Mid-month event: Bonding Exercises

[tamerunion]

"The bond between Tamer and partner is the key." Those were the words Sunflowmon's predecessors had passed down in the records Nanomon had recovered. Obviously, it had been suited towards all sorts of situations, but for Sunflowmon, she knew she had to help and try to foster a strengthened bond between the Tamers and their partners. So many hadn't even evolved past Baby level, after all!

Her answer to try and help with this? Was to organize an obstacle course for the Tamers and their partners to get through. The rules would be simple: No one could pass the obstacle course without doing so alongside their partners. Aside from that? Anything aside from outright sabotaging other participants would be allowed.

The obstacle course would begin with a run through a small maze that had been set up on the training grounds of Tamer Union HQ. It would continue inside to the pool, where Tamers would have to find a way to cross without walking around it; there were ropes hanging from a bar that one could grab onto, temporary platforms that could be hopped across (but wait too long and they'd drop into the water), as well as the option of just swimming across... if you and your partner could both swim, that is.

From there, the trail would lead back outside to the other half of the training grounds, to a wall that both Tamers and partners would have to scale, followed by another track where one had to go over large logs... and then finally, to the biggest challenge of them all:

A stage where partner and Tamer would have to perform an act for a group of assembled Digimon. Any act would do, and it was fine of one ended up totally bombing onstage. But nevertheless, they would have to do something, and they'd have to do it together.

It was daunting, but in Sunflowmon's mind, doable. Anything to strengthen the connection between partner and Tamer!

Comments

a lone prompt

[chainsthatbind]

"So how does this help us with our bond?"The maze had been a simple matter, and Erichthonios had decided that the temporary platforms might not simply hold his weight so in he'd waded, with Guilmon perched comfortably on his shoulders, claws tangled in his bright orange hair. "Do you feel more bonded?"

The Amaurotine himself, neck deep in water and contentedly picking his way through the obstacle (it is in his opinion, rather pleasant), doesn't seem to be much in a rush. He's keeping an eye out for others who might be having trouble.. after all, neck deep on him is far over the heads of most others. "I feel about the same. We can work on some water exercises if you want, swim around a little. Even if we don't get a stronger bond, we can have some fun, right?"

This is not the point! Of the obstacle!

Maybe having him in there is a safety net for other tamers, surely he could fish someone out if they run into trouble!

[rosesoul]

"See, Lalamon?" said Yoshino, as she passed nearby, carried over the water by her partner, Lalamon. "Those two have the right idea. This is supposed to be enjoyable."

"Enjoyable, sure," the Plant Digimon wheezed. "Yoshino...you've put on weight in the last five years..."

"Hey!" Yoshino cried, scowling.

[chainsthatbind]

Guilmon and Erichthonios tilt backwards slightly to watch Lalamon and Yoshino, the digimon befuddled and the Ancient amused. That's not how it worked for them ... poor Guilmon could never manage to carry him.

"Jump in!" The encouragement is prompt, and comes with enthusiastically waved foreclaws on the crimson digimon's part. "That's enjoyable, right?? Come on!"

There's something suspiciously like a laugh from Erichthonios, who is pretty sure Lalamon dumping Yoshino in the water and then jumping in would NOT help strengthen any bonds. "They might not know how to swim, you know."

"You'll catch them then, right?"

"..Well, yes, but-"

"Then it's fine! COME ON! GET IN!!"

[rosesoul]

The pair stopped in mid-air, with Yoshino looking nervous about the idea.

"Uhm, I'm not sure," she said. "I'm not really dressed for falling into the water..."

"Take him up on it!"

"Eh? But Lalamon-!"

TAKE! HIM! UP! ON! IT!!!"

In the next moment, Lalamon dropped her partner herself, letting out a relieved sigh as Yoshino fell towards the water. Yoshino? Screamed that Ericthonios had better catch her.

... belatedly ...

[chainsthatbind]

"Here we go!!" An unwilling dive is surely just as good as a willing one! Guilmon cheers with delight as Lalamon drops her partner, doing absolutely nothing at all to help with something like 'catching' or even 'not being in the way'. She nearly topples from her own perch as Erichthonios suddenly makes a grab for the falling Yoshino.

