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[Airdra]

The others were thanking Chronomon for his welcome as well, which was probably as could be expected. It didn't do to offend gods, after all...and they were all still riding on the high of the feelings Chronomon had spread through the group. Not that Sam cared. She still felt grate, particularly since Ben was right there next to her.

And Chronomon, for his part...wasn't really responding to that at all. It was a little unnerving. He'd just talked, spoken with that "Welcome," right? And now he was completely still. Unblinking.

Unnerving.

From where he was hanging out at the back of the group, Jewels, who had Kunemon on one shoulder and Mira in his arms, squirmed a bit. The whole unblinking thing? Yeah, that was kind of freaky. He wasn't about to panic, oh, no, he was still far too calm for that, but he was unnerved. Was he going to say anything or otherwise draw any attention to himself? Heck, no.

Kunemon, for her part, was thoughtful and quiet, wondering if Chronomon would actually say or do anything else--or if he just knew what was going to happen and thus didn't need to speak. Mira's response was more one of wide-eyed curiosity, and even she was far too awed to cause much trouble.

Sam didn't quite know what to make of Chronomon. Edward was staying quiet, which might have been a good idea. If you didn't know what to say, say nothing at all, right? Still, Ben was continuing to try to speak with the god, and she nodded along with him. Not that I think he's going to turn out to become a great conversationalist all of a sudden... It was occuring to Sam that maybe, the great god of the seers was simply a quiet sort.

[ShadowCat]

Shawn had expected to have heard Chronomon’s voice in his head again after they’d greeted the Seer God, but nothing happen. In fact the god was completely still now. Even with the feeling of peace he’d experienced before Shawn found it a little unnerving. Swallowing he wondered if they’d not greeted him correctly. Some gods could be picky about that kind of thing, he thought glancing over at Kresnimon for a moment. But if they’d been some way to act when meeting the Seer Shawn didn’t know it. And the god would know that and not be angry right?

Tightening his hold of Ed’s hand and inching closer to the blond haired man Shawn returned his gaze to the unmoving god. He heard Ben comment on the god’s island, but even though he felt the same didn’t join in. He wasn’t sure now was the time for that. Instead the though back to what little the god had said, that he’d been waiting for them.

“You said you’d been waiting for us to arrive. Does that mean you have a way to help us against Grandracmon?” He asked.

[Qu33n0f1c3]

Ben thought that the island was impressive, and Edward agreed. It was truly a place of beauty, and Edward would be sad to leave it behind.

As much as he liked it though, he did not want to live in a utopia. He wanted to experience life for all it was worth, flaws and all. There was something attractive about the uneven terrain of home and the way the digimon sometimes did not always get along. It was real. It was gritty. Edward didn't like the fake atmosphere here.

But . . . Chronomon did not seem to respond much to Ben's praises. His eyes did not open. His beak did not click. He was silent.

Now Shawn was trying his luck, asking if Chronomon had answers about Grandracmon. He made more of an impression than Ben--Chronomon eased open his eyes--but he remained silent, only now his gaze bore into their souls.

Kresnimon gave Shawn an unhappy look, but dared not complain about his forward question aloud. He knew that he had always hated begging, and he had a feeling that Chronomon was no different. Would he even bother with them if they came off too desperate?

"Grandracmon sucks," Edward said rather suddenly, though his voice was soft, timid. "I'd know. I spent a year by his side." He paused, then smiled hopefully. "It'd be really great if you could help us save the world."

Chronomon made no response. He kept on staring.

[Alison]

Ben wondered if he was right to say anything at first, he had hoped that Sam would at least say something to assist. The god had been unmoving and did not say a thing. Well that didn't go down well. Shawn was the next to say something, even though it wasn't directed at what he had said. It was a legit question, or so Ben thought. At least it got the god to open his eyes.

Ben glanced to Edward as the man spoke. Well that was direct to the point. They were not beating around the bush. But the god was still silent. The boy was clueless as to what else to say that could bring the god around to actually saying something.

Fang kept his eyes on the god. He didn't want to get too comfortable in case the god decided he wanted them out and gone from his island. The groups intentions were good and they did need help, but how to explain this to the god? Verbal pleas were not coming off all that well.

"Hmm," he mused for a few moments as he took his eyes off the god for the first time, looking towards Miles and then Edward. It had worked when several of the group had prayed to Valkyrimon to protect Edward. Maybe a non-verbal message to the god would be more respectful? Since that is the way the god had contacted them.

