badass_bunny | Round 1! [Video Post via Lopmon's Rise Bracer. Backdated to mid-afternoon]

[Poor White Lopmon looks like she's going to have a heart attack and suddenly loses the ability to speak. So much for that new spine - Kazma fucking terrifies her just by being there, so she sure as hell doesn't want to tell him she failed to protect her tamer.

Doumeki, obviously, doesn't know what the message is, but he can wager a guess. He comes in to the living room with his tea, sitting down in an arm chair.]

He was holding his own against a couple of Hanumon, but more ganged up on him and they were both overpowered. Its to be expected - he's new here, there's no way his partner could have evolved that soon. Nadeko-chan and I happened to be in the area and evened the numbers.

[okay, not totally truthful, but really if anything the only thing Doumeki is guilty of here is omission rather than out and out lying.]

[Kazma listens and nods. From the digimon's reaction, he knows something is left out. But that does not matter. Past failures are in the past, they cannot be undone. He knows that well enough. He stands up and moves over to Kazuma's Lopmon. He places a hand on her head and nods to her. He understands how she feels.

Her sister, however, simply shakes her head to herself. It seems her sister's bravery is only partially there. No matter. She'll toughen up her sister, in due time.]

[Lopmon lets out a squeak when he approaches, but smiles nervously at the hand on her head.]

[Kazma gives the Lopmon a small smile, reassuring her he won't do anything. He turns to Doumeki and points to his tea and then back to himself. He hopes there is enough for two.]

I wouldn't have pegged you for a tea drinker.

[Doumeki gets up and goes to get the pot, bringing that and another cup over, pouring it for Kazma.]

You're really an avatar Kazuma-kun created?

[King Kazma sits down next to Doumeki and nods, taking his cup of tea and taking a drink. He thinks for a moment before deciding speaking would be easier. And with Kazuma not in the room, it makes it easier for him to speak.]

Correct. I am King Kazma, Player's avatar.

[That was a bit unexpected, hearing the little boy's voice coming from the much larger rabbit, but he supposes in some way it is to be expected.]

Can I ask you something then? It might be a bit personal.

You are allowing me to dwell with Player. I will answer your question to the best of my ability.

Kazuma-kun has been having nightmares. Bad ones. He screams like some one physically hurting him, but whenever we ask... he can't bring himself to talk about it.

He controlled you in a virtual world, so if you don't know anything about it, its entirely reasonable. But if you have some idea...

[Doumeki looks up at him, face as stoic as ever, but obviously concern in his eyes. He wants to help Kazuma, but they just haven't found a way.]

[Kazma is quiet for a moment...his gaze falling to his tea. It takes him a moment before he can speak.]

Love Machine...Love Machine happened...

Love Machine... ?

Love Machine...and AI. He took over another Player's avatar, a small mouse boy. He was ruining OZ. Player commanded me to stop him...but...I failed. I was defeated. He then began to play with Player's world through OZ.

And...it only worsened.

Love Machine caused Player a deep pain. He...he caused the failure of Player's Grandmother's monitoring system. She...she died.

And I failed Player for a second time. I failed to get Player his revenge.

[Doumeki is silent, listening closely, but its clear when Kazma mentions Kazuma's grandmother that sympathizes greatly.]

He told Kimihiro... "it wasn't supposed to happen". But he didn't say anything more than that...

[he's quiet for another moment, sighing and sitting back in his chair, propping a leg up on his knee]

I understand how helpless some one that age can feel when an older loved one has passed. I lost my grandfather when I was ten. Not much younger than Kazuma-kun. Even if there was something that could have been done, it's unlikely it could have been done by a child.

I am no child. Had I won...it would not have happened. I failed Player. I failed his Grandmother.

And then I failed again...and I was eaten.

[That gets a raised eyebrow and a look that's almost shocked. Well, as shocked as Doumeki can get in a situation that isn't life or death.

It fades after a few seconds though.]

You think that now, but wasn't he controlling you? What kind of AI was it?

It wanted information. It gathered it, sought it out...devoured it.

I was still not powerful enough. I failed Player.

Love Machine...devoured me. That is how I know of what happened. I became...part of it.

That is how I know what it did to Player's grandmother.

... if it gathered information, its safe to say it only got stronger with it. Eventually... you would have been over your head, even with some one as skilled as Kazuma-kun at the keyboard.

Kazma-san... you're both beating yourself up over something that couldn't be helped. If it was as bad as you say it was... its no wonder he was frightened.

[he goes quiet again, looking up the dark hall at the closed bedroom doors]

He wants to protect the people he cares for, same as you.

I will not fail Player again. I will protect him here. I will become strong, strong enough to defeat anything that tries to hurt him.

Those are dangerous words, in a world like this.

I will do it. Player must be protected.

[His partner was smiling, she likes his style. She can see the two of them getting along famously.]

And he will be. By all of us. But don't give in to some one just because they say they can give you the power to do that.

[Kazma nods and sips his tea, but he cannot help but reject Doumeki's advice. If it was for Kazuma, if it were to save Player, he would give anything for the power to do so. He would give anything to never fail his Player again.]

[there's a nagging thought at the back of Doumeki's mind, but he dismisses it. They're all working together to keep one another safe, aren't they? That's what matters. At least he learned what's been causing Kazuma so much stress, even if there's not much more he can do about it than there was before. He's not even going to really bring it up unless he absolutely has to.]

[Kazma continues to drink his tea, his mind lost in thought. There is...so many new things, having thoughts one of them. This entire situation is new to him, he has no idea what he should be doing. So, for now he will drink he tea and not speak unless spoken to.]

[the silence is a little unnerving, if only because there's usually something going on in their apartment. He tries changing to another subject.]

You might need to look for work. Kimihiro is currently working off a debt and doesn't get paid, and Nadeko-chan and Kazuma-kun are returning to school when the term starts again.

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