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[missiondeterminant]

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[missiondeterminant]

[Having a mission is comforting for him, and although he's fine working alone he does prefer being a part of a team, even if it's just one other person. So he nods, feeling more confident, taking a moment to scan their surroundings again just in case anything changed... But nothing. It's still flat and featureless, with nothing to indicate a way to go.

But if there's nothing in the direction Maki came from, and nothing in the direction he can from, then they can split the difference and take another route. A momentary calculation and he turns their new direction, though he doesn't start walking just yet and instead glances back at Maki.]

Let's look in this direction. You're right; this can't be all there is, although any changes in our surroundings may be more subtle than we would expect. We should pay careful attention as we walk.

[unchosenchild]

[ She glances up at Connor -- tall people, honestly -- and nods before turning in the direction. ]

You seem like you have experience with putting puzzles together. [ Figuratively speakinf, of course. ] Are you some kind of an investigator?

[ She starts walking now, slowly, being sure to look around for clues. ]

[missiondeterminant]

I-

[He stops, having to catch himself before he goes into the 'Android sent by Cyberlife to assist in the investigation' spiel that's second nature at this point. Instead, after a moment of thought--]

I work with the Detroit Police Department, assisting in analyzing crime scene evidence.

[So yes, he's kind of an investigator, even though he's not actually an employee of the police department. He continues to scan their surrounds as he talks.]

What do you do?

[unchosenchild]

[ You should trade titles with Daigo one say if the universes align and you two ever meet, Connor. As it stands, that answer is good enough for Maki. ]

I'm a government agent. We investigate occurrences pertaining to a world that exists close to ours.

[missiondeterminant]

[He would love to ramble titles at Daigo; they'd probably get along. But alas.

That's an interesting response, though, and draws Connor's attention back to Maki briefly.]

So instances like this, then?

[unchosenchild]

[ Cheer up. When Maki's more chill, she can ramble titles with you. ]

It's more when that other world tries to overtake our world. The situation we're in isn't unheard of, though. And from what I can tell, this world isn't that world, but it still could be hostile.

[missiondeterminant]

[Emotions are very confusing!!! Cheering up is difficult.]

So far it seems unnaturally devoid of life or landscape features.

[So he definitely doesn't think this is a good place, and he wonders if they're really actually physically there at all. Maybe this is all in their minds, and they're connected somehow; he's not sure how that would work with a human, but it would at least make sense. For now, anything sounds better than nothing.]

What were you doing before you found yourself here?

[unchosenchild]

[ Honestly she feels that. ]

I agree. Even the most desolate locations in the worlds I've been in have features to them.

[ It's crossed her mind that this could be a new part od the Digital World-- an offshoot of the Dark Ocean, or a server that's firewalled off from the rest of existence. A quarantine zone serving Homeostasis's designs. Maybe this is where it wants to send King Drasil.

In a less dire situation, that question would visibly faze her, but Maki is in work mode. ]

Swimming in the ocean. [ Cool as a cucumber. ] You?

[missiondeterminant]

I was on an abandoned freighter.

[It's equally calm and equally vague, but it does give a link; they were both near water, apparently. Not a huge connection and entirely likely to be a coincidence, but still.]

I wonder if there is any connection there, in that we were both near water.

MAKI PLS

[unchosenchild]

[ You know what, she's just gonna say it. ]

The connection would be stronger if you were dying. I drowned, or was about to.

[ Look this is in the interest of figuring out what's going on okay. ]

MAKI

[missiondeterminant]

[Connor stops walking at that, turning to look at her more fully, not at all sure how to respond to that. He isn't even sure how to answer in terms of the facts; he wasn't dying, because he isn't alive (or is he?) but in a more metaphorical sense, maybe. Or maybe he just doesn't remember being destroyed; maybe Markus or North shot him, maybe the attack on Jericho caught him up in it.

But it isn't just his uncertainty about his own situation making him hesitate; he feels... Something, for Maki, and wants to say the right thing to help but just doesn't know what it is. So, finally--]

I don't think there's a connection there.

