Baa-Ram-Ewe!

by Darkonshadows

169. Data and Transition.

-Earth, flight to Russia, currently skirting the Thembria border, Dormarch-

I looked over my data again, more precisely the data of the PET. No black box whatsoever, same things as I had seen previous times when I tried to find out more about myself… but then was I really looking at myself or the data around me?

Unconventional thoughts brought me to the idea of examining my avatar with the same kind of lens I examined the PET with. I had thought that I was naturally part of the PET, now… it was time for me to truly find out about myself.

I just had to target my avatar, the real me, and do a data scan...

Species: Dalma.mon offshoot of ‘Error missing data, inferring as original species’.

What did that mean? Also did the MON technically count as an executable file when I was a living being in some respects? Dalma.mon obviously means ‘Dalmatian Monster’. Also the missing data is fairly concerning.

I was getting somewhere, but I didn’t want to be a monster… yet there it was in ones and zeroes.

Level: Rookie.

Not so obvious. What did Rookie exactly mean in context to level? Did it mean I was new at something? Was it measuring my strength as a data manipulating entity?

I thought I was doing pretty well as an AI before I found out I was some kind of digital creature that can feasibly manifest outside of computer systems. Well the digital creature before me could manifest at the very least.

I was given the footage of the other digital lifeform and I looked nothing like it, yet I came from ‘that’ specifically.

At least this might explain why Minesweeper was so painful, yet it wasn’t harmful. I should get some help from someone else to play it better or keep it as a thing I do.

Type: Beast.

That doesn’t sound friendly. Yet I didn’t feel the need to be aggressive, in fact I’ve been chronically depressed since I found out about this.

Self-analyzing was one of the worst thing a psychologist can do and I had downloaded a lot of psychiatric and health data in the past life from a hospital. Explains why I act like a medical scanner.

Attribute: Data.

Questionable as to what this means. Why would data be an attribute? An attribute of what. Let’s move on and come back to this later.

Family: NSp.

Expand family designation. Did I have family from wherever the past incarnation of me came from?

Family: Nature Spirits.

Okay, something was off. What did Nature Spirits exactly mean in terms of family? Did it mean I was more like a wild animal or akin to something naturally occurring? Sounds better than being called a beast at least, spirits sounds right in some context to me.

Possible Digital Evolutionary Paths: Large data corruption detected, unknown repercussions.

Wait… evolution? I could evolve into something else? I wonder if this is part of what Kahn Industries did with me. Also the ‘unknown repercussions’ thing has me quite worried.

Name: Dormarch Lambchop Dalmatian.

Obvious, Pom was the one that gave me this name and from the research I’ve done it appears not only in the mythology of this world, but in the world Pom comes from. Strange, how many realities can have the same story and did I come from one with that mythology as well? Also Lambchop is a bit presumptuous of me, as is the Dalmatian family name, but I do technically belong with both and they haven’t thrown me away… yet.

I should ask Pom and Dolly about this and quantify if it was okay. I mean this was something my mind wrote subconsciously when she named me and I got her name. Looking at the data, Dalmatian was automatically added later in relation to Dolly and her family.

Partner: Pom Lambchop.

Something I already knew somewhere in my heart of ones and zeroes I would never, EVER, want to betray this piece of data. Hopefully that status never changed, for I now understood what would happen if the wrong people got a hold of me.

Speaking of what I could do if the wrong people get a hold of me…

Attack Program List:

Did I really want to... access these?

I took in a digital breath and dove in.

P-Wild Bark.

Apparently I have something comparable to Pom, but in the form of a short range shockwave. It’s a quick stun and attack maneuver.

P-Cure Liquor.

Restores and optimizes data, possibly reformats it as well.

Sounds useful… activating Cure Liquor program.

…

Well that felt refreshing, but didn’t do much except fixed some of my rougher edges in my coding. Maybe my code has to be damaged in some way. Wait… didn’t Kahn think that other creatures like me may exist and that they could invade other realities through computers like what was apparently my previous incarnation?

This might be why that white and orange furred monster was so hard to take out, it could rebuild its own destroyed code by possibly cannibalizing the coding around it or rewriting the lost coding back into place. Uses a moderate amount of energy to do, probably why I suddenly feel like I need some recharge, possibly only effective on digital beings like me.

Disturbing implications about me aside, this was good to know.

P-Retriever Bark.

This… is actually almost one to one with Pom’s Bark Breaker, it is a hyper-oscillation bark but it is immediate and not controlled finely to create the same kind of maximum impact that Pom gets from hers.

So this is why I could calculate a way to destroy the meteor under a crunch. However this program doesn’t seem nearly strong enough to do that if I was able to manifest physically. It was a ranged attack compared to Wild Bark and fairly intriguing concept that I can match Pom.