Fang bowed his head before slowly forming his words. Wizarmon looked puzzled as he did this, but was being on good behaviour at the very least to not say anything. It didn't take Miles long to click on what the Digimon was doing and gave small smile.

*Chronomon. I hope you maybe able to hear this. Thank you for allowing us to stay on your island for a short while. Even if you are unable to assist us any further in our journey to remove Grandracmon from the Digital World, we are greatful for what you had provided.*

[ShadowCat]

Well that seemed to have gotten a reaction out of the silent bird god. Chronomon was now gazing at them, or maybe though them would be a better way to put it. It bothered Shawn even more then when the god had just stood there doing nothing. Shawn couldn’t help but feel that he was seeing ‘everything’ about them with that gaze. Not just their actions, but their thoughts and feelings. The things that made them who they were. It wasn’t exactly a bad feeling; Shawn didn’t want run and hide or anything, it was just intense.

He blinked a little at Ed’s sudden, but quiet ‘declaration’ that Grandracmon sucked. His unease about the god’s gaze forgotten Shawn turned to look at his husband. It was like him, but also unlike him lately. He’d been withdrawn and less likely to talk like that lately. Shawn was glad he was now though.

Looking back Chronomon he saw the god was just still staring. If he had done anything at Ed’s words he’d missed it. “Ed’s right.” Shawn spook up again.

A depressing thought crossed his mind. What if Chronomon had nothing to say as he already knew nothing they did would matter? Shawn pushed the thought away, but it remained in the back of his mind. He didn’t want to believe that. They were healthy and alive, and he felt determined to save the world regardless of if he was told it was impossible. He’d seen firsthand what it was like under the gods rule with Ed and couldn’t leave it that way.

“We know it’s a daunting task, but where determined to save the world from Grandracmon anyway.” Shawn said looking around at the others.

[Airdra]

Shawn asked Chronomon if he knew a way to help them defeat Grandracmon, but there was no answer...only a change in the way Chronomon was looking at them.

Ed tried a different approach, but that didn't go over so well either. Chronomon remained as impassive as ever.

Fang just had his head down, like he was deep in thought or something...and then Sam realized what he was trying. Interesting approach...

She had to wonder what it was that Chronomon was seeing. The way he was looking at them all, it felt like he was staring right through their clothes, their bodies...right at their souls. He was probably learning more about them than he ever could have just by talking with them.

And Shawn was trying to speak with him again.

"We want to fight him," Sam asserted. "We want to make sure he can't hurt anyone else. We want to bring peace to this world--we've come too far to back off now, and we can't just leave him be like this."

[Qu33n0f1c3]

Chronomon had been keeping quiet for a particular reason . . . and a good one, he believed.

Silence was unnerving, a universal signal of unease, and fear of the unknown. He kept quiet, and so his guests had feared. What had they done wrong? Had they offended him?

They feared, and so their characters were easy to judge.

Chronomon could see their souls. He knew who they were inside. What he wanted to see was how their inside would match their outside. How their public visage matched their souls.

Chronomon was the God of Seers, but he was not perfect. He knew potential long-sweeping outcomes, how to change the game called life, but he could not predict things as they were happening. He had not been expecting to be contacted spiritually as he had contacted them, and so he turned his head just slightly to gaze particularly hard at Fang.

He did not focus upon him for too long. Chronomon was satisfied with what he had heard from his visitors. He was particularly wary of humans. He had gained his powers after the great war that had nearly torn the digital world apart. He recognized Kresnimon, of course. He knew what terrible fate had befallen him as a result of human interference with their world. But these humans were no enemies. They were allies. They were willing to try and save the world. They could do it. Or they could fail. Edward had the odds stacked in their favor . . . but it was no guarantee of success. They could still all perish. It was a potential future. He could see it.

Slowly Chronomon began to float lower and lower, until his taloned feet were touching the base of the shallow pool he'd been hovering over. He spread out his wings, stretching them wide to each side. It was the first time he'd moved in years, decades, perhaps. He needed a good stretch.