It's a good thing he's so much bigger than normal humans, or this would get awkward really fast. As it is he has to stretch a bit to not only catch her but keep her above water; thankfully his hands are big enough to make a smallish platform for her to hold onto.

"Come on down too, Lalamon! There's plenty of room!" Hey is he being volunteered--

[rosesoul]

Yoshino's eyes widened as she landed in the palm, and immediately moved to hold onto whatever she could so she didn't fall in the water.

"...This is weird," she said, laughing nervously.

Lalamon didn't drop down so much as she deflated and sort of drifted down in the way a falling leaf might. Luckily, she managed to land next to Yoshino, breathing a sigh of relief.

Kouga and Wanyamon

[steelfanged]

one

The argument between them has been long and difficult. Wanyamon has evolvled, but there's still more evolving to do! And while he's up for the challenge, Kouga still considers it beneath him.

Even so, he's been dragged to the obstacle course by his Digimon, if only to watch others. He keeps an appraising eye on all of the participants, and finally there's a lull.

"Let's go, let's go!" Wanyamon grabs Kouga's pant leg with his teeth, trying to drag him to the course.

Help him? Shove him towards the course? It might be difficult, but it's possible!


two

One way or another he's here on the obstacle course. It doesn't take much for Kouga to get through the maze (though he's tempted to cut through it) but the pool poses a bit of a challenge. Whille he can take the ropes across, Wanyamon on the other hand...

"Those platforms look wobbly..." The little Digimon looks uncertain.


three

An act together? Kouga has a lot of skills, but Wanyamon is a little less than certain about his own. He's racking his little digi-brain to try to figure out something to do...

"We could dance?" "No." "Sing?" "Absolutely not."

They're having a bit of trouble.

two

[blue_ice]

"Hey, it's okay! Let's jump!

Petitmon and Kaiba round the corner, approaching the pool. Her little wings flutter excitedly. They'll get over the water just fine!

Kaiba's not quite as sure. "...Carefully. Come on, don't make your partner wait."

The last bit is a challenge for Kouga as Kaiba leaps at the first platform. Join them?

[steelfanged]

Wanyamon nods at Petitmon, his fur bristling a little as ha approaches the pool. Kouga huffs at Kaiba and follows once the platform is clear, perfectly balancing as the platform shakes slightly.

"Look, you have to put your weight here - hm." Wanyamon doesn't really have legs to spread the weight evenly with. Maybe he was expecting too much. "Come on. Or are you going to wait until I'm gone?"

"No!" Wanyamon jumps onto the platform, scooting under Kouga's legs. "See! I'm here!"

[blue_ice]

Seto looks up at the swinging ropes. If Kouga's taking the platform, then...guess Seto and Petitmon get to swing over. He takes a few steps back, crouches...and runs for it, leaping at the first rope. He hits it and latches on with considerable force, then reaches and awkwardly wraps around the next one. He can do it, he can do it...

...except he's losing momentum. This isn't good.

"Hang on!" Petitmon cries, fluttering her little wings as rapidly as she can. She's trying to give them a boost---but given that she's so small, he's left dangling above the water and starting to slip.

He grits his teeth and tries to rock himself back and forth to regain momentum.

"We need more air!"

"I'm trying!"

"I know---it's okay---" He tries to smile for Petitmon, but oh dear, he's slipping. Slipping. Gone. There's a great splash and he disappears, leaving Petitmon to fly above in a panic.

"Seto-kun!" She dives after him, a glowing white light starting to emit from her---it envelopes her, and as she slips under the surface, her form shifts into a small green seahorse. She latches onto Seto's wrist and heaves him up...

...and he huffs, blowing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm fine---you...Petitmon?"

"I'm Babydmon now! C'mon, let's go!" And she latches onto Seto, and together they swim across. Guess this is how it's happening. Can they catch up?

[steelfanged]

Kouga watches the antics impassively, sharp eyes noting the differences between Petitmon and Babydmon. Curious... like he'd seen Dodomon do when he became Wanyamon. The Digimon in question bounces a little angrily.

