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seventeenlovesthree · 3 months ago

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Digimon Adventure Reboot Sequel AU - Chapter 5: Please Stay As You Are, Okay?

Summary: Under normal circumstances, Taichi would have found Koushirou's rambly and naturally curious nature relaxing. However, talking with him about the concept of the multiverse, universe-hopping and alternate selves while a weird jellyfish in the net threatens the fabric of reality doesn't exactly help his state of dysphoria. He needs to decide if keeping his best friend at arm's length is the correct way to keep him safe, in any universe - or if repeating this pattern will be his downfall...

Chapter list: [Prologue] [0] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Resources: [Concept] [Designs] [First Idea] [Playlist] [Ao3]

Word Count: 2245

In hindsight, Taichi didn’t remember how and when exactly he had arrived at Koushirou’s home, since everything had felt like a freaking fever dream to him. He didn’t even question why they were meeting up at his place and not their usual hide-out, since that was where they usually went into the net from. Fortunately, Taichi knew the way to his home inside-out - since they lived in the same building -, so they didn’t get lost half-way through.

“Are you sure we should do this, Taichi…? You look like you need a break”, Agumon whispered towards him from the side, earning himself a confused look by Tentomon. Taichi just stared absent-mindedly at Koushirou, who sat on the floor, connecting various cables and devices to his main computer. Things hadn’t turned out to be as much of an emergency - again - as it had seemed like when reading his message.

Taichi’s head felt foggy. He could barely reconstruct the explanation Koushirou had given him prior - something about multiplying jellyfish he couldn’t properly decipher -, so he just tried to keep a straight face.

“Nah, if Koushirou says this is urgent, we gotta do what we can, Agumon”, Taichi replied, as soothingly as he could afford. A part of him still felt guilty for having left Sora behind, not even telling her about the whole thing. If Koushirou had messaged her, he at least didn’t seem surprised to not see her with him…

“Do you believe in the concept of the multiverse, Taichi-san?”, he eventually said, completely detached from the previous conversations. He was not even looking up from his secondary laptop while plugging it into his main device, letting his software search for the correct gate to use.

“What?” Taichi blinked quickly, barely ripped out of his trance, mouth feeling awfully dry. “You mean, like in the movies?”

This time, Koushirou sought his glance - causing Taichi to swallow. ‘Stay in the here and now, don’t slip.’

“It’s more complex than that, but to narrow it down shortly: The multiverse is the hypothetical set of all universes. Together, these universes are presumed to comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them.”

Hearing Koushirou ramble under any other circumstances would have been another source of relaxation for Taichi - but in in this very moment, he had a very hard time following him at all. He didn’t seem to take too much note and just kept on explaining:

“The different universes within the multiverse have several names, such as ‘parallel universes’, ‘alternate universes’, ‘parent and child universes’, et cetera. In general, you could say it’s a hypothetical space or realm consisting of a number of universes, of which our own universe is only one possibility.”

“Uh…” Taichi shook his head repeatedly, collecting his thoughts. “Do the Digital World and the other worlds we can travel to count as universes too?”

Having Taichi indulge him in his own curiosity obviously delighted Koushirou, as his eyes lit up some more while continuing: “Like the word ‘world’ already suggests, they’re more like parallel worlds and not universes. It’s similar in concept, but since we can jump between these worlds without disrupting the flow of events, it’s not the same.”

“So you’re saying”, Taichi’s head was still spinning, trying to make sense of what he just heard, “If we were gate-hopping to a parallel universe instead of a parallel world, we would ‘disrupt the flow of events’? As in… Changing the fate of the world?”

Koushirou was basically beaming at him at this point - and Taichi couldn’t help but smile at that sight.

“Like a butterfly effect, exactly! If we mingled with what’s happening in a parallel universe, the consequences might be devastating. And my theory is that this… Whatever it is, a bug, a jellyfish or an actual Digimon, may have come from a different universe, since my system cannot read its data at all. Which is why it messes with our electronics in the way it does - even if it only had a minor impact so far. If it mingled within our universe for too long… Who knows what will happen.”

“It may change the fabric of reality!”, Tentomon added for grand emphasis. “Like changing our evolution lines indefinitely - imagine I’d never turn into Kabuterimon in another universe! Scary! Maybe I’d turn into Greymon instead!”

“That’d be weird!”, Agumon exclaimed - and the smile slowly vanished from Taichi’s lips.