After a moment he put his arms back so they were touching ends again and gazed out through the cascading pillars of water on all sides of him. "You wish to fight Grandracmon," Chronomon said, still broadcasting his voice through thought. "Admirable. However . . . it is not a task you are able to complete as you are, and time is not on your side. In order to defeat him, you are going to need to cheat a little. The downside is that cheating has consequences. The journey to the reward will be dangerous. There is a reasonable chance you will all perish on the way. The odds are not in your favor."

[Alison]

Ben felt no need to follow up on Shawn and Sam's comments. He had already said his piece, to continue he believed to be a pointless endevour. If the god wanted to talk to them, he would. If not then they may have to go empty handed, back into the face of danger. Instead he merely nodded in agreement as he watched the god.

He watched as Chronomon looked directly at his partner with that gaze of his, wondering if the god was offended by whatever his partner had done. Fang himself looked back to the god as he was looked upon. He did not waver at the gaze, instead he waited and hoped that the god would respond to the group.

As the god started to move himself. He looked even more madjestic as he stretched our his wings, though Miles was still a little nervous at seeing the god. The attitudes of Kresnimon and sometimes Valkyrimon leave a lasting impression.

Wizarmon simply watched the god as he started to move. Oh he was impressive there was no doubting it, but would he help like the children had asked.

As the god spoke to them once more, Ben just stood silent. Time was never on their side and generally speaking they didn't get anything for free in this world as such. There was a catch and as per usual, the odds were not in their favour. They had seen death more than once, but to hear it from Chronomon? That was heavy. Ben had gone a little white and looked to Fang. The Digimon's face was more than a little grim.

Ben let out a long exhale through his mouth in a worried kind of motion. "Not what I was hoping to hear."

Miles didn't look easy at the news. Fair enough he hadn't expected there not to be some sort of catch. But this was a big catch. Yes he had died and been reborn, but there may not be another chance.

[ShadowCat]

Shawn wasn’t sure just what caused the god to finally move, if it was something they’d said that did it or something the seer learned while looking that was beyond them. Still he was happy that Chronomon was finally doing something.

As was Alex. She’d remained silent and in the back of the group as she’d felt it was the chosen’s job to impress the god. And to be honest she’d been too afraid to get involved anyway. The last time she’d had a gods attention if hadn’t gone well for her… She rubbed her stomach before she realized what she was doing. Once she did she let her hand fall to her side again.

Elecmon’s ears perked up at hearing there was a way for them to ‘cheat’ so they could take on Grandramon with a chance of winning. They feel again though at hearing their odds of surviving whatever this ‘cheating’ intelled. Looking up at Shawn he could see that he didn’t look like he’d turn back just because they might die trying this. Knowing his partner was that determined helped him to be as well.

Shawn looked around at the others, his eyes stopping on Ben as he verbally expressed what he thought of the news. He didn’t blame him for hoping for something better, he had too after all. Still Shawn had thought he’d accept the new better. When did anything come easy for them? Maybe in the beginning, before he’d arrived they didn’t have to risk it all for things, but that was basically was Shawn was used to dealing with.

Looking away from Ben he turned back to the Seer. “What will we gain from risking it all to cheat?” He asked. He wasn’t wanting to know to decide if it was worth it, so much as just because he was curious. To his mind cheating could mean a lot of things. Like gaining a power they would make them invisible for a time, or maybe something else like the ring Ed had tricked Grandracmon into using. That had been cheating.

[Airdra]

At long last, Chronomon lowered himself down and deigned to talk to the group.

Well, thought-talk to them, anyway. He approved of their going to fight Grandracmon, which was good--that meant he'd help them. Or so Samantha thought. She listened with a frown as he said the odds would not be in their favor. They'd be "cheating." How would they be cheating? And she had to wonder what Chronomon would define as "reasonable" regarding the chances that they'd die. Living under Grandracmon's rule of the Digital World was "reasonable" chance enough of just dying if they did nothing.

Mercifully, her partners behind her remained quiet. She'd been concerned about Jewels having some sort of spaz attack at Chronomon's words, but no, he was quiet. Perhaps quiet enough that he'd passed out standing, or perhaps he had finally learned better than to make small fear noises around gods. Kunemon was sitting on his shoulder, looking grim, her antennae twitching thoughtfully.

She squeezed Ben's hand when he exhaled in worry. No, it wasn't what she'd been hoping to hear, either, but they had to fight.

Shawn asked what they'd gain, and Sam nodded in agreement with that. They needed  to know. "We're going to die anyway if Grandracmon continues on if he has been. We need...whatever it is you're offering."

