before he looked it up. At the time, it was awfully befitting, and still was, even if he didn’t so much dance as he did acrobatics. He supposed they were similar enough. Which just reminded him… “I never got your name.”

He let the kid talk to the Strabimon that approached them at first, but raised an eyebrow when he said his name. “Oh, um… it’s Terpsichore. With an ‘r’.” He corrected; he tried to help things along when there were mistakes. He’d learned that early on; when someone didn’t correct mistakes, it got worse. Even if it was just a name, he figured it’d be worth mentioning.

The defeat of the wild digimon was interesting enough, and his Renamon perked her ears again, interested in what was going on for once. Terpsichore seemed a little less interesting, but raised a brow anyway at the defeat of the wild digimon. That’d come in handy, he supposed.

[airsylph]

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[atrb=style,background-color:#11053F;border-radius:35px;] Mai & Hyokomon Normal Tamer | Crest of Love Upon Terpsichore's explanation on his name, Mai marveled and asked, "So you think you can dance?" referring to the TV show that plagued American TV so many years ago and giving a big grin. Terpsichore then asked about his name. Mai fumbled around, trying to remember where his handle would displayed to other players since he couldn't see it himself; he pointed roughly at the area where Terpsichore would see his name and gave a small smile. He reinforced his name, "It's Mai." When he discovered he had pronounced his new acquaintance's name wrongly, he bowed multiple times, apologizing for his mistake -- it was then when the Strabimon had decided to show off his own moves. His eyes became bloodthirsty as he stabbed at the Kunemon with his razor-sharp claws. Hyokomon clapped in excitement as the wild Digimon turned into pure data that Strabimon absorbed. Mai was still a little stunned by the show of power. Quietly, he asked, "Will... will Hyokomon become that vicious? Will his eyes become like what yours were just a while ago?" He didn't want that to happen to Hyokomon. Upon hearing that sentence, the chicken Digimon clucked and hugged Mai's leg tightly -- if Mai was so afraid of what Strabimon had beccome, Hyokomon didn't want to become something like that. There was a price to pay for becoming stronger; but this wasn't what they were willing to give up. Mai cleared his throat and asked the Strabimon, "Are you a wild NPC Digimon, or do you have a tamer?" Maybe if he guided his partner well, Hyokomon wouldn't forget himself when he fought. His heart would still be the same. Then Mai realized that Terpsichore hadn't said anything about the show of power. Was he not impressed? Maybe he fought well too; his Renamon especially seemed strong and intimidating, having not said a word. Mai asked him in English, "Do you battle often?" By finding out first hand how battling with a Digimon partner was like, he and Hyokomon could potentially grow stronger. made by kiwii at btn & ote!

[ronin47]

[atrb=border,0,true] turn your kindness into strength Stabimon is as indifferent as Terpsichore, having done the same move multiple times before. It is nothing astounding; all Digimon are capable of doing such simple feat against a low-levelled mob. “I have a Tamer,” he answers, a quizzical expression in his face. He wants to ask what made the player conclude that in case he is missing information and is defective or something. Ronin would need to know so he can be fixed or replaced immediately but Strabimon doesn’t get the chance to as the said ten-year-old, four-feet tall tamer comes walking in, one hand in his pocket. “Has five minutes passed already? How was your nap?” Strabimon asks. Ronin fights the urge kick Strabimon. He looks away for a suitable angle to hide the faint blush on his cheeks. “Are you done here?” he grumbles. “Hmm.” Strabimon turns to the players. “Is there anything else you’d like to ask? My tamer, Ronin Forty-seven is a member of the MAGAMI Staff and is here to help.” “You can just call me Ronin,” he says dryly to the other two. “He made a typo with his name,” Strabimo clarifies, nodding. “Strabimon - ” “Ronin?” “ - shut up.” Ronin looks over at the other two, scanning the Renamon and the Hyokomon. “Sorry if my Digimon bothered you. Do you guys need anything else?”

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[rene1]

x

So You Think You Could Dance? That television show? Terpsichore just shrugged at that, unsure himself if it had any connection. Really, he wouldn’t consider himself so much of a dancer as he was an acrobat. Though he could dance, dancing was such a 2D movement. It used one plane and that was that. With acrobatics, it was so much more on so many levels. People would argue with him, but he’d rather not.

Though his Renamon seemed rather interested in the whole happening, Terpsichore was more detached. He appreciated the aspect of the player versus player gaming and battling in the game, but he didn’t have enough time for that, generally. He supposed if he wished to train her up, his Renamon could become something formidable… he just wasn’t sure if he wanted to use that aspect or not.

“Me?” At Mai’s question, he shrugged a little, keeping his eyes on the Strabimon still. It was impressive looking, he needed to admit that. “No, not at all, actually… Barely, anyway. I’m still getting used to his PvP aspect.” He’d only battled one other in the past, and that had turned in his favour.

Being a mod digimon, as the Strabimon had said, he wasn’t expecting someone else to come. So he could guess that mod digimon had their own tamers too. How interesting. A small smile their way, even if the boy that approached them seemed less than glad to see them. In fact, he looked a little tired, and a little bothered by his digimon.

“Oh, no, I’m fine. But thank you, anyway.” Politeness, after all. No reason not to be, right?

---

So sorry this is late! I got really busy.

