[video]

[pintsizedpyro]

[The video opens on a desert. While at first it looks fairly normal, just your average barren wasteland with cliffs, it's quickly clear that this isn't the case. Firstly, rather than being blue, the sky looks like someone opened up a computer.

Secondly? Well, there's the strange, demonic looking biker who's shooting at a bunch of smaller monsters floating in the air. It's not a very exciting fight, though. It takes just one shot from the biker's gun to tear through about a third of the monsters. It's over in a flash and the monsters pretty much disintegrate, leaving only glowing particles... which the demon biker proceeds to absorb.]

Heh! That was barely even worth the effort! Talk about pathetic.

[Huh. Isn't that odd? This guy's voice almost sounds like a deeper, more threatening version of a certain fireball-throwing pest.

He's almost about to walk off, when he stops and turns, noticing the device that's filming everything. He casually walks over to it and picks it up, looking straight into the camera.]

Well now, would you look at that? And here I thought this thing just got sick of me and kicked me out permanently. It sure as hell wouldn't have been the first to... But I guess I can't get rid of it that easily.

S'been a while, though, so I'd better introduce myself, huh? The name's Beelzemon. Don't forget it.

Comments

[notmynature]

[Ellie had watched and when he'd spoken, her hopes had gotten higher and higher. Was it him? She'd thought he was gone for good.

But, his name was Beelzemon. Still a "mon" so maybe he at least knew him. Maybe they were related.]

Hey, uh, I get this is a weird question to ask after you just got done kicking some ass but do you know Impmon?

[pintsizedpyro]

[Oh, hey, Ellie was still here, awesome!

...at least, that was his first thought. But of course she would be asking about Impmon immediately, which made this more than a little awkward. Damn it.]

Uh, yeah. Well... Something like that, anyway.

[SMOOTH.]

[notmynature]

Awesome. [She grins because, yeah, loss happens but if you can stop it or reverse it, do that instead.] My name's Ellie and he's kind of a friend of mine. I dunno if he disappeared or got busy but if you see 'im, let him know I was looking, okay?

[pintsizedpyro]

...You were? Huh.

[...wow, now he feels really bad.

Also it just figures that the one person who actually gave a crap about what happened to him was in a totally different world with no way to contact him.]

Sure, I can do that. [Wait, crap, why was he agreeing to this.] But don't get your hopes up, doll. Guys like that don't make it long in the digital world.

[notmynature]

[Doll. Oh yeah, they knew each other.]

Pft, Impmon? Are you kidding me? The guy was a lot stronger than people gave credit for. I'd trust him.

[pintsizedpyro]

Ha! You must be thinkin' of a different guy, 'cause the Impmon I know is definitely a weakling! Got his ass kicked badly a while back 'cause he was bein' a moron.

[alldevouringabomination]

[This is obviously somebody who's been away from the community for a very long time and not an acquaintance of Kirby. Right?

Kirby takes in the sight of this person and the surroundings. It's new, that is for certain.]

Uu.

[pintsizedpyro]

[Oh, this thing again.]

What're you lookin' at, Puffball?

[alldevouringabomination]

[Kirby pauses for a moment.

Only one community member ever habitually called him that at least, this mun thinks so and Kirby hasn't heard from him in a while.

THERE IS ONLY ONE CONCLUSION.]

Iii?

[Kirby draws a picture of Impmon getting bigger! Didn't say it was the right conclusion]

[pintsizedpyro]

[...yeah, you know what, on second thought? Calling people by the exact same nicknames you did before? Might not be great subterfuge. Who would've thought.]

T-The hell are you drawin' that picture for? What's that even supposed to be, huh?

[alldevouringabomination]

[Kirby is not dissuaded! He points to you, then raises his hands up in the air, as though he is pantomiming you growing up!]

Eya!

[pintsizedpyro]

No.

[To all of this. No to all of this, because ugh.]

Just... shaddup, will ya? I ain't got anything to do with that chump, y'hear?

[alldevouringabomination]

[Now look what you did. Kirby honestly thought that someone he knew came back after losing access to the Duck, and you're being a stranger.

Kirby, for a moment, looks crestfallen.]

[pintsizedpyro]

Now what, what's with that look? C'mon, stop being all sad and pathetic, it's embarrassing to watch!

You're not gonna tell me you actually liked that annoying pest, right?

[Because he sure didn't. Hurray for self hate issues.]

[alldevouringabomination]

[With the sorrow passed for now, Kirby will draw a series of pictures detailing the scant time they spent together, the most prominent being the water theme park's fish exhibit both of them looked at.

Kirby didn't care that Impmon wasn't able to break the glass; they had fun, and that was what mattered.]

[notmynature]

[Some of her excitement drains out as her center of gravity seems to shift to make her smaller.]

How bad? He's okay, right? You'd tell him if he's been missing 'cause of something bad, wouldn't you?

[pintsizedpyro]

Oh. Right. That happened.

[...wait, crap, hold on.]

I mean, that's what the guy said happened. 'Cause I know him. [At least, that's what he told Ellie, so let's try to be consistent here.] And he told me, obviously.

[Shut up, it's the perfect cover story.]

[pintsizedpyro]

[Oh, good job there, Beelzemon, now you've gone and made things even worse. Way to go.]

Yeah, he's just fine. He got lucky.

Just... Nevermind. You don't gotta worry 'bout him, alright?

Just keep digging that hole.

[alldevouringabomination]

[...wtg, hotshot. Just go ahead and stoke the lingering doubts Kirby has.

Kirby however knows not to rush in things blindly, as many, many traps and enemy attacks have proved over the years. So, he'll see if the guy he's talking to is who he thinks he is.

Kirby draws Impmon with a question mark beside him, and Beelzemon in a "looking around" pose. In other words, where is Impmon?]

[pintsizedpyro]

[Okay, no, he's calming down, he can do this. Lying isn't that hard, he does it all the time.]

How am I supposed to know where he is? The digital world's a big place. And that's assumin' he's not just back in the human world.

More importantly, why the hell would I even care? Don't see why anyone'd give a crap about where he is.

1/2

[alldevouringabomination]

[Hmm. Kirby scratches his head. Beelzemon is acting a little suspicious, but on the other hand, Kirby doesn't have much reason yet to disbelieve him either.

But it does mean that Impmon is still out there.]

2/2

[alldevouringabomination]

[In any case.]

Kirby~

[Yes, he's introducing himself again! After all, you clearly don't know him, so potential new friend?]

[bookishnettler]

Oh! What are you? Is it all right for me to ask that?

[notmynature]

[Her shoulders suddenly seem to have gotten lighter. So, she smiles.]

I just miss him, I guess.

So, what all can you do?

[pintsizedpyro]

...huh. Don't see why you would, but whatever.

[Hey, would you look at that, a change of subject. Don't mind if he goes straight for that.]

Well, for a start, what this thing just recorded. [Holding up one of his shotguns.] I can tear through just about anythin' in the digital world, if I want. No one here's a match for me.