Holograms and digimon and humans, oh my

[Legion]

"So wait, they can't even see me?" Pulse asked. He scratched his head, his furry brow knit with confusion. "I need to find a human to help me be seen, but I can't find a human if they can't see me . . . you guys aren't playing a trick on me, are you? This isn't one of those quiet game kinda things?"

Mr. Hustle would show up on David's camera, but not quite how he wanted. Rather than actually appearing in the footage in all of his muscular glory, there would simply be a strange, luminescent halo on the image. If David didn't know any better, it would just seem like the flash of his camera had reflected off of dust particles in the air. However, he did know better; or at the very least, he knew enough. With all of the talk being made about flexing, it would be quite apparent that the hazy image seemed to be twisted into the shape of a bodybuilder's pose. Mr. Hustle hovered behind David to check out his handiwork, only to huff in frustration. "No luck, huh? Pah. Maybe there's a better camera I can . . . borrow around here. I mean, there's gotta be something, right?" he asked.

That kind of language sure wasn't helping his shady reputation, was it? Gashmon trusted him as far as he could throw him. Dio didn't particularly seem to care, but was irritated with his stubbornness more than anything. Even Pulse seemed to be starting to doubt him, and his other patsy-

"Uh, boss? They ain't buyin' the 'poor little coin' act." the Zenimon stage whispered.

-wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. Sometimes it was time to hustle. But sometimes, just sometimes, it was time to know when to fold them.

Mr. Hustle clenched his knuckles tight, then released his grip and sighed. "You've been working hard, Pulse. Take five," he said. "Maybe see if you can find some people that aren't running around screaming. Who knows? If the right Digimon can show up on the right person's camera-" -he gestured towards David and Ropuremon as he said this- "-then maybe you can find someone that'll hear your knock knock joke. Sounds good?"

Pulse still looked a little dejected, but worked up his best smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I can do that!" he said. He stumbled away, making sure not to run too fast and disturb all of the food he had just eaten. As he did so, he glanced over to Gashmon and Taiyou, as if trying to gauge their approval at his current pace.

Once Pulse was out of sight, Mr. Hustle sat down. His ever-present smile had finally fallen, and it took all of his willpower to look the group in their eyes. "Okay, so I know I've been doing an amazing job at hiding it. But I've got no clue what I'm doing," he said. "You think I actually had to lift for these bad boys? I'm a Musclemon! I couldn't not have them if I tried! But when this lost kid starts tagging along with me, acting like I'm some kinda fitness legend, what am I supposed to do? Shoo him away, hope he becomes somebody else's problem? Dash his hopes, make him feel like he's never gonna learn anything? Fake it 'til I make it seemed like the easiest answer, but . . . well. We sure as hell didn't make it.

You want me to admit it? Fine. I'll admit it. I'll admit it all! I'm a liar. A sham. A con artist. Hell, if you took that coin home, he was just gonna case the joint. And I haven't always been great to Pulse, either. Yeah, the advice I give him ain't worth two bits. I hog the chocolate for myself. And now I've gotten him way over his head with whatever-the-heck this all is. But if you think some dime-a-dozen sleazebag could pull off something like this?" Mr. Hustle spread his arms wide, calling attention to the blackout and panic around him. "Then you're even more delusional about what you can do than I am. I'm just as lost and confused here as you are. Hell, maybe even more. All you humans, and you lucky solid bastards, this is your space. You've got a home here. But me, Pulse, hell, even Zen? We're not built for this place. Just like I'm not built to be looking after anyone.

But, hey. Fake it til you make it, right?"

A small smile spread across Mr. Hustle's face. It was a lot less strained than his perpetual shark grin. "Damn, that felt good to get off my chest. But you're not telling Pulse a word of it, you hear? It'll be hard enough for him to know what to do without messing with the kid's head like that," he demanded. "I . . . I'll cut the crap and make it right, okay? But it's gotta be my way, and it's gotta be the right time. Alright?"

