The Seal Man, and Other Tales, with Barry and Cisco

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Jyou's located a short walk away -- a little way south-east, over a bridge to another one of the islands that make up Odaiba, past a construction site repairing some light damage from a Digimon battle, and to the southernmost tip of one of the islands.

But he's there, sat on a bench with a textbook in hand and a white, orange-mohawked sea lion slumped around his shoulders like a scarf.

"Hope we didn't keep you waiting," Yamato says, as Jyou looks up at them and flicks down his glasses.

Comments

[run_barry]

"I'm sure it would be interesting to discuss and learn about," Barry replies.

[makes_the_toys]

"But testing is the fun part," Cisco says. "It's all 'supposedly' until you actually do pit it against stuff to find out."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Battlefield experience suggests it's true. The few times we've encountered Chrondigizoit armour, only Chrondigizoit weapons can break it, even if it's skin-thick," Jyou says. "And Koushiro and Yamato are our only scientific types on the team, so any test they can't organise between them probably isn't happening."

[run_barry]

"Yeah. And it's not exactly easy to do that kind of testing safely," Barry points out.

[makes_the_toys]

"I guess 'battle tested' does still count as a valid result," Cisco allows.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Even if it's not in laboratory -- ..." Jyou trails off at that, as a sharp series of beeps and a flickering of light start coming from his digivice, clipped onto his belt.

He pulls it off his belt, holding it up and pressing a button to bring up a display of some kind of wavelength, squinting at it.

"Getting some odd activity off the Gate."

[run_barry]

Carefully so as not to lose his balance, Barry steps closer to Jyou.

"What's up?"

[makes_the_toys]

"Define 'odd activity'," Cisco says, looking around and then up at the sky.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Jyou angles a glance up at the sky, then back at his display. "A signal for it to open, I think."

He's only just gotten the words out when the sky above Odaiba splits open, a funnel of flickering, glowing data appearing directly above them.

What appears to be a blimp with eyes appears out of it first, followed by several streaks of light, some speeding down towards the island, a few landing in the water of Tokyo Bay.

[run_barry]

"Is that good or bad?" Barry asks, looking up at the blimp thing and then watching those streaks fall.

This feels like a Situation, but Barry knows not all Digimon bad guys. Still... it does has that 'yet another trip where Something Happens' vibe to it.

[makes_the_toys]

"Oh, please don't be Penmon... " Cisco mutters, watching with worry.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"Probably not Penmon, they'd call ahead," Jyou mutters to Cisco, pressing a few buttons on his digivice. "If they're coming through the Gate, then they've got someone who can open it on their end -- so, Gennai, probably."

His tone is very much one of 'this is a bad thing,' and a moment later there's a rumbling boom from the city, and then another and another, as if a series of explosions have been set off.

The display on Jyou's digivice flickers, then is replaced by a tiny hologram of Yamato. "Jyou, status," he says, before his gaze flicks over to Barry. "Aniki, you and Cisco okay?"

"Nobody's attacked us yet, but we've got ..." Jyou flicks a hand, bringing up a map with a cluster of red dots on it. "A dozen 'mons in the Bay. I'm guessing more on land?"

[run_barry]

Barry frowns when he hears Gennai could be responsible, then turns his head quickly to look towards the city when he hears the loud booming.

He's a heartbeat away from running towards those sounds of explosions when Yamato's voice grabs Barry's attention.

"We're fine," Barry replies, looking down at the hologram of Yamato. "What's going on?"

[makes_the_toys]

"See? SEE??? THIS is why you bring a go bag!" Cisco says loudly, then does a terrible, high-pitched imitation of Barry. "You don't need all that junk, Cisco. Leave it behind, Cisco. Be sure and write that on my gravestone, Barry!"

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"That's a good impression," Yamato says mildly.

"It's not a good impression," Jyou mutters.

"All-out assault by what looks like the Ironworks Trading Company," Yamato says, turning his attention back to Barry. "We have Takeru, Mimi, and Koushiro handling evacuation, and Sora's been dispatched to deal with the airship. Jyou can secure the Bay."

He cocks his head to one side. "Their targets are probably Meiko and the broadcast station. Taichi's guarding Meiko, but I could use someone to evacuate the broadcast station and make sure they don't get access to the machinery there, if you don't mind being put to work."

[run_barry]

"It's a terrible impression," Barry says, in full agreement with Jyou.

Barry listens as Yamato lays out the situation, then gives a quick nod when Yamato asks for his help.

"I can do that, yeah," he says, then has a quick realization and turns around.