"You're going too fast. I can't keep up! I don't have legs, you know!" Kouga rolls his eyes and scoops the fuzzy little Digimon into his arms, holding him carefully as he jumps from platform to platform, touching down on the other side easily.

"... I knew you cared." "I don't." He huffs and looks back towards Seto and the new Digimon. "Are you two done playing around in the water?" Wanyamon headbutts his partner gently. "Give them a break. They fell in! Not everyone trains all the time like you."

Kouga at last gives a very slight smile at that - or is it a smirk? It's difficult to tell.

[blue_ice]

Seto's hackles are drawn in that familiar way, the fire of competition igniting in him once more. He won't back down! He'll figure this out!

He cuts through the water as quickly as he can, abandoning his coat to the depths. He can fish it out later. For now he needs to climb out and get back to a running start, Babydmon zipping through the air beside him.

"It's not over yet!" Squelch, squelch go his boots. He's flinging water everywhere. It's...awkward, and a little cold, but he has to keep going.

[steelfanged]

Kouga huffs under his breath and starts dashing for the wall, Wanyamon's fur blowing back from the speed. He jumps for the top of the wall... but doesn't make it. He does, however, catch the rope and start climbing, Wanyamon chomping down on the tamer's coat to keep steady.

He can't climb it himself - he doesn't have arms, either!

[blue_ice]

Kaiba is determined to make a comeback here. He leaps at the rope, swings at the wall feet first...and squelch, squelch. Up he goes. Babydmon easily flies up, deciding to cheer for everyone from the top.

"Don't give up, you're almost there!"

"Are you cheering for me or them?"

"...both?"

"Really." Kaiba huffs, but in stubbornness he makes it to the top. Was he too slow, perhaps...but he's determined to hop down and finish.

[steelfanged]

He smirks and looks down at Kaiba from near the top of the wall. Even a trainee can climb a wall - he did when he was young, at least. And so did all of the rest of -

- No. He doesn't need to think of them now. He looks up at Babydramon and dashes for the top of the wall. He picks up Wanyamon in his arms and turns, kicking off the wall and landing neatly a small distance away. "You'd better catch up." He calls back to Kaiba.

Logs next... he tucks his little Digimon under his arm and tries to not think of the last obstacle. He starts running and leaping over the assembled logs, clearing them easily without even really looking at them.

[aetherweaver]

waterworks

Nara'a and Botamon don't seem to have any problem with the maze, but when they reach the pool Botamon freezes and refuses to move further. He wants to evolve, he really does, but...

"Scary..." Nara'a jumps into the water, staying afloat easily. "If you fall in, I'll catch you." "Um..."

Help?


dance dance

He's no stranger to making a fool ou tof himself, but it's a little difficult to try to incorporate his Digimon into the act. He sits down and talks to him for a while before they come up with a plan.

Finally they take to the stage, and Nara'a grabs his little partner, carefully making a little nest/sling of his cape. The two of them start to dance, with the Digimon doing mostly just... wiggles. Nara'a on the other hand does twists and turns, careful to not do flips that might dislodge his partner. At the end, they get a round of applause.

He rushes off the stage, a little shy - but his partner is glowing! What's he going to become? Nara'a quickly unravels him from the cape and sets his partner on the ground, watching curiously.

[dance dance]

[rosesoul]

Yoshino sat in the audience, having finished with Lalamon. Somehow, they'd stumbled through a manzai routine, which...went over fairly well, even if some of the jokes were at her expense.

After Nara'a and his partner finished their routine, she and Lalamon got up and went to congratulate the performers, only to stumble onto the evolution.

"Oh wow!" she exclaimed. "Looks like this little exercise worked out for somebody, huh?"

[aetherweaver]

Botamon had already evolved into Budmon earlier, but the burst of emotional activity has prompted another change, it seems like the little Digimmon is ready to take on bigger things - so he lifts his hands away from the glowing mass which grows and stretches out until the light recedes, leaving a very different-looking Digimon.

"Are... are you okay?" The new Digimon gives a few swings of his new weapon and nods.

"I'm bigger now! So now I can help protect you, like you were protecting me!"

Nara'a isn't quite sure if his partner is up to that yet, but he nods. "We can practice and see, at least."