Having my existence tied to the PET was probably a good idea on the part of Kahn Industries science and computer technology experts.

P-Claw Scratch.

Enhances front claws, simple enough and like Pom’s magical wolf claws except I can see a physical change to my body.

Hmm… cue up similar attack programs in the same vein.

P-High Kick. P-Charge. P-Backflip Kick. P-Jumping Claw Scratch.

General combat program stuff apparently. I don’t need them to fight as I am, but they would improve my combat significantly when doing these specific actions.

Now moving on to… huh.

P-Giga Cannon.

Why would I ever even have this and how would I even begin with using something like this?! By calculations, this program alone would have really slowed down that meteor immensely and taken out at least half of it if used while manifested!

I don’t have built in cannons on me, yet I know I can utilize it somehow in my current form… the horror of that possibility is something I don’t think I can readily ignore.

Also why do I even have something this crazy and insane inside me in the first place?! The overly prohibitive power consumption alone would definitely drain every single last scrap of energy I have immediately!

I looked further into this, scrutinizing every inch and actually managed to find some minor sub-data tied to it.

Machinedra.mon attack program data?

Confusing, but if I’m getting this right this data comes from a... Machine Dragon Monster? Why does that kind of instill some kind on inherent instinctive fear in me? I eventually found an image connected to the sub-data, it was highly pixelated, but I felt terror just looking at the character sprite.

Again, Kahn Industries probably had the right idea with how to deal with me.

I looked at the other attack programs data closely and collated the information.

Gao.mon, Labra.mon, Dorulu.mon.

So I have the attack program data of four different creatures like me? Dorulu.mon was familiar and close to home because that was the one that manifested in Kahn Industries, but the other two… yeah nothing comes to mind.

I had some odd feelings about Dorulu.mon and the pixel art image in the sub-data connected to it definitely representing that orange and white furred wolf monster with the drills. I didn’t like what had happened, but I would have to come to terms with it eventually.

Should I tell Pom about these discoveries? When I can actually work up the courage to interact with her again.

Pom and Dolly still cared about me, their friends might care too, but I think the problem is coming from my side of things and my mental state being in shambles.

Wait… the data continues?

General Purpose:

Do I really want to look into this?

…

Entering the rabbit hole.

General Purpose: Search Engine, Data Miner, Information and Data Applications Specialist.

Aside from the whole Data Miner thing being why people wanted me badly enough to kill Pom and take me from her, that and the ability to break computer systems firewalls like a cheap wet tissue paper or cause full system crashes if I had enough energy to use the giga cannon for even half a second without frying myself, I was honestly expecting something far worse than that.

I mean. I was expecting invader, world takeover preparations and the like of something pure evil… but a glorified search engine, really? With my capabilities? I feel somewhat insulted finding this out.

I like the information and data application thing at least, I was still running the program on Pom’s health and what Dancing Flame may be doing to her overall biology. The recent stab and electrocution wounds aside, all the rest she got had let her body strengthen back up quite a bit.

I wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to control it if she started using it while breathing normally, but her body was adapting for doing just that even when she wasn’t using her Dancing Flame style.

This could be a really bad or lethal end result for Pom and requires constant monitoring. I would definitely speak up if her health was in immediate threat from this, I appreciated life far more than my lost and possibly fearful predecessor at the very least.

I really couldn’t blame Dorulumon for acting confused or lashing out and causing pain in this world, they likely came to this world by accident and caused some lethal incidents. Which would explain why Data Miner is part of my purpose as that seems like what Dorulumon existed for with the visual representation of drills on his body.

Creating a paw print shaped fluffy bit of white carpet with black spots, I yawned and curled up on it. I would be going into sleep mode for the time being.

This was a lot for me to unpack all at once and I needed some restful mental downtime.

-Outside the PET, Pom-

I decided to look at the PET and saw Dormarch sleeping and quickly turned the PET back off, I didn’t want to disturb him.

We had said our goodbyes to Molly and Kit, they were getting free medical care via Shere Kahn, along with some funding for their circus. The Jungle Aces needed their planes repaired after they came to the aid of the city at Molly’s call and the Jungle Aces remembered the first MEL when they were kids too, they were perfectly happy to get in on all the action.

We were going to have to ride to the pyroclastic Krakarov Volcano in the Cooper Van once we get to Russia and establish a route to where Clockwerk was. If he was anything like Teatime Clockwork, then this was going to be much worse than the MEL’s we had to fight through.

Krakarov was in a remote location and far enough away that it wouldn’t destroy any cities if it had some form of meltdown.

