Mari was about to venture into the unknown. Reaching her hand out to reclaim a lost device and all the knowledge it could access. Sighing in relief once her fingertips touched its sleek rectangular surface. Sliding the television remote across the carpet from underneath the living room couch until she successfully held it. Pulling the front-half of her body up and lying down in the comfort of her throw blanket. Because the morning only truly began when she chose to get off what was slept on. Meaning those missed calls from that preachy kid would have to wait — to be deleted from her history. Instead, she was boredly staring at the lone light source illuminating the space and flipping through its channels. Unmuting the afternoon news, as they reported on a series of ongoing armed home invasions happening near her friend’s neighborhood. Halfway listening to her manager’s skeptic exasperation over her cellphone sitting atop the coffee table. “How are you already running out of cereal? I bought it in bulk for you last month-” [color=F660AB]“It’s complicated alright.”[/color] She answered dismissively, brushing the toaster pastry crumbs off her wrinkled jeans. Glancing at her kitchen refrigerator opening up, where Missimon was hyperactively shaking after guzzling his third box of cinnabon crunch, and was now attempting to grab the gluten-free coconut milk carton crammed behind the less terrible beverages on the top shelf. [color=F660AB][i]“Seriously, what am I supposed to say? Yeah, I have a gluttonous robot who won’t vacate my property.”[/i][/color] Taking the phone and putting it up to her ear, as she switched the speaker off to give an order. [color=F660AB]“Hey! That’s enough breakfast.”[/color] Missimon responded by perking his head up in her direction and promptly shutting the fridge door. Proceeding to clean up the discarded boxes, and stealthily snack on the few cereal pieces he dropped on the floor. Mari swayed her feet poking out of the cover as she spoke in a perky and pleasant tone. [color=F660AB]“Thanks. You’re the best...Yep. Goodbye.”[/color] She ended the call and sat up, wandering toward her bedroom to wear something new. Dressing herself in baggy and loose fitting clothing loaded with rebellious political quotes, noticing the D-Loader’s bright screen. [center][quote] Preparing Transfer To Digital World...1% [/quote][/center] [i][color=F660AB]"Transferring to digital world?”[/color][/i] She wondered with an analytical pause, stuffing it inside her pocket. Returning to the hallway and seeing that the lights were on, as Missimon was tidying up and softly humming to himself. She realized that he didn’t seem to sleep, staying in constant motion since the beginning. [i][color=F660AB]“Maybe this ‘M’ person knows I want nothing to do with this, and is actually sending him back where he came from...he'd probably be happier that way.”[/color][/i] Mari's thoughts were interrupted by Missimon approaching her. [color=C38EC7]“Mari. I’ve prepared my response to your regulations. Permission to address-”[/color] [color=F660AB]“Go ahead.”[/color] She uttered while walking past him, as he closely followed her to the door. [color=F660AB]“But make it quick, we have somewhere to be.”[/color] She added, slipping her shoes on and collecting her keys. Missimon’s eyes lit up at the suggestion and gave the slightest eager nod. [color=C38EC7]“I will abide by your rules to not harm others, break things or act without your approval.”[/color] He stated. [color=C38EC7]“Permission to ask, where are we going?”[/color] She smiles slightly and opens her door. [color=F660AB]“We're off to burn some of your energy. So cloak yourself and keep quiet, okay?”[/color] Missimon silently nodded, as his outer shell became camouflaged. [color=F660AB][i]“That certainly makes hiding you a lot easier...”[/i][/color] [hr] Thankful that she was able to drive to her destination without getting caught in too much traffic. Or stopped by the police, otherwise she’d have to explain why the blanket riding shotgun was continuously bouncing. Observing that he seemed to enjoy the radio blasting punk music that overpowered him unconsciously humming along. Reminding herself that this was for a good cause, though the deed itself didn’t prevent the ludicrous cost of parking her car. She opened up her glove compartment and put on some black disposable gloves. [color=F660AB]“Alright, no one’s around. You can get out.”