[rosesoul]

Yoshino smiled. "My partner was a Budmon once too...interesting that its evolution was so different," she said.

"Welcome to the Child level, Kotemon!" Lalamon said, with as big a grin as her tiny mouth could muster.

[aetherweaver]

"It is. Maybe it has to do with their individual aether signatures? Or... er. The equivalent thereof." He's not sure exactly why it's so different, but he's not going to complain. Not when his partner looks pretty proud of himself.

"I've got training with both a sword and a lance, so I can help you work on that if you'd like. I've instructed people before."

"I'd like that..." Kotemon leans his head against Nara'a's leg and earns a good firm headpat for his trouble. "I'm just happy that you're happy."

He nods to Yoshino and Lalamon. "Are you one of those with experience with Digimon, or are you new to this, too?"

[rosesoul]

"Maybe? I think it comes down to each Digimon's data, and how they're raised, now that I think on it," Yoshino replied.

At his question, she smiled. "We've got experience, yes! We come from a world with Digimon of its own, complete with its own Digital World."

[aetherweaver]

"Maybe. There's a lot of mysteries of this world waiting to be discovered." He grins and pats Kotemon again. "But that's really interesting. My world doesn't have Digimon at all. Just... a lot of monsters." The closest thing to 'digital monsters' they have... Omega probably counted, even if it was a robot.

[rosesoul]

Yoshino blinked, and then nodded. "Monsters, huh? What sort of monsters?"

"Hopefully good ones?" Lalamon offered.

[aetherweaver]

"Giant ones, little ones, all sorts of ones. Most of them... aren't very nice, unfortunately." He frowns and shakes his head.

"But some of the Beast Tribes are really nice once you get to know them."

[rosesoul]

"'Beast Tribes'?" Yoshino replied. "That's quite a name. They don't take exception to it, do they?"

[aetherweaver]

"Er..." Well...

"Some do. I wish there was a better term for them all together, but that's the one everyone uses. But there's a lot of differences between them, from the Amalj'aa to the Vath to the Kobolds..."

[rosesoul]

"...I see. Then that definitely sounds like something people should look into finding an alternative for."

[aetherweaver]

"Yeah, people are... starting to recognize them as equals to the other 'civilized' Spoken races, but it's a long process. It's only really just starting. So we're working on it." His tail lashes a little, betraying his discomfort with the whole situation.

"But we're making good progress - La Noscea is at peace with most of the Kobolds and the Sahagin for the first time in... ever." Now for the other city-states...

[rosesoul]

"Believe it or not, we can actually relate," Yoshino said. "It took us awhile to bring humans and Digimon together in our world...and we still have a lot to do, in fact."

"That's what I spent the last five years on," Lalamon said. "Trying to help Digimon understand and accept humans."

[aetherweaver]

"Oh? What sort of problems are there in your world with that? It seemed pretty easy for Digimon to accept people here..."

Even if he does get mistaken for a Digimon a lot of the time...

[rosesoul]

"Well, humans and Digimon were afraid of one another, to start with," Yoshino explained.

"You can thank one guy in particular for that," Lalamon groused.

Yoshino's expression turned serious. "Kurata..."

[aetherweaver]

"... I see. I guess I'm used to dealing with creatures that don't look like me." An advantage, at least.

But hm. "I take it this 'Kurata' is a repeating problem for you?"

[rosesoul]

"No, he's gone now," Yoshino said, sadly. "But he was behind pretty much everything that went badly for us."

[aetherweaver]

"I'm sorry. ... It didn't end well?" He's just taking a guess, based on her tone.

[rosesoul]

"Oh, he took himself out," Yoshino explained. "And tried to take the rest of us with him."

"Good riddance if you ask me," said Lalamon.

[aetherweaver]

"I see. That's... a shame. It's almost always better to try to get people to come around than to kill them, if you can help it."

... In most cases. He can think of a few where that doesn't work.

[rosesoul]

"Believe me, he was not the sort of person that would 'come around'," she answered. "And besides, like I said, his death was his own fault."

[aetherweaver]

"I'm sorry. It seems like a rough situation. I'm glad that it's passed now, though."