“S-so it’s a good thing we can just hop between worlds and not universes then…”, he said nonchalantly. And a part of him desperately hoped they would change the topic soon. Heck, Taichi would have preferred to just jump into the net and go for the attack if it meant not delving deeper into it.

Koushirou didn’t grant him that favour though. He was in way too deep already, Taichi could tell.

“Actually, if all of this is proof of the existence of other universes, I would like to know if it was possible for us to travel to them! Of course we cannot influence anything under any circumstances. Imagine meeting another version of yourself, mingling with their business and influencing their goals, values or just simply their train of thought… It may change their actions entirely…” He paused for a few seconds. “Either way, I’d like to observe it for a while.”

“Sure you would.” Taichi’s voice was trembling and it took all his might to ignore the nausea that had just begun spreading in his stomach.

“You would too if you knew another universe was in danger… Or rather, your other self in another universe… Wouldn’t you?”

Koushirou’s sudden tone change activated his flight instinct in an instant. Not only did it resemble Sora’s way too much, but… The word choice was immensely alarming.

“That’s all just hypothetical stuff, Kou”, Taichi replied, colder than intended - thus he used Koushirou’s nickname to soften the blow a little.

“O-of course, but…”

There it was again - despite getting himself into ramble mode as confidently as he did, despite his unshaken thirst for knowledge, Koushirou could easily get disheartened and timid if somebody was not on the same page as himself.

Your other self in another universe…

Even though he tried to resist it, the vision of “the other Koushirou” forced itself into his mind.

A version of Koushirou that seemed more… Collected. They were positively similar in how committed they were to whatever subject they had set their minds to. Curious, studious to the core. But the Koushirou from the other side - the other universe, probably - felt more… Confident, wise beyond his years and even more hands-on than he would describe the Koushirou he was familiar with. Maybe more tired too…

Just like with Sora though, there was a distance Taichi couldn’t deny.

He was able to tell they were close - they were still best friends, he was certain!

But… In a way, he felt like the other Taichi used to put him on a pedestal. Impressed, if not intimidated. And thus, automatically, kept him at arm’s length. Maybe that was why the other Koushirou seemed so much more vocal too - felt like he had to put his foot down, get more frustrated, yes, even more angry with him.

Taichi couldn’t stand the thought of that. It sure was nice to know there was the possibility of a Koushirou out there that was more assertive - just like Taichi had always tried to nudge him towards. But at what cost…?

“Why won’t you ever let me fight, too?!”

“I’ve watched you at your side all these years, isn’t that right?!”

“But I thought you could at least speak honestly with me!”

Did his other self think that Koushirou deserved better? A better friend than he was? It seemed so absurd, so self-destructive to him. Was it really just exactly the same situation as with Sora?! Since he had always felt drawn to Koushirou, liked to be able to chat about silly stuff like multiverses with him. Casually, openly, closely…

“Let me guess”, Taichi said, feeling sweat forming on his forehead in addition to the slight nausea, lips pressed into a smile, “You talked to Sora and Mimi-chan about this too? What’s with that worried face there?”

Furrowed brows, tense lips, the same look of concern Taichi had seen not even a mere hour ago…

Then, with unexpected bravery, Koushirou leaned forward, steadfast in both glance and voice:

“Would you tell me if you had traveled to another universe? Even if it was just by accident?”

Taichi couldn’t do anything but to stare at him.

“Koushirou, what are you-”

“Would you tell me about what you saw, about your other self?”

The way he had phrased this - and basically everything before that - led Taichi to believe that Koushirou understood. As if he knew exactly what was going on. Like he always knew everything. Maybe that was the reason why the other Taichi kept Koushirou at a distance after all… So he wouldn’t pull him into doom with himself, causing his curiosity to eventually become his own downfall.

“I don’t know, what do you think my other self would be like?”

“Taichi-san…” As invested as Koushirou could be in his hyperfocus topics without noticing his surroundings anymore, Taichi was aware that he had been caught left-handed by him. “Genuinely speaking, I’d be afraid he’d do something reckless…”

“Very hypothetical.”

Koushirou knew that he was deflecting - just like Taichi knew that this strategy wouldn’t work this time. What if Mimi and Sora had known it too? What if they had looked through him all along and he was the one trapped in a nightmare he couldn’t escape from, no matter what he did?