[/color] Missimon went out her opened door and curiously inspected his surroundings. It was a basketball court that had its trash cans knocked over, and its grounds covered in litter and crude chalk drawings. She knew it wasn’t a rare sight to behold, often the aftermath of teenagers that clearly weren’t raised right. He awaited further orders, as she nonchalantly pulled out some big trash bags from the tailgate. [color=F660AB]“I’d like you to help me clean this place. Same as my apartment.”[/color] [color=C38EC7]“Is this your territory?”[/color] Missimon asked sounding particularly puzzled. [color=C38EC7]“Will we be rewarded by our enemies for cleaning here?”[/color] [color=F660AB]“No, it’s a public space. Anyone is allowed to come here. But you can’t expect others to do the right thing, when the opposite is usually an easier option. So it’s up to us to do the hard work. And our reward is making an effort to improve the world.”[/color] Mari replied with a devoted tone. Missimon seemed impressed by her important-sounding words. [color=C38EC7]“I don’t understand. But I will do what you want.”[/color] [hr] It always seemed to be getting darker earlier and earlier by the day. Far less bright outside as hours passed by to restore the court to normalcy, aside from the chalk that remained untouched. The bed of her truck was divided by bags of junk and soda cans that would be recycled and sold. [i][b]Hey, another man’s trash was her treasure.[/b][/i] She sat and laid back in the driver’s seat, looking at Missimon in the passenger side. Seemingly exhausted and resting flat on his backside, showing that even these strange creatures had their limits. [color=C38EC7]“Mission Completed.”[/color] Missimon said drained of volume. As she let out the slightest chuckle while looking at the battery power left on her smartphone. [color=F660AB]“Yeah. Admittedly, you were pretty helpful...I’m used to doing this kind of thing by myself.”[/color] [color=C38EC7]“I’m glad I could be useful Mari. I enjoyed our time together. I think you’re very interesting.”[/color] Missimon replied with his eyes shut. Mari blinked at his statement, not knowing what to think. Feeling like a cartoon with her heart was growing three sizes. It wasn’t the first time she received a compliment, or was admired by her peers...and yet it was unique, in that it felt wholly undeserved. [i][color=F660AB]“...Perhaps I’ve been a little too harsh on him. He’s just been trying to get along with me, and I suppose it’s probably not his fault that he showed up when he did. So if he doesn’t want to leave...I’ll learn to get used to him.”[/color][/i] As she turned the key in the ignition, her phone buzzed with a new [url=https://i.imgur.com/5fF1JbZ.png]message[/url] from her bandmate that she spoke with yesterday. She stopped to have a quick text exchange then set the phone back in her cup holder. Suddenly shifting her seat straight up, and glancing in her rear-view mirror, firmly gripping the steering wheel and pushing her foot down on the pedal. Mari didn’t know what kind of trouble she was getting herself into, as she hit the road and hastily surpassed the speed limit. It wouldn’t take her long to arrive at her friend’s house, as it wasn't much farther than if she drove to her own apartment. But there was always something about this dead-end street that made her feel tense and uneasy. Missimon's eyes were soon jolted awake by her sharp turn at the cross section, causing him to watch her with an equally focused stare. [color=C38EC7][b]“Mari. Is there something wrong? We’re going faster than last time.”[/b][/color] He noted with his usual alert tone. [color=F660AB]“Probably not...”[/color] Mari muttered, shaking her head, even though something in her gut felt awry. [i][color=F660AB]“Seems like Kiyomi’s being paranoid about something again. But I know her parents are visiting sick relatives, and that friendly elderly couple are away on their 50th anniversary. So I’ll take it seriously for her sake and keep her company, if it helps her not feel as alone.”[/color][/i] [color=C38EC7][b]“Well, if you need me. I’ll be right by your side.[/b]”[/color] Mari didn’t reply to Missimon, but his concern did take some of the weight off her shoulders and relaxed her posture. Only to be startled by her phone ringing shortly after. Mom’s timing was impeccable as usual, but her lecture would have to wait. Making the last turn and slowly rolling up to her friend’s address. Keeping her eyes peeled for anything suspicious, in spite of her expectations to have worried herself for nothing. Even in the dark, it was easy to spot the difference between the elderly couple’s mint-green estate across from her bandmate’s comparatively tiny home with the porch lights on — her heart skipped a beat at the sight of hooded and slender figure standing in front of her door. Not sure what possessed her to immediately get out of the car and confront the stranger, but Mari made her voice known. [color=F660AB]“Hey! If you don’t get out of here I’ll call the police!”