[airsylph]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width:400px; background-color:#f5f5f5; border:1px solid #efefef, bTable] Mai had to bit down hard on his lip to keep the giggles from erupting. He wasn't sure how the pair functioned but from what he saw, he enjoyed. The Digimon sure had a personality, introducing his tamer like that. The boy did seem a little embarrassed by his digimon; his face was flushed and his frown betrayed his annoyance. He asked gently if there was anything else to ask and Mai shook his head in response. "I think I know the theory. I just need to start practicing," Mai said. Hyokomon exclaimed, "Let's practice somewhere snowy and nice! Practice is paramount~" He fluttered his wings, hoping to get a chance to use his sword soon. It was never used for anything 'real' -- if anything here was real. Mai nodded at the staff and his Digimon in thanks. "It's nice to meet you, Ronin. Your partner has been extremely helpful." Typo in his name; Mai had to try to stop himself from calling the boy Ronin Forty-Seven just for the laughs. Terpsichore still looked contemplatively. He explained he hadn't battled much yet, but his partner seemed to betray him. Her -- its? -- aura was one that seemed battle-worn. Mai looked at the silent Digimon and scratched the back of his head. Hyokomon was a child Digimon too, but they looked so different. Could he ever beat a Digimon like that? Mai turned to the staff again. "Well, any tips for newbies like us, Ronin?" He tried grinning winningly, but somehow it all felt awkward. He was trying his best, really, to speak to new people, new strangers. Like Hyokomon said, practice is paramount. words: 000 tags: name notes: none. find me somebody to love

LAIKA of BTN and OTE

[ronin47]

[atrb=border,0,true] turn your kindness into strength Getting a better chance of looking at the two, Ronin has assumed Terpsichore ("What a mouthful.") and Mai are friends. What had Strabimon intervened for? God, must had been for some ridiculous misunderstanding. He isn't sure if every Digimon acted this way or whether or not Ronin is the only one amongst the millions of players more exasperated than impressed by the artificial intelligence. With the formalities done, he sees it as his chance to leave the two be and get on with something but Mai asks a question at the last minute. It doesn't seem to be that way to Ronin. He looks at the young man's smile and senses the attempt to entertain his additional presence. He doubts hearing tips is really what's on top of Mai's head right now. "Stick to areas you feel safe in," he answers professionally. "Don't get impatient and jump to confusing maps. Digimon aren't your only worry. You wouldn't want to get lost when you have school in a few hours. And don't always nod your head when you're in a party of people you just met. It's a good idea to team up with others, but not trusting strangers." He puts his other hand in his pocket, shifting his eyes to and from Mai and Terpsichore. "If you need any help, try asking the guys with the red satellite like mine. Guides are more willing to demonstrate stuffs for you. Can't say for certain for mods; I heard there are some crazy ones around who'd intentionally get you in trouble." Strabimon nods thoughtfully. "Digimon Online is a fun game but it is still a world of humans, by humans. It remains to be dangerous." He smiles widely and gestures his hand up to Ronin. "But Ronin is a good human you can trust. He always helps new and clueless players even though he really dislikes them - " Ronin chokes on air. "Strabimon!" " - So if you wish to consult with a person of some expertise, authority and good heart, it may be wise to add him to your buddy list for ease of communications." Ronin buries his face on his palm and says in a muffled, painful voice, "Are you done?" "Yes."

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[rene1]

x

Terpsichore had more or less been in this game long enough to know what was going on, even if he didn’t log on as often as so many others. His personal life was rather busy, and this game was only to fill up those rare times when he wasn’t. He didn’t know what happened to his Renamon while he was away… but he could only supposed she lingered around and kept to herself until he appeared. She didn’t seem like the sociable sort from the start.

Terpsichore was about to thank them for their help, but then Mai piped up with a last question, so he settled just to listen. He knew the digimon could only speak Japanese, and he was rather bad at it… and as the he begins the basic explanations, Terpsichore found that he was just barely understanding things if he spoke quickly. He caught the tail end of a couple of phrases, but was thankful that none of it seemed much too important.

The gesturing was what he could understand, and he smiled in return. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” Hopefully… if he could communicate with him, even, when the need came. He was used to learning these sorts of things on his own, and it wasn’t like he could actually get hurt.

The embarrassment from Ronin made him chuckle, but aside from that; he didn’t need to say much more. He knew all he needed to know.

[airsylph]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,10,true][atrb=style, width:400px; background-color:#f5f5f5; border:1px solid #efefef, bTable] Mai had to suppress his laughter again. The Strabimon proved to be a bundle of laughs, accentuated by the fact that he didn't know how funny he actually was. Ronin tried to stop his partner from spouting out whatever it wanted to say but there was no stopping it. Mai smiled brightly and said to the guide, "Why did you apply to be a guide when you, um, do not enjoy dealing with new players?" Hyokomon grinned along with his partner, waiting for the guide to respond. Mai noticed that Terpsichore had been pretty quiet and been most polite. Turning to the older man, Mai said, "I can try translating what you need or want to say and explain to you what the guide just told us. If you need me to." He knew however, it was in Terpischore's best interest to just try grasp the language head on. When he had to visit his father's family in America, they often spoke over him in a language that he was unfamiliar with -- but with his father's encouragement and refusal to speak Japanese to him, Mai had managed to gain a working usage of the English language. Couldn't his Renamon, who also had been silent, learn to help translate the languages? They were AI after all. He turned back to the guide, remembering what the Strabimon had said. "Would it be okay if I add you on my buddy list?" This time, he was serious; he knew that sometimes he was a bother and he didn't want to always be the reliant one to people, especially those who were reluctant. Eyes on Terpsichore, he too asked, "Could I add you as well?" They hadn't spoken much as of yet, but why not? One more acquaintance in the list wouldn't hurt. words: 000 tags: name notes: none. find me somebody to love

LAIKA of BTN and OTE