[center][h3][color=00a99d]Kari Black[/color] & ...[color=39b54a]Sora[/color]?[/h3][/center][hr] Hyokomon began to chase the fleeing fish, but stopped after a few steps. Coelamon was too far in the water which made chasing it as a non-aquatic digimon very difficult. Going further would be dangerous for her, and she didn't want to leave her new Shogun right after finding them. Speaking of, what even [i]was[/i] it? She still didn't know what species these weird digimon were. After having missed the earlier explanation and being in the process of missing the current explanation that Andrew (though she didn't catch the name) was giving as she walked past him, Hyokomon had no idea what was going on. When she returned to Kari, she found the human peeking around the vehicle she had used as a shield. To Kari, this was both a dream and a nightmare. Going to a new world, something she had to assume had happened given the existence of the monsters she'd seen, was something she'd fantasized about often. The problem, or rather problems, were that she didn't get freed of her mental shackles, and she doubted that this world was the magic and clean space that she always wished for. Not to mention that there were various monsters that had already proven themselves capable of killing her with ease. The best news was that she somehow managed to find one monster that wanted to... befriend her? Ally with her? She still wasn't sure what the bird had intended by calling her a [color=ffffff]"Shogun."[/color] These thoughts and the fear of the fish monster returning filled up her mental RAM, making her miss most of Andrew's introduction. She caught the words [color=ffffff]"relax"[/color] and [color=ffffff]"mansion,"[/color] and the two received mixed reviews from the young woman. Relaxing was hard enough in the other world, and she wasn't exactly the type to like people who could afford mansions... But soon those thoughts left, as Hyokomon had returned to her side. [color=39b54a]"It ran away. I'm sorry I couldn't win."[/color] Hyokomon's voice sounded like a scolded child's. But as far as Kari was concerned, driving it off was a victory. [color=00a99d]"Oh, uh... That's okay. If it ran away, that [i]is[/i] a win. You survive to fight another day."[/color] Having said what she hoped was an adequate response, Kari slowly stood up to her full height and looked around. It looked like all the humans there were the ones from the ballroom. Which implied that this was all premeditated. Again, two conflicting emotions rose in her. Was she angry or glad that it had happened? She didn't know. [color=39b54a]"I'll win next time."[/color] Confidence was brimming in Hyokomon's voice, totally replacing the former defeated tone. Kari smiled back at her and nodded. [hider=Bestowing] [color=00a99d]"I believe you."[/color] A moment's pause. [color=00a99d]"Hey, wait a second. What [i]are[/i] you, anyway? You never told me."[/color] [color=39b54a]"I'm a samurai!"[/color] Hyokomon posed with one wing in the air and the other stretched out sideways. [color=00a99d]"I gathered that much, I mean what [i]are[/i] you? Like... what species are you?"[/color] [color=39b54a]"Oh! I'm Hyokomon. Though what about you? I've never seen a digimon like you. You're a Champion Stage, right?"[/color] Kari blinked. [color=00a99d]"I... I don't think I [i]am[/i] a digimon? Unless this world's taxonomy is really different than back home. What [i]is[/i] a digimon?"[/color] It was Hyokomon's turn to blink in surprise. [color=39b54a]"Well... I'm a digimon."[/color] Silence came over the duo as they both tried to process what they'd just been told. [color=00a99d]"So... you said you're 'Hyokomon'... and you're a 'digimon'... Is that like, your Phylum? Or your species?"[/color] [color=39b54a]"I... don't know. I'm a Hyokomon. I used to be a Chicchimon."[/color] [color=00a99d]"I feel like I'm noticing a pattern here. All those things end in 'mon', why is that?"[/color] Hyokomon shrugged. In her half a year of life, she'd never really bothered to find out. [color=00a99d]"Okay, so like... for reference, I'm a 'human'. That's with an 'a', so I don't think we'd qualify as a digimon? Human is a species of animal. Like a bird, you're a bird, right? Wait, is that offensive?"[/color] [color=39b54a]"I don't think it's offensive. There's plenty of bird type digimon. But you're not a human type digimon, just a human itself?"[/color] [color=00a99d]"That's right. I don't think digimon exist where I'm from. Er... where [i]we're[/i] from, I guess. Seems like a few of us got brought here."[/color] Hyokomon's head tilted to the side in thought. [color=39b54a]"So my Shogun is Hue-mann. Hmm."[/color] After a few seconds she nodded. [color=39b54a]"Okay, Hue-mann, do you want to go talk to the other Hue-manns?"[/color] [color=00a99d]"That's weird. I'm Kari, Kari Black. Calling me [color=00a99d]"hue-mann"[/color] is weird."[/color] [color=39b54a]"Oh. Is Kari Black your species? Are you a variant species, like a Gabumon Black?"[/color] [color=00a99d]"I don't think I'm a variant, no. It's just my name."[/color] [color=39b54a]"What's a name?"[/color] [color=00a99d]"It's... that's- ... it's like, it's like a signifier of an individual person? There are lots of humans, so we call each one something different to differentiate them when talking to or about them. There are other humans with the name 'Kari', and other humans with the surname 'Black', and there's probably even some others with the full name 'Kari Black', but that's just the name I have. So when someone says, like, 'hey, Kari', then I can assume they're talking to me, right?"[/color] Hyokomon could feel her head spinning. She shook it to drive off her confusion. [color=39b54a]"So a 'name' is like a label to tell two of the same species apart?"[/color] Kari's face brightened a bit. [color=00a99d]"Exactly! You get it!"[/color] [color=39b54a]"Hmm... I kind of want one then."[/color] Hyokomon's eyes drifted downwards. To her it was like finding a new toy. Something she never knew existed, but once she found out about it, it seemed fun. Like a child discovering finger-painting. [color=00a99d]"I can probably think of one. You're a bird, but 'Sky' isn't... super common as a name? Hmm... Oh! 'Sora' is a name, and it means 'sky'! So if you want, I could start trying to call you 'Sora', is that okay?"[/color] [color=39b54a]"Sure!"[/color] The Hyokomon now named Sora began jumping in excitement once again. [/hider] --- As the other duos began to leave for the mansion, Kari hesitated, but quickly decided to follow behind them. Not close enough to worry about making physical contact, not far enough to worry about losing them from sight around a corner. Some of them had introduced themselves, but she'd kept to herself instead. No reason to make them dislike her right away, she figured. When she finally got there, the sight of an actual, literal [i]angel[/i] stunned her for a moment. Then came the talk of 'Demon Lords.' Really? This new world worked on that level of cliche? Or was this the source of the beliefs in her world? It didn't matter, really. All she knew for sure was that she was absolutely not going to eat food without knowing where it'd been. Sora had no such reservations, and quickly grabbed a fruit to begin snacking on.