[Qu33n0f1c3]

Chronomon made no motion to acknowledge any of the surprise, despair, or--in his opinion--petty remarks the humans were making about the situation. He knew they meant no harm . . . but he disliked them already for their tendency to vocalize things that often did not need vocalizing. Stating the obvious was one such thing.

He did, however, answer Shawn's question, because it was relevant information they would need to know at some point anyway.

"Energy. Power. Evolution. In that order, very likely," Chronomon thought-spoke.

Edward was running legends he'd heard as a child through his head, trying to recall if any had ever mentioned some sort of way to cheat the evolution system. He got the gist of what Chronomon was getting at. Whatever they needed to try and do, it involved reaching a higher form, something which none of their partners could do, and had only been achieved so far through artificial means, through Kresnimon's experimentation.

Try as he may, he could not think of any such tale, though it did not surprise him. The truth about the state of the digital world, and why Kresnimon had been a tyrant, had been kept mostly by the god himself, as he had only learned about it when he had spent time as a prisoner in his domain. Whatever this involved must be some secret indeed for Kresnimon to want them to consult with the god of seers. Whatever the answer to their problem was, it could not possibly involve Kresnimon's biological manipulation. If it did, they wouldn't need to cheat any more than they already had. The bracelets would have been enough.

"Well, what do we have to do?" Edward asked quietly. It was the magic question, really. The give-or-take-all. "Where must we go to earn this power?"

"Down, through the digital world's virus shield, to the core, where the power source that keeps this world going is located, hidden away from the corruption and danger humans have wrought upon the world above."

Edward felt little reaction to the somewhat low comment about humanity. He was raised here for most of the life he could remember. He felt loyalty to the digital world. The others, he wasn't so sure how they'd feel about it. He glanced to them, impassive, and curious.

Kresnimon nodded silently. Even having spent as much time with the chosen ones as he had, he still thought little of humans, and he wanted them out of his world as soon as was possible. They just needed to slaughter the dark lord first.

Then Edward had a thought, and he looked back to Chronomon. "If there's a shield protecting some hidden layer of the digital world from human influence . . . then how are we going to be able to get down there?"

If Chronomon could smile--wryly, at that--he would have at that moment. "Precisely the problem," Chronomon said in thought, "and exactly where much of the danger comes into play. The digital world will consider humans, and any digimon touched by them, to be intruders, and will do all it can to eliminate the creatures causing a breach in the world's security. The fewer of you who venture down below, the better chances you will have to survive. The more targets, the easier it will be for the guardians to pick you off and weaken your forces and your will."

[Alison]

Sam's squeeze was slightly comforting after his exhale and Shawn's question was somewhat of a distraction from the actual thought of possibly dying. Well that was until Sam stated what would likely happen if Grandracmon were to continue. The boy squeezed her hand back, to let her know that it had been welcome.

Fang looked puzzled as Chronomon answered Shawn's question. Yes that was possible over time and it had been possible for them to evolve to perfect, but he didn't understand how they could obtain it even by 'cheating' as the god called it.

Wizarmon was frowning, as another to have died once she wasn't overly keen on dying again. But it had been an almost possibility before. But this time it seemed that it was more heavy, almost more certain. Especially after Edward had aksed his question and he was answered by the god. She knew what a virus had done to Kresnimon, what would an anti-virus do to them if they even did survive it?

Ben listened to what Edward and Chronomon stated. This was getting more grim by the minute. He wanted to tell the god that not all humans were corrupt, but what would be the point? It was technically their fault that this occured in the first place. Virus' were never a good thing and the way that Chronomon talked about it, that almost confirmed it. But this time it was the other way around, they were 'the virus' and the world was the 'anti-virus'. They would be walking into their very possible deaths, again.

He looked to the others, the concern of what he was feeling was on his face. If there was a fighting chance that it would be better if they didn't all go, then they shouldn't all go. Part of him certainly didn't want to go, part of him felt obliged to go. Fear was a master at making one very undecisive.

"How should we decide if anyone should stay behind?" he asked the others.

[Airdra]

Evolution. Of course. Sam nodded a bit at what Chronomon was saying. It made sense; no one had a partner that could progress past the Perfect stage. Evolving even further would turn the tide in their favor.