With that said and done, he turned to the group. "So you've got a human, and you're all solid, yeah?" he said, pointing towards Gashmon. "And you two are solid, but you don't got a human," he said as he pointed towards Gio and Dio. "And you've got a human, but you're not solid," he finished, pointing at Ropuremon. "So . . . what gives? How'd you all get here?"

taiyou

[taiyou]

"The truth, finally," it came almost like a sneer from Gashmon's mouth. However, at the very least he's very much calmer than before. Before it almost felt as if he was a growling beast ready to pounce if given enough reason. But now, he relaxed his body, then give the Pulsemon a nod. Taiyou cannot say much because he need him to go away for a bit. Now that the tension is kiiiind of going down he noticed how there are some people who are looking this way....

"For your peace of mind, boy," Gashmon whispered "I have spread my influence over the area. None of the recording device shall escape... except probably that Kosomon-smelling human's... cam...er...uh?"

"Camera."

"Camera. Yes." then he turned his head around at direction of Musclemon. "...Boy, do you wish to have the first words?"

"...There's nothing that can be gained by lying if you wish to form a bond," Taiyou began. There's a pang of guilt in his heart as he said that. "...You know, foundation of bond is truth. If you keep lying, the foundation is as brittle as they came. They could be easily snap and then everything just... fell apart. Or, if they were kept unaware for so long... they... will probably end up believing that lie. Do you know what happened when they believed on it so strongly?"

"There's no way you can't keep up with me! We have been playing for so long! I knew your strengths!" his own words echoed in his mind the day his friends told him they're only humoring him, but they can no longer do that because he's just too good for them. They don't want to hold him back anymore.

"....Sometimes, ignorance is a huge sin. And sometimes, people just... are dense you know? Of course it's ultimately your choice, but... Do understand you're harming the lil dude, alright? Training like that isn't... the right one. You decided to lie... and you have to make up for it. Yeah... yeah I will leave it to you when you'll say it, but..."

"...But you do not have to continue lying," Gashmon added on. "...If you do not wish to truly assist the boy, you may leave him to someone else more qualified. If you, however, wish to assist him still, for he is your protege, deceit and farce be damned..."

"...Then the best way to do it, is to turn the lie into a white lie... For example... by saying that your method was inadequate, and that you too will learn about way of training. Human's way. I guess I can teach you about training. Plus, you know... having a teacher acknowledge you is one thing, but a teacher saying that you're now peers in searching for the way of perfecting your arts? I think that will make the little guy really happy. Plus, not everything there is a lie. And then when you get to point where you can proudly call yourself his teacher, without hint of lie, then... you can break the truth then."

That's all Taiyou will say about this.

That question makes Gashmon think. "...The last piece of my memory of my presence in Digital World was slightly before an incoming demise. Before I knew it, everything was dark. As you might guessed, I am blind. I honed my senses in digital world to roughly sense the terrains and Digimons by digital signatures. Yet it was all for naught in this new world. I was completely robbed of my most vital sense. I accepted a pact the boy's device made by chance."

Taiyou raised the arm mounted device for the Digimon to see.

"...D-Sync it was called apparently."

Hmn, so these people aren't the one responsible for it.

"...I still would like to get to the bottom of this situation," Gashmon addressed the other. "...Boy, are you with me?"

"Yeah. we're already one foot in anyway."

"Very well. How about the rest of you?" he asked the rest. "I will not force you, nor I expect you to entertain this wild goose hunt. However, it does not sit well with me. Something... felt ugly. As if a wind of bad omen... just blew."

[disasterduo]

Ultimately the combined pressure of the group was too much and after dismissing his protege for the moment, that hustling Musclemon finally caved and confessed to what everyone was pretty much already suspecting from the start. Still, as much of a sham as he said he was, it was hard to hold it against him, it's not like he was actively scamming that Pulsemon out of money or something, so at least Dio didn't seem to think any lower of him than before, if anything he had to admit: being able to be that honest was commendable in it's own way. Even if he that "Fake it until you make it" comment cut...perhaps deeper than the Musclemon ever intended, not that Dio would let that slide in front of everyone besides of a muffled, half hearted chuckle.

Gio however seemed a lot more outwardly emotionally invested into this whole ordeal, sniffling slightly to himself as he gave Mister Hustle an impromptu pat on the shoulder.