“I just… Want to make sure you’re not there on your own.”

“I wouldn’t be. I’d have the other Koushirou by my side, right?”

He said it with all the gentleness he had left to gather. And despite everything… Taichi really hoped it was true. He could see the fondness in Koushrou’s eyes there. In both of them. The wish to be there for him, it was like that with him too.

“... Then, what do you think my other me would be like?”

Whether or not it was another hypothetical question, Taichi simply couldn’t help himself, all doom and gloom aside; he would never grow tired of his Koushirou’s curious self.

“Maybe he’d start his own company at 16, who knows?” The shocked glimmer in Koushirou’s eyes at least gave Taichi a reason to smile again. “And, yeah, maybe he’d scold me for doing reckless things… No worries though, I’d prefer you any day anyway.”

A faint blush started to form across his friend’s cheeks - and Taichi absolutely meant it. The other Koushirou had probably just become better at hiding his insecurities, most likely because he thought that he had to. And the sheer idea to be partly responsible for that sickened him deeply.

“Really… Please stay as you are, okay? You’re perfectly amazing the way you are right now, Kou.”

It was here that Taichi decided that he had reached a dead end. Even if he had sworn to himself to protect them all by keeping them out of his business… He couldn’t.

He was tired. So tremendously tired of it and not nearly as strong as he wished he could be. If he really didn’t want mess up again - he couldn’t repeat the same mistakes as his other self.

Pushing Sora away had made Taichi feel incredibly lonely already - doing the same with Koushirou now would only make it worse. The deflecting, lying to Mimi, Jyou, Takeru… Even Agumon, his own partner, who, just like Sora and Koushirou, had only wished for him to open up and be honest.

‘I cannot lose them… I simply can’t…’

The deafening sound of static pulled all their attention towards the screens again. Too lost in his own inner monologue, Taichi was violently reminded of why they had come here in the first place.

Once the static stopped, various windows popped up on both screens, text racing across them in various languages:

「ゲームをしたい？」 „Möchtest du ein Spiel spielen?“ “Wil je een spelletje spelen?” “Do you want to play a game?”

“What does that mean?”, Tentomon asked, looking to his partner for an answer.

“Ah… Looks like it wasn’t my algorithm that located it… It located us instead”, he gasped, sounding terrified.

“Really?!”, Taichi and Agumon said in unison while Koushirou typed away furiously.

“This does mean that I can pinpoint its exact location though, give me a minute… I’m gonna send the coordinates to Yamato-san and the others as well once I got them. If this is as serious as I think it is, we may need a miracle...”

The mention Yamato’s name was both, the equivalent of someone slapping Taichi in the face - and a sign. Even if he couldn’t have put it into words if he had tried. Maybe that was exactly the kind of miracle he personally needed.

Little did they know that the same phenomenon had appeared all over Japan, a symphony of flashing, everywhere from Tokyo to Shimane. Suddenly, in Shibuya, the 104 Tower lit up with a single large eye - and then, everything ceased.

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qaanngi · 6 months ago

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being economical and borrowing my art summary template from 2019 lol. notes under cut

I did want to do something similar to my 2020 art summary which had notes/thoughts on each digital piece baked into the image itself (and is also the prettiest lmfao) but I haven't been as proactive or even content since then sdfhsdkflds but I'm also of the opinion that artists should talk about their work, even if I still struggle to call myself one T_T

I met my monthly quota of one digital piece per month + one coloured sketch per month except October, which tends to be the month of exceptions since some sort of art challenge crops up. This year I opted to meme countdown loosely for Veilguard, and was the most free and loose I've been with drawing but also kind of burnt myself out a little on that front.

I do appreciate that there have been a few style experiments in the monthly things (March/Sept./Oct/Nov). I always found my style to be pretty generic but able to emulate other styles a little as a result. Except anime/manga evidently. But that means I can evoke different tones with different styles and do really left field stuff, which is always fun and leaves a lot of room for experimentation and a diverse body of work, which I prefer.

Managed to land LNY piece, which is a tradition I want to keep. I think my favourite piece is probably June's, the Lumine/Paimon/Osse/Scylla piece, which I referenced a screenshot because the location in-game was too pretty for me to not draw it. The Lumine/Girl With a Pearl Earring piece I'm pretty fond of, only because it was a genuine study of an old master, and I think it turned out well. The Lucanis minimalist piece is also a favourite, and it was me doubling down on the things I'm better at instead of trying to aspire to whatever the fuck I've been trying to do. Improve in some way I haven't defined yet, or operating on the notion that there is always room to improve (which is true and healthy to think), but also I guess a sense of dissatisfaction that my work is Objectively Broken in some way and desperately needs to be fixed. What's it like being content with your style and process?