...but they'd had to go through a lot to obtain those Perfect stages. She and Kunemon had been put through a shrine challenge, as had everyone else. And that had been just for Perfect. Evolution to Ultimate? That would be...well, she could see how easily that might turn nasty.

Especially given what Chronomon was saying. Sam frowned. She'd been in the Digital World a long time. She considered it home, though perhaps not to the degree Edward did--she'd spent a lot of time inside that virtual world, after all. Still, she didn't think they were a corruption. At least not on purpose. It wasn't a good idea to generalize the humans that way.

But she could focus on that later. The important thing now was that they had a shield to get through. A dangerous, dangerous shield.

And Ben returning her hand squeeze. That was important, too.

He was asking how they should decide who should go now. This was also important, sadly moreso than the hand squeeze. "We should send whoever's got the best chance of getting in and out alive, that's who we should send."

[ShadowCat]

Shawn acknowledged Sam’s agreement in what he’d asked by giving her a small smile before returning his full attention back to Chronomon. The gods answer to his question was a little surprising to him, though maybe it shouldn’t have been. He'd just thought because the god had said it would be a way to cheat it would be something else. Gaining the power to evolve though would be great.

If they survived that is…

He listened as Ed asked what they needed to do to get the ability and then as the Seer god told them where they’d need to go and why it was dangerous. He looked down at the ground when he heard that it would be dangerous because they’d be considered intruders in the heart of the digital world. This both bothered Shawn, after all they’d be fighting for this world, and made sense to him. Even without all the damage humans had caused this world in the past, he thought they could still be a foreign entity to the cores defenses.   

Elecmon looked at Ben as he questioned how they should decide who went and then over at Sam when she said it should be whoever had the best chance of making it in and out alive. That made sense but he thought they were over complicating it.

“I don’t think deciding whose going is that hard.” He said looking around the group. “The humans without a Digivice and partner don’t really need to go.” Elecmon wasn’t even sure if the chosen humans would be needed or not to do this, but as Chronomon had indicated humans could go, he was sure Shawn and the others would be going with their partners. He knew he’d go with Shawn to do something dangerous even if he wouldn’t be needed in the end.

“So I think what we really need to decide if only the chosen should go.” He ended, looking around at the other digimon in the room.

Getting what Elecmon was saying Lionessmon looked over at her husband. She would say her drive to save the world was just as strong as his and she’d be willing to risk her life to do it, but she understood it wasn’t necessarily her place to risk it all. And she was strong as she was.

“I’d like to go… but I’m willing to stay behind.” She said in a low but clear voice. Smiling a little, she told Picodevimon, “Just be sure to make it back alive and in one piece.”

[Qu33n0f1c3]

Ben voiced the obvious question and Sam gave the obvious answer. Shawn expanded upon it, stating that only those with digimon should go. The Chosen Ones go, is what it boiled down to. Edward's teammates seemed to have the right idea about what to do, if not necessarily how to go about it.

Edward licked his lips as he looked around at those gathered in the room. His gaze lingered on his mother and father, who had already died once. He was glad that Shawn had been the one to suggest they shouldn't go. He knew his mother would want to. His father would have wanted to at least try and protect him and Sam. The only problem was that they could not. They were only human. They couldn't do a better job than the digimon could. And besides, going or not, what was going to protect them? He didn't quite trust Kresnimon alone with a group of unprotected humans.

"The fewer targets the better," Picodevimon said to Lionessmon when she looked his way. He was disappointed in his answer himself, but he felt it was the right one. "Stay behind."

"Look after the others," Edward voiced, having silently cleared his throat. "My mom and dad, and Miles and Alex . . . Someone will need to protect them while they're waiting for us. You guys do that. You and Wizarmon, and Floramon, and Jewelbeemon."

Kiyomi, who had been sitting fairly quiet, pawed at the ground uneasily. She knew that she would have to stay behind too, but she didn't like it. At least she'd have her mother. For good measure she nuzzled against her leg sadly, wondering what would happen if Picodevimon didn't make it back.

Edward looked back over the group once more. The ones best able to handle the journey were himself, Shawn, Ben, and Sam. They had the most experience of everyone.

Slowly he took up Shawn's hand in his. They were supposed to get married. It was looking more and more like they weren't going to have the chance.

At least we're joined in spirit, he thought, still feeling upset he wasn't going to be able to give Shawn the gift he'd wanted.