"What Taiyou and Gashmon said, sir." He nodded, knowing there was little he could add to their advice. "Whatever you do I know you'll do right by Pulsemon from now on."

Unfortunately the twins also didn't have many if any good answers for the other question proposed by the musclebound conmon, their situation was as much a mystery to them as it was to anyone else.

"Beats me. One moment we're sleeping soundly on the least cold cave we could find on the Dark Area, next we're waking up on a rooftop somewhere. Your guess is as good as ours as to why, same with us being "solid" as you put it." Dio said, cheek resting on an open palm as he pondered to himself, trying to see if he could recall any relevant details from that day, but other than the huge relief they felt upon being freed from that dark place, nothing else came to mind. "If I had to hazard a guess, comparing our situation with Gashy here, I think wishful thinking had something to do with it, or at least the act of desiring something better. Uuunless he was willing to accept his demise without so much as a peep which, for all I know, seems perfectly in character, but that doesn't seem to be it."

They'd have to find another moment to ponder all of this, as both the boy and his blind companion didn't seem content with ending things here now that Hustle had opened up. There was still the whole thing with the power going out, and while it was clear neither of them was responsible, that obviously didn't get them any closer to finding out who was.

"Bad omen?" The guilmon parroted back, head tilting to a side in confusion. He wasn't particularly aware or in the know about such esoteric terms, but he too wanted to get to the bottom of this, things felt a bit too odd still. "Well I don't know about that, but if you want help I'm happy to go along!"

Dio merely gave a shrug, as if to say "whatever he's doing I'm doing." It's not like he had anything else going on, unless David were to conduct that interview sooner rather than later. Knowledge was good, but free food was even better.

[photog and protag]

There is something wrong with what has been said. Not all of it, just the part about visibility to humans. Ropuremon looks at his hands then back to David who is paying close attention to Gashmon's words, an annoyed look on his face at the comment about his camera. Riley looked back to his own hands and flexed them. He was visible, he could be seen by humans, and he hadn't made any sort of contract with anyone. So was it always the case that one had to make a contract or was there something else?

He lifted his hands to communicate this and more then stopped. The conversation now... even if it wasn't completely true to his own experiences what the others were saying seemed to be helping Mr. Hustle and by extension Pulse. Maybe, maybe instead of getting into the why of it he should focus on the how. How it felt.

To answer Mr. Hustle's question he shrugged. He mimed pushing against a surface, remembering the pressure that had felt like it was building through him, then mimed stumbling through something before gesturing around.

==

David watched, amused as the weird little video game character look-alike mimed something. He didn't know quite what was going on but David reached out and swiped his hand through the Digimon's hair before straightening up. "He might be visible, but there's no kind of specially 'bond' between us. We're acquaintences at best."

"I haven't found any weird device that talks so you're situation might be unique." He pointed out to Taiyou and Gashmon, sounding a little annoyed. "You say you can see shining humans but what exactly does shining mean?"

He lifted his eyebrows at the offer of continuing on with finding out what was going on and considered it for a moment. He drawled his agreement because while he had originally wanted to walk away from all this Digimon nonsense it was becoming quite clear that there was something more than a one-off weird encounter in an alleyway causing it. "Sure, although if you quit messing with my camera it might make gathering evidence a lot easier."

[Legion]

Hh. This weird little pack of humans and Digimon actually gave some really solid advice! Mr. Hustle visibly let the tension out of his orb, a sigh escaping his grit teeth as they unclenched. "You guys're right," he said, a look of utter defeat on his face. Then, as quickly as it came, it faded once more. Now his smile was back, but it was no longer the cheesy, over-exaggerated grin he had been wearing all day. Instead, it was smaller, more natural, and with a new focus shining in his eyes. "I'll keep it all in mind. Honest."

Apparently everyone's thoughts were all pointed in the same direction. One moment, they were living their day to day lives. The next moment, everything went black. When they finally faded back into focus, they had ended up in a world that was no longer their own. Then, as they came into a sense of purpose, they found their very bodies reformatting to match. As the Roleplaymon mimed, it was like pushing and pushing until you finally just broke through a wall. "So until we find our purpose for being here, we're like some kinda ghosts," Mr. Hustle theorized. "Kinda funny in a way, huh? It's almost like once you know why you're here, you really become a part of this world. Ain't that something."