The 2019 art summary had a template for Honourable Mentions since I actually managed to do more than one piece per month throughout the year (tho admittedly a lot of those were schoolwork). That's kind of been a struggle since 2021 for Reasons I still haven't fully recovered from, but I did manage a few extra things this year, chief among them the 19/20 Day Countdown mark for Veilguard, which I really wanted to do since I did one for Inquisition 10 years earlier, and I'll probably do one for the next Dragon Age game lol. I'd also like to probably redo the Inqusition one, and do full illustrations for both since I can actually draw backgrounds now. Something for 2025 I guess.

Others among the Honourable Mentions include a twt xlmi event piece I got a ton of "omg it's giving Sailor Moon + Tuxedo Mask" comments which makes it sound derivative as hell 🙃 The concept, was the moon (Lumine) and her night sky (Xiao). He is often associated with darkness and depicted looking at the moon pretty regularly. Also he is literally fading into black in the piece. My interpretation was that the night sky is quiet, and it darkens the sky so we can see the moon. The moon sits in the night sky's embrace. I actually quite like this one, the more I look at it. I've also used Giant Moon in the Middle of a Drawing a lot throughout the years, so that absolutely tracks. Maybe I should do one every year.

Other Honourable Mentions are my friend's commission (she was so patient with me), a noir Neve piece I did around September-ish too (was supposed to be a comic, might revisit the idea. I picked up reading comics again and was inspired to give one of my greatest inspirations a run - comic art, specifically the way they ink), and a quick lineless illustration for the xlmi zine I helped with.

For daily sketching, I only filled about 4-ish sketchbooks this year, all about 30-32 pages, but I've started to double up on pages so each is filled with more than one thing. Some sketchbooks were lazy in terms of what I did than others. Some were great, and had a lot of stuff where the things I practice (people in environments, action-oriented things, foreshortening, the bane of my existence) were abundant and pretty well executed. With the exception of one Lumine sketch that was so very in my own style that I really love and an adapted sketch of an OC, the favourites are all very action-oriented, and I'm glad. I really love the ones with Lucanis and Rook since there's genuine contact and an energy to them that feels very alive, which is something I've been working desperately towards, so it's nice to see it pay off. In a little daily drawing no less~

Around June there's a huge shift in subject and I all but ditched Gnshn immediately, which I think is healthy. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the months leading up to June and throughout with my daily sketches trying to force change my style to be more anime-esque since the gnshn fandom isn't particularly fond of western art styles, of which mine is painfully so. I have a lot of uncoloured sketches of Lumine that I'd like to get around to, but feel like a waste of time now. Leaving trying to make it in the gnshn fandom behind has been good for me, and it's been really nice to go back to the shit I love, which is just fights and blood. It's funny, since I ended my Cybird Ikemen run with swords and blood to jump into soft, cute shippy art for xlmi only to return to swords and blood.

Appropriately, I started my art blog ages ago for my silly little Dragon Age doodles, and I've returned to that. So: thanks, Veilguard. I hope I'm still fixated on you throughout all of 2025 because I have a loooot of ideas. And hopefully the patience and skill to get them out there.

#art summary #2024 art summary #le whiny text post #also around June when I dropped gnshn I started drawing Nadia again. I've mentioned this before but she is the literal blueprint #and foundation of my entire art style. It's not surprising half of my favourite sketches are her doing whatever she gets up to #I hadn't drawn her in about 6 years. The OC I adapted from her design? Yes. Nadia specifically? No.#and Nadia was a lot of leaps and archery and a ton of troubleshooting and learning way back in 2015 #her and Cullen are the reason I can draw anything today without too much issue #before 2015 I could not draw men to save my life. I think 2018-2020 I drew nothing BUT men digitally. which is insane to think about #and those men were static and just standing there doing shitall until I was making Nadia leap around and hit stuff. At which point #I could make the ikemen do stuff with swords and weapons #so say thank u to Nadia assorted ikemen and subsequent characters. You all owe her your lives. As do I.

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