"Cisco... "

[makes_the_toys]

"The best impression," Cisco says with a firm nod.

When Barry turns to him Cisco puts on a brave face and waves for Barry to get going.

"I'm fine, dude. Rather be here than where all the explosions are going on, anyways."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

"I'm sending coordinates over to Jyou now. Jyou, transfer those and a copy of the Analyser program onto Barry's phone," Yamato says. "Gabumon and I are occupied right now, but we'll meet up with you as soon as possible."

As Jyou pulls out his phone, waiting for a download to finish before waving it in Barry's general direction to transfer the data over. Meanwhile, Yamato looks over at Cisco, tilting his head.

"I can divert Takeru to pick you up and take you back to the safe house, if you want. Get you linked into comms there," he says. "Or you can stick with Jyou. With him in the middle of the water is a pretty safe place to be."

[run_barry]

Barry pulls out his phone to receive the information from Jyou and give it a quick look over.

"Are you two alright?" Barry asks. He knows Yamato and Gabumon can handle themselves, but he can't not ask.

[makes_the_toys]

Cisco watches the data exchange, hesitating just for a moment before declining Yamato's offer.

"Nah, I'm good here," he says, sounding more confident than he really feels.

Cisco would much rather Not be in the middle of the water with a big Digi-blimp overhead and explosions happening in the distance, and he hates not being near a computer where he can monitor Barry, but he also can't ask Takeru to stop helping other people just to come get him.

"You guys be careful out there."

[angry_friendship_wolf]

The coordinates yield a map pointing to a spot near the western edge of Odaiba, just north of an arterial cluster of train lines, and a picture of a building that looks very much like a three-dimensional grid of steel and glass holding up a sphere. The Analyser, meanwhile, simply appears as an app icon with an 8-bit ladybug as its symbol.

Yamato gives a quick nod to Cisco: "Roger that. Things might get a little noisy, but nothing's going to get close with Jyou there."

He turns back to Barry, adding: "We're alright, just dealing with one branch of the attacking force. Garurumon's sensors have a wide enough range to cover the island and bay, so we're keeping track of the battle."

[run_barry]

Barry takes in the map and building, looking up from his phone to the bay and city beyond.

"Okay, heading out now," he says to Yamato.

"Let me know if you need me," Barry says, casting his gaze from Yamato to Jyou and Cisco, laying a hand on the latter's shoulder before Barry takes off with a gust and spray of water as he runs across the bay towards Odaiba.

[makes_the_toys]

"I believe it," Cisco replies to Yamato, giving a thumbs up to both Yamato and Jyou. "Especially not with our boy Ikkakumon here."

He gives Barry a nod, squinting against the blowback and spray as he watches Barry run off.

"I need to make a travel suit," Cisco says, chewing his lip with the idea, totally not because he's worried.

[angry_friendship_wolf]

Yamato gives a quick nod, and the hologram fizzles out.

"Maybe one that unfolds out of some kind of carry-able sack," Jyou supplies to Cisco, helpfully.

As Barry runs, there is, one by one, the indicators of a handful of the Chosen activating their power across the island. The sky lights up for a second with a barrage of purple lightning flashing between the clouds; then grass and flowers start sprouting from the concrete of Odaiba, blooming within seconds; then with a resonant chime the daytime is swallowed by night, the sun replaced by a too-large full moon, as a cold snap hits the area; before finally with another chime it snaps back to daytime, the moon replaced by an orange sun and the sky stained yellow and amber, as that cold snaps turns all at once to midsummer heat and stays that way.

Over the Bay, a glowing orange bird the size of a building swoops by, making a beeline for the Blimpmon. Meanwhile, across Odaiba, Barry might occasionally catch glimpses of a giant insect ferrying people to safety in a basket, or an enormous cactus gesturing people towards shelters.

The broadcast station isn't difficult to find, though: It's the largest building on the island, and it's also the only one with a film crew outside of it, trying to catch good shots of the battle.

[run_barry]

The change in atmosphere is startling. The crack of lightning breaking the sky actually makes Barry jump, and the alternating time of day and temperatures is astounding, even having witnessed it once before with Yamato.

When Barry hits land he streaks down the streets, zig-zagging through traffic and the people running away from the chaos.

He makes a few quick rescues along the way, pulling pedestrians out of the path of speeding vehicles, and whisking an elderly woman out of the crowd and to the head of the line into one of the shelters. He doesn't slow down, moving as a blur through the city until he finally reaches his destination.

Coming to a sliding stop in front of the broadcast building, Barry takes in the scene.

"You all need to get out of here!" he shouts out to the film crew.