Now it was time for Mr. Hustle to find his. And his reason was right by the table, practicing knock knock jokes in front of a cardboard standee of a 50s waitress. "Yeah. Shit, I've really got a lot to think about. And from the sounds of it, I'm not the only one," he said. "I'll see if I can dig up any answers. You guys ever need me, come to this food court, okay? Can't imagine me and Pulse are gonna be straying too far. Not while there's still so much to think about."

With that, he parted ways from the group, heading over to his charge. "Alright, Pulse, baby! New world, new training rules!" he said. "See, the mind's a muscle too. And just being here's got it flexing up some new ideas. Now, c'mon. Let's take a walk and go over what's changing, okay?"

"Okay!" It seemed Taiyou's little white lie suggestion had been a successful one, because Pulsemon already sounded more cheerful. He toddled after Mr. Hustle, but not before skidding to a halt and waving to the assembled group. "Hey! I'll see you guys later, okay? And when I do, Mr. Hustle and I are gonna be bigger and stronger than ever! I promise!" Those were Pulse's last words before the two drew deeper into the bowels of the mall.

Thunk. Thunk, thunk, thunk. Generators whirred, screens filled with garbled data, and lights began to flicker on one by one. It seemed that power was starting to return to the Gran Lumen Megaplex. Relief immediately washed over the humans present. To them, this had just been some unfortunate power surge, started and resolved within the hour. To those in the know, however, this was the start of something far, far bigger.

taiyou, disasterduo, photog and protag

[taiyou]

"Indeed... I confess that it might sounded vague, yet it was the sort of... feeling that I felt." Gashmon admitted. "That my instinctual side which has saved me multiple times to sense that we are yet finished here..."

"...Hng," Taiyou could only grunt, trying to think what's exactly is going on.

"Shining, what does shining meant...? Well you appear to be shini--"

"I think I got it," Taiyou suddenly interjected. "I have... been with Gashmon for a while now, but... All I can say is that he cannot see. His 'vision' is more to like a sixth sense of detecting something that we cannot see, something that all Digimon have... He explained to me of how he could knew the two of you," he pointed at Gio and Dio "is from your data signature, so... they appear as 'shining' to him, in certain color, is this correct, Gashmon?"

"...None of what spoken was erronous, yes. Proceed."

"I noticed something. He said that -I- was the most brilliant among the shining. At first it might be because it's related to the amount of digisoul someone possessed... er, you know, those thing that we had seen back then when we fought with the satyr lady? So I thought it might because the amount I have but... back then my digisoul was actually the smallest among the available fighter, right? ...So it won't make sense, but... it might be that it's because I'm meant to be partnered with him. That he's very compatible to me."

He remembered the device said that their synchronization match is nearly 100%.

"...mmm, a logical conjecture." Gashmon muttered.

"...from what I do know, he seem to sense Digisoul of human down to its nature of what it looked like. And those who doesn't have Digisoul or perhaps haven't awakened it yet appears like any other to him- dark void. So I think he pretty much sensed that you have some sort of digisoul or something... I don't know if you can use it though."

"Hrm," Gashmon nodded finally. "Yes, I think what the boy said so far is correct. However, I would like to clear something. I scarely mess with your device, Kosomon-smelling human. I said it prior, I excluded yours from my interference."

"On that topic, do you think that this electricity failure might be related to... a Digimon? A strong one?"

"...What sort of Digimon could cause such a massive interference?" Gashmon countered, yet a surprise is apparent in his tone.

"I dunno, just asking... I felt like I have never seen any Digimon of higher stage after all."

"Digimon of higher stage would cause certain panic I am sure," Gashmon countered. "They are enormous, boy. Twice if not thrice taller than you are. A Greymon would be of that size."

"...Holy, that's huge..."

Yet he cannot really shake off that feeling from his mind. Gashmon wondered if there's really something huge happening here. "...So what would be the most sound strategy? Should we move in group or should we scatter and investigate on our own?" he asked the rest.

[tsukistar]

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