[He pauses a moment.]

Are you alright now?

[At the very least, hopefully she isn't having any health problems, although emotionally he doubts she's doing as well.]

[unchosenchild]

[ She hadn't quite expected that reaction, though it's hard to expect much of anything when the memory of having your last hope shattered is heavy in your mind. Maki stops and faces him, glad for having so much practice at being calm under pressure that it's just second nature to be so now. ]

I've been through worse. [ Even as an adult, she recoils at the memory of watching the Dark Masters' defeat. ] I won't be a drag on our investigation here, if that's what you're worried about.

[missiondeterminant]

[That isn't what concerns me is the first response that runs through his mind, which feels strange to him, and he brushes it off in favor of just nodding, taking that answer as it is.

He looks forward again, ready to continue, and this time his scan picks something up; there's a change in the scenery, not above the horizon line but below it. He heads that direction without a word, jogging the short distance to the anomaly he picked up and looking down at it, realizing what it is.

It's the opening to a cave, dark and foreboding, not exactly a gaping chasm but more like a large crevice that slops down into the earth. They wouldn't be able to walk upright through it, but there might be enough room to crawl and Connor's scanners indicate that a little way into the passage it opens up into a larger cave.]

I found something.

[His voice gives away that, although he's pleased to have discovered something, he may not be super enthusiastic about what he did find.]

[unchosenchild]

[ That, at least, she's used to hearing. With the perspective granted to her by absolute failure, Maki sees now that she was a constant source of worry for Daigo, who did his damnedest to watch over her. Ever the leader, while she played at knowing what she was doing, all while being played by powers greater than her.

But Connor is a stranger, so she's glad he doesn't voice his concern. She just keeos looking for something, following him when he finds something first.

She frowns at the small cave, thinning her lips. ] Looks cozy.

[ Or: thanks I hate it. ]

All right. I'll go first. I'm smaller and faster. If it gets too narrow for you, I'll keep going. Hopefully we won't be crawling into a den of hungry monsters.

[ Listen man there are some messed up Digimon out there.

If he agrees, she'll start crawling in. If not, she'll argue about it. Hers is the more practical choice, she believes. ]

[missiondeterminant]

[AND ARGUE HE WILL.]

I'm more durable than you are, and I'm also armed. I should go first.

[Neither are things he wanted to admit right away, especially since they'll probably lead to further questions, but he also can't just let her go into danger first.

That and he also wants to be do the exploring, but that's a more minor reason.]

[unchosenchild]

How could you possibly know that? [ It's in bad taste to bring up her near drowning, so she won't, but! ] I have a gun.

[ Soooo badass, Maki!! ]

Just cover me. Someone could be waiting to attack us when our backs are turned.

[missiondeterminant]

[Connor considers that for a moment, before deciding arguing is pointless. However, instead of that meaning he backs off, he just... Dives for the cave opening, pulling himself inside before any further protests can happen.]

I can also see in the dark.

[Which, he realizes, he probably should've lead with. The tunnel is already dark, and unless Maki has a flashlight somewhere, they'll have to rely on his scanner after only a very short distance.]

[unchosenchild]

[ Um, okay?????? That's one way to handle it???

She can't really argue with that, so she follows after him, a sour look on her face. No, she doesn't have a flashlight, but her Digivice could've done something maybe... maybe. ]

Should I even ask how you can see in the dark, or is it some secret Detroit Police thing?

[missiondeterminant]

It's a police thing.

[Sort of. Not really. But he's going to take the opening that's offered as he continues to lead the way into the cavern. It's strange, he feels... Almost agitated, and not in the sense of his usual restlessness, as they continue further into the cave; it isn't quite fear, but something like it, and he suddenly wonders if this is why so many humans are claustrophobic.

There are just more and more downsides to this whole deviant thing, he's realizing.

