video

[sos_pilot]

[ The video is late at night - not too late to wake a bunch of people up, but it's definitely different than Della's usual videos where it's an earlier time. Not to mention she kinda... looks like hell. Bags under her eyes, all the usual signs of exhaustion - but it's more than that. She actually looks emotionally beat up. ]

... Hey, guys. I figured I owed a bunch of you an explanation about my behavior last mission. Look, I know a lot of the time I'm all "woo, adventure, let's beat up monsters, yeah!" everywhere we go, but last time I was more... out of control. Not listening to anyone, still trying to fight even when I was literally falling apart... and I am sorry. I shouldn't have to make you guys worry more than you already have to, especially in the middle of a dangerous fight.

... Here's the deal. All of you are amazing, you have to know that on some level. You've got super powers, you've got metal bodies, you've got magic, and even of those of you who are about to say "Oh, I'm just some ordinary human" - you're not. So many of you have amazing abilities with your weapons, brilliant minds that have led kingdoms and companies, you're all wonderful, and should be so proud of yourself. I'm proud of each and every single one of you.

... And all I can do is land a solid punch every now and then. Back home, I... I was on a team. My family. They all had their own special talents too, and when I finally came home, maybe some part of me wondered... if they really needed me after all, since they'd done so well without me for ten years. And now, here I am, and I can't even do the one thing I at least KNOW I'm good at, being a pilot. Here, I'm just... me.

[ She sighs, taking off her pilot's cap to run a hand through her hair. ]

Dang, I didn't mean to ramble. Just... I'm sorry. I'll try to make sure it won't happen again.

... 'Night, guys.

[ For anyone wanting to check in on her, she can be found in the lower-carriage of the library, wordlessly thumbing through her copy of the Junior Woodchuck Guide, though not really reading it. ]

Comments

[Action]

[dreamtamer]

[ After seeing that post, Takato and Guilmon had gone looking for her. It takes them a while, but they finally think of the library. ]

Della... Are you okay?

[sos_pilot]

[ Hearing their voices, she looks up with a weak smile, putting the book aside. ]

Well well well, if it isn't the dynamic duo. Back to two people again?

[dreamtamer]

Yeah.... I don't think we'll do that again for a while.

[ Guilmon nods in agreement. ]

Yeah! We're really strong when we're Dukemon, but we're really tired now.

[sos_pilot]

So you can only do it once in a while?

[ della are you avoiding your issues by distraction ]

[dreamtamer]

[Takato was still concerned over what she had said earlier, but if she wanted to talk about this instead, then that was okay too.]

Well, I guess it isn't anything like a time limit or anything. If someone attacked right now and we were needed, we would change. [He pauses, thinking.]

I guess its more like... Dukemon is both of us together. Its our belief in each other and in what we need to do that gives Dukemon strength.

[And even if they didn't usually take physical injuries, they still felt the pain and the strain from using all of that energy in their minds. ]

I think... we're just not used to staying like that for very long. So we're really tired after all that fighting.

[sos_pilot]

That makes sense... I think.

[ it sure beats thinking about her own problems. ]

So, you become one guy, am I hearing that right? One mind and all that, it's all equally balanced?

[dreamtamer]

Its kind of hard to explain, but it's something like that I think? Like, when we're Dukemon, I know I'm me and Guilmon is Guilmon and we can feel each other. But we're also the same. We move together and think together.

[sos_pilot]

That's really cool! And it shows just what a perfect team the two of you are.

[dreamtamer]

Well, I don't know if we're a perfect team. But we've learned to work together through lots of adventures.

[sos_pilot]

... I'd love to hear about them. Anytime, any place.

[dreamtamer]

"Of course! We don't mind talking about them."

Here Takato pauses a moment.

"But not all of it is happy. Some really terrible things happened."

[sos_pilot]

Della frowned in concern. "Well, of course you don't have to talk about stuff you don't wanna talk about."

[dreamtamer]

"Oh no, I don't mind talking about it." Except for that one thing... Takato had never talked to anyone about Megidramon, and he wasn't sure if he ever could.

"Its just... we did some really amazing things. But there was just as many times that were really scary, or where something terrible and sad happened."

[sos_pilot]

Mothering instincts began to emerge, and she sat up, wanting to touch his hand. "But you came through much stronger for it. That you can still smile and move forward shows brave you two really are."

[dreamtamer]

"I guess. I've never really thought of myself as brave. But since that was what Guilmon needed me to be, I guess I learned how to be a little braver." He reaches out to touch her hand.

"But we're fine now, really. We were never fighting alone, after all."

[sos_pilot]

"And you're not fighting alone here, either." Della squeezes his hand. "You can always rely on all of us."

... Wait, wasn't he here to comfort her?