[blue_ice]

obstacle demolishing

Seto Kaiba is an incredibly competitive person. Petitmon, influenced by her partner, has become excited about dominating this competition! As he runs and climbs, she flutters her little wings as fast as she can, bobbing and bouncing alongside him. They're going to do this! There's just...one mishap along the way, when Seto's sweaty hands slide on the ropes above the pool. Oops.

After a brief plunge (and a dive after her partner), Petitmon has finally evolved into Babydmon! She's getting the hang of her new flotation, but beware: if you happen to pass by them too closely on the course, you might get a whiff of some spicy gas, or a splatter from Kaiba's drenched clothes.

"Coming through!" he calls as he leaps onto the wall. He bounds up, making squelch-squelch sounds as he goes. Babydmon just laughs.

"Excuse us please!" Babydmon adds.

after the finale

Kaiba has perhaps indulged Babydmon a little too much in her desires. She wants to dance, as she'd seen at the arcade way back then...and so she dances, swirling surprisingly gracefully in her bigger, floatier body. Kaiba is mostly a prop to her performance, slowly rotating as she whirls around him. There's a steady drip-drip and squelch-squelch, as he's still soaked from the pool. She just laughs as she goes.

But she has a big idea for the finale! She'll use her new stronger powers to dry him off, so she takes a big breath and puffs herself up like a big dragon! She stretches her little wings as far as they'll go! She huffs, puffs...and Seto is engulfed in a cloud of hot, smelly gas. He sputters, presses the heels of his hands into his eyes, and retreats from the stage.

He can be found hunched over a chair, still coughing a little. Babydmon is curled around his neck.

"But my cloud was so big, right?"

"...it was. But we have to work on when to use it." Kaiba very much looks like he would like to leave, dry off, and go to bed as soon as possible, but he needs to stay for the other acts. Hopefully the next one will be a winner.

[after the finale]

[rosesoul]

Yoshino had seen how the display ended, and went to check on the pair who'd done it. She came upon Seto and Babydmon with Lalamon, who hovered beside her.

"Hey there," she said. "I noticed that could have ended better...do you need anything? Water maybe?"

"Oxygen?" Lalamon offered, before being elbowed in the side by Yoshino.

[blue_ice]

Kaiba looks up at them, slightly flustered. How embarrassing for him...but he nods tiredly.

"Water would be great, thanks."

"See, Seto-kun? Everything's gonna be okay!" Babydmon, utterly content with herself, lightly nuzzles her human's cheek. He pets her, willing to let that be for now.

"The plan...had to change when she evolved. There wasn't time."

[rosesoul]

"I'd say you did good adapting on the fly," she said, before turning to her partner. "Lalamon?"

"Right!" her partner introduced, before fluttering off to get Kaiba's water.

"I don't think we've been introduced," said Yoshino, turning back to Kaiba and Babydmon. "I'm Fujieda Yoshino, and my partner's name is Lalamon."

[blue_ice]

"Cool! I'm Babydmon, it's so great to meet you!"

"And I'm her partner, Seto Kaiba," he introduces himself with a tired nod. "We're focusing on training, but she loves everyone."

"Life's more fun when you're happy," Babydmon observes sagely. Seto answers her with a soft harrumph.

[rosesoul]

My my. These two certainly seem to be different as night and day. Yoshino can't help but smile, however.

"Words to live by," she said. "And training, huh? I see. Well, you got to the end of this course and your partner evolved, so I'd say you succeeded at that."

[blue_ice]

"Yay! I'm gonna be a big strong scary dragon and eat things!"

Kaiba pats her fondly, as she giggles and wraps herself around his neck as she does. "As long as you don't eat my duel disk again. Or anyone else's device."

"But they're so shiny and crunchy..."

"I'm going to get you gems. Be patient."

She whines a little, but relents. It'll be okay if Seto-kun feeds her, and she knows he will.

[rosesoul]

Yoshino blinked. "Your partner eats gems?" she asked. "That sounds a bit expensive..."

"I read in the Handbook that you can find a bunch at a place called RGB Ridge," said Lalamon.

"Oh really? Huh. Well, if you need any help, Lalamon and I are pretty experienced! We could help you gather some and try and deal with any wild Digimon."