But what they're doing is more important than that, especially as it gets too dark for the receptors in his eyes to pick anything up and instead he has to rely on his scanner. The passage continues to slope steadily down, and they're nearing the larger room he had 'seen' before.]

Are you doing alright, Maki?

[unchosenchild]

[ Meanwhile, over here in the back, Maki focuses on the sound of Connor crawling ahead of her, rather than on the downward slope in a cramped passage she can't see in. She's not claustrophobic, but the anxiety response to situation so potentially dangerous is too deeply ingrained an instinct to override. ]

I'm fine. Just keep going, I'm right behind you. [ And then, because it just occurs to her-- ] I think I smell water. Wet soil. [ Water being odorless, she corrects herself. ] Are we almost there, Mr. Sees In The Dark?

[missiondeterminant]

I think you're right.

[It does seem to be getting wetter, although most of Connor's focus is on mapping their path rather than more in-depth perception of their surroundings.]

We're almost there, yes. It isn't much farther to the larger cavern.

[And as they continue approaching, he realizes it isn't just his scanner giving him information now; he's starting to be able to see again, and a moment later he sees why. The rock walls ahead of them are faintly glowing, not enough to see well but enough to at least see something, as Connor pulls himself out of the passage they were in and into the larger room.

It isn't a lot larger, maybe twenty feet long and six across, but it has a higher ceiling and Connor is able to stand up and step to the side so Maki can climb out, reaching up to the ceiling to touch the faintly glowing rock in fascination.]

[unchosenchild]

[ Finally . Maki crawls out into the dimly lit cavern, brushing dirt off her clothes as she stands. Then she too looks up.

She's seen so much that she's slow to react to anything these days, but this is undeniably beautiful. The sight wars with her childhood memories of mysterious lights, of how they can heal, transform, and destroy. ]

We should look for a water source. [ Snap back to business, Maki. Forget about the Digital World. It's... it's over for you. ] We won't last long without it.

[ She turns to the cavern wall and places a hand flat against it. The rock is damp and cool. She feels around that spot for a little, and when she finds a place where it seems damper, she follows it. Following the water, in essence. ]

I think it's this way. Do you see anything I can't?

[missiondeterminant]

[Connor glances toward her at her comments, considering for a moment correcting her on her use of 'we' in terms of surviving without water, but decides not to. It's not like he's against the idea, after all, even if it's just for her sake.

But water flow in a cave also often leads to an exit, so it's worth following for that reason too. He draws his hand away from the ceiling, nodding in agreement, stepping up beside her to analyze the indicated direction. His scanner does indicate more moisture in this area, leading into another crevice, although at least this time it's just narrow; they can still walk through it.]

No, nothing yet. It does seem this direction may lead us to water, so it's worth following this path.

[And he'll even let her go first this time if she wants, now that it seems to be less dangerous and the rock is glowing. Which is still... Something, but convenient.]

[unchosenchild]

[ Just go with it, Connor. She wouldn't judge you pr anything, but it's easier this way for now. ]

Progress. [ she murmurs. She doesn't sound excited or anything, but the fact that she can acknowledge that is something in and of itself.

She makes a bit of a show of the fact that she's shocked he's letting her go first, but then sidles right in ahead of him. ]

There's more moisture on the walls, but there's nothing aboveground. If anyone lives here, they probably live somewhere underground. They must see by... those strange rocks.

[missiondeterminant]

[Connor straight up ignores the small show she makes, at least until she's turned to go through the passage, and then he gives a brief look at the ceiling in a gesture that's as close as he gets to an eyeroll. But he follows her immediately, sliding sideways into the passage, and finds it to be a tight fit but not super difficult; he's wearing several layers anyway, so it's more the annoyance of his coat catching and scraping against rocks than actually having any risk of getting stuck, but again he feels the agitation that he doesn't like.

He brushes the feeling aside as he continues following Maki, considering her comments instead as a distraction.]

If they have a need to see. The phosphorescence is limited and although it is better than nothing, relying upon it seems impractical for anything that might live here.