[/color] The figure spun around and raised his hands up. “Huh!? U-u-uh wa-wa.” Mari groaned slightly at the distilled essence of a fanboy before her. With a squeaky and stuttering voice displaying the lack of a threatening bone in his body. She could almost see the stars and hearts spinning around his head. The pink kitten coin purse in his hands that was unmistakably Kiyomi’s, as she connected the dots with her friend’s bad habits. [color=F660AB][i]“She really left her wallet at the food court again…so it was a misunderstanding after all...why do I feel so disappointed?”[/i][/color] She frowned a bit and walked up to the porch with her palm open, speaking in a more irritated tone. [color=F660AB]“I’m not trying to be rude, but just bring it to mall security next time...”[/color] He quickly nodded and bowed his head, handing her the wallet and promptly fleeing to the discarded bike to ride off in embarrassment. Mari watched and took a deep breath in her calm surroundings to let the stupidity of the situation settle in. [i][color=F660AB]“Crisis over. Better go give her a call, so she’ll leave the broom closet and answer her door.”[/color][/i] Mari thought with a shrug, heading back to her car to grab her phone. [color=C38EC7][b]“Mari has defeated her cowardly enemy!”[/b][/color] Missimon exclaimed with his claws raised high, still lying in the seat. She half-smiled and rubbed the back of her neck. [color=F660AB]“I’m afraid-”[/color] The illusion of peace was shattered by the crash coming from the neighbor’s front window. She leaped back inside her truck, recalling the news report of armed burglars in her friend’s neighborhood. Missimon hopped upright with a burst of energy. [color=C38EC7][b]“Three enemies are in the vicinity! Order needed!”[/b][/color] He confirmed the danger she feared, almost as if he was reading her mind. She nodded. [color=F660AB]“Subdue them.”[/color] [color=C38EC7]“Order Received.”[/color] Missimon replied, rocketing straight past her and through their broken window. The feeling of reckless guilt struck her brain as she saw Missimon enter. Why didn’t she hesitate to throw the little guy into peril? Maybe it was his obvious eagerness to act. Nevertheless, she made a negligent decision that was too late to take back. She couldn’t even finish dialing the emergency number, before hearing the clamor of gunfire — then nothing at all. It terrified her in a way that she hadn’t even dreamed of experiencing. Maybe her brain should’ve informed her legs that it was incomprehensible to be sprinting toward it. [color=F660AB][i]“What the hell am I doing? I never should’ve-”[/i][/color] [color=F660AB]“Missimon!”[/color] Mari called out, as the front door swung open. The young adult never expected to stare down the barrel of a gun. Nor see three bodies lying unconscious with Missimon hovering above them and approaching her with a gleeful smile, acting normally, with a bullet-sized dent in his forehead. [color=C38EC7][b]“Enemies subdued!”[/b][/color] [color=F660AB]"That’s...your amazing."[/color] She replied in awe. Missimon’s face blushed as her hand grabbed his claw firmly. Knowing it was preferable to standing directly over the thugs, she ran them back to the relative safety of her truck. The sounds of her cell ringing was simultaneous with the police sirens that were going off in the distance. [i][color=F660AB]"There’s no way I can tell the police, or Kiyomi about Missimon...I just need to go home and pretend this never happened...”[/color][/i] That was easier said than done. Especially when she hadn’t even had the chance to catch her breath before driving off like a madwoman. But aside from getting home in one piece, her only other thought blurted out of her mouth. [color=F660AB]“That chrome dome of yours must really come in handy…”[/color] Glancing down at the flustered digi.mon remaining still and quiet in her lap. Missimon eyes twinkled with hope, his claw pointing at himself. [color=C38EC7]“Chromedome? Is that my name?”[/color] Mari smiled and went with it. [color=F660AB]“Yep. That’s your name.”[/color] Not anticipating Missimon to react by glowing brightly, along with D-Loader in her pocket. Mari let out a shrill shriek and slammed on her breaks. [center][quote] Digital Evolution Successful Meet Commandra.mon! [/quote][/center] [center][quote] Transferring To Digital World...99% [/quote][/center]