Moss clapped to congratulate Angewomon—Lucy—on completing her physical and mental training. But Lucy gave no reply.
Still, silence is a kind of answer.
Like the calm before a storm, it was a pause filled with coiled energy ready to explode.
And the next second, it did.
"You bastard!"
The first 24 hours of intense physical strain had been exhausting. But the second 24 hours—of mental torture—had layered Lucy with so many conflicting emotions: anger, regret, frustration, sorrow, and even fleeting moments of comfort.
She was on the brink of losing it.
Moss caught Lucy's punch and said with a knowing smile, "Only through trials that cut the flesh and carve the soul can one become truly strong."
Lucy stared at her own fist, easily caught by Moss, and then scoffed bitterly. "Strong? I still can't beat you."
"Because I'm just a little bit stronger," Moss replied with a calm smile.
"…" Lucy stared blankly.
Just a little? After everything? She had her doubts. Moss never once looked tired—not even after the full 48 hours of combat. In fact, she had been casually tossing power-ups to Lucy while smiling.
Definitely not "a little" stronger.
Right then, Goblimon came bounding over. "Boss! We found a bathhouse!"
Moss's eyes lit up. "Does it have a hot spring?"
"Yep!" Goblimon confirmed.
Moss grinned and grabbed Lucy's wrist. "Come on, let's go soak."
Lucy, helpless against Moss's strength, was dragged to the bathhouse.
Moss scanned the place—no hostile energy. Inside, though dusty, the facilities were intact.
A bathhouse in the middle of the wilderness might've been a red flag in the human world—a horror movie setup. But in the Digital World, vending machines in jungles and phone booths on beaches were par for the course. A bathhouse here? Totally normal.
Moss tugged Lucy into the women's bath.
"Is this more training?" Lucy tensed up. "You're not going to ambush me once I relax, are you?"
"Good suggestion. But no. This is legit downtime." Moss had already started stripping off her armor.
Lucy, still on edge, reverted to Gatomon.
Moss raised an eyebrow. "Stay in Angewomon form. Treat it as your new normal. You'll build strength faster. Now come on—transform and help me scrub my back."
"…This is just you wanting someone to wash your back." Lucy sighed but obliged, transforming into Angewomon again.
Soon she too was removing her battle gear. With only her eight wings left, she looked not unlike a statuesque human woman—just a bit taller.
"You've got a beauty mark under your eye," Moss noted, tilting her head to look. "I don't have one."
Lucy glanced in a mirror. Sure enough, a tiny dark dot rested below her left eye. Her gaze shifted to Moss, whose nearly identical face bore no such mark.
"…Does that mean I'm tainted by darkness?" Lucy murmured, brushing her fingers over it.
"It's just a beauty mark. Don't overthink it," Moss said casually, setting down stools. "Now sit down. I'll scrub your back."
"I thought I was supposed to scrub your back?" Lucy asked suspiciously.
"Do you even have experience?"
"…Touché." Lucy sat down reluctantly.
Moss soaked a towel in water and soap, lathered it up, and gently began scrubbing between Lucy's wings, the foam building up slowly.
In the steamy bathhouse, Lucy finally began to unwind. "Thank you, senpai."
Moss paused her motions and smiled. "We both got something out of this. You got stronger. I had fun."
Lucy hesitated, then said with a dry chuckle, "So all that terrifying talk earlier… was just psychological warfare?"
"Not all of it."
"Which part was real?" Lucy stiffened slightly. Surely not the part about Kari…
"The bit about turning you into a collectible," Moss replied calmly.
Lucy gave a forced laugh. She has to be joking… right?
Moments later, she blushed. "Senpai… weren't you just scrubbing my back?"
"Other places need attention too."
"I can wash those myself, thanks!" Lucy quickly said. "Now, let me return the favor."
Moss turned around. "Earlier training put your mind through the wringer. As an apology, feel free to do whatever you want."
Lucy grinned. "I won't hold back."
Despite her angelic evolution, she still carried the decisiveness and cunning she'd grown up with among dark Digimon.
She copied Moss's technique perfectly, scrubbing the back, then—after a pause—slipping her soapy hands under Moss's arms.
Right onto Moss's thighs.
A series of oddly rhythmic sounds followed, echoing through the steamy air.
"…You seem like you're enjoying this, senpai," Lucy noted, mildly horrified.
Moss reclined into her lap, completely at ease. "Absolutely."
Lucy blinked. "Senpai… are you a pervert?"
There were plenty of weird Digimon out there—like the poop-flinging Numemon or Sukamon. This, though… was a whole new kind of weird.
"I prefer the term 'open-minded,'" Moss said with a sly grin.
So she's not even denying it, Lucy thought, exasperated. "…How do you justify that?"
"Someone once said: A warrior fights, eats, rests… and makes love. You probably don't know what that last one means, though."
"I don't."
"Want me to teach you?"
"No thank you!"
"A shame." Moss let the subject drop and had Lucy bring a basin of water to wash off the suds. Then, with an air of smug satisfaction, Moss said, "Now carry me into the hot spring. Princess-style."
Lucy complied. Holding Moss bridal-style, she stepped into the warm water.
In that moment, Moss looked so small—like a younger sister. Lucy felt oddly serene.
If only things could stay like this forever…
She relaxed fully, spreading her arms along the rim of the tub.
After forty-eight hours of brutal training, this moment of calm was paradise.
Next up… it was time to face Myotismon.
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Each 25 Powerstones? (1 Bonus Chapters)
BONUS (were at 130 powerstones)
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