After explaining Carmelita and given that they hadn’t seen her getting involved in our Cape Suzette caper, this meant she chose a different target than chasing after Sly. This certainly upset Sly for various reasons, likely because the target Carmelita chose was the same one we were going to deal with. There were possibilities that she would be in dire trouble by the time we arrived, if not dead already.

Launchpad would be waiting to take us back to San Fransokyo in the nearest city or town, wherever we were landing.

Drake and Gosalyn were restocked heavily on high grade stuff, knowing that this was going to be one of the world’s biggest villains since F.O.W.L. was destroyed by the McDuck clan.

I didn’t have much of a stake in this, but… Shanty wanted to see this through and wanted to help her friends. If I had said no and tried to drag her to San Fransokyo, she’d be on the next flight to Russia without knowing where she’ll end up. This way, we’d at least be together even if it gets us all killed.

I looked to Dodo, he was wearing a fake nose and glasses, a really poor disguise hiding the Team Leap Lamb logo now painted on him somehow after leaping out of a plane. Six cartoonish symbols that looked like our heads surrounded the logo.

“Dodo, that’s a horrible disguise, just take it off already.” I hear Dodo whine audibly and he flicked the plastic glasses and nose off his beak. “Everyone here knows what you are anyway.”

Just about everyone else, aside from Launchpad, was sleeping. The minor repairs the plane needed after crashing into the minimal amount of countryside outside of Cape Suzette were handled within an hour thanks to Shere Kahn’s work force.

I’ve been sitting on the right side cargo plane benches since we took off. I wondered what would happen between Kahn and Mowgli or whether or not Kit and Molly’s circus would continue to impress now that they had Bullethead and Danger Woman as mascots.

It made me wonder a lot of things.

Did Dragon and Skunk have their climactic battle as the heavens wanted? Did they befriend one another? Were the ninja monkeys and the animals still fighting to this day, because it was fun for all of them?

Did Tai Lung finally warm up to having friends and is Gongmen City thriving under the watchful eyes of the rhino I nursed back to health? Were they still having action packed crazy adventures after the defeat of that monstrous undead General Kai and his Jade Statue Zombies?

Was Sparkster the rocket knight getting some peace from having to fight giant death machines, entire armies and overlords? Evil Cores were a thing on that world and I don’t think that was the last Elhorn has seen of them. How were Colleen, Jean, Ligstrun and Bruno getting along as the White Knight Couriers if they are even still in that business? What was Nicole Beta doing on that world and was she doing as she intended in making things better?

Every world we visit, we were leaving behind drastic changes that would have never happened had we not been there. We were also leaving behind our presences, pieces of our magic and a whole lot of questions and the only path was forward.

I looked down at my lap at Dolly snoozing away with her face pressed against my wool, bandages wrapped around her back and some covering her numerous scratches and minor injuries.

She was so small and yet so much larger than life even before she met me and we clicked, she is an amazing dog with an equally amazing family. Her younger brother DJ was on top of things as far as music was concerned when we asked for his help, Dawkins was incredulously smart for a dog, Dylan was an incredible big brother and every Dalmatian in that family had a talent for something.

My thoughts turned to myself.

I never stopped being the scared little lambkin that I was, but I even I had to acknowledge that I had achieved some pretty ridiculous things. A few hours ago I was singing and dancing with Ocellus and Mopsy and the three of us saved a city in an over the top fashion from a deceased mad scientist that wanted one last attempt to do something memorable.

Dr. Axolotl was an interesting person at the very least and he did give Cape Suzette a pretty huge black eye as a good sixty percent of the city was damaged in some way, shape or form. His final act in this world with his robots was something he’d be remembered for at the very least. The poor guy didn’t have any family or friends in the end, but at least Kahn did the respectable thing and made sure his grave wasn’t desecrated by angry people.

Axolotl gave Kahn Industries access to enough special metal to make more than enough PETs to meet the future demand of their AI’s companions. Even I had problems shredding through a MEL with my magic claws, three full strength strikes with both hooves, so the PETs were going to be pretty tough for people to break and I already knew that by experience.

I’m now a terrifying individual and that’s not even accounting for the fact that I can have a canine’s sense of smell, hearing and instincts if my going feral once or twice over the course of our adventures was anything to go by.

It’s easy to see why I’m now quite afraid of myself, I could so easily kill people with very little effort. I didn’t want to be something else, a monster, a hero or some incredible being that people could put on a pedestal. I just wanted to be a guard in a quiet city that did my civic duty to help people.

So when had I made the transition though?

I stayed true to who I was, but when did I actually transition into being the brave figure everyone saw my scrawny hide as? Still hated fighting, but if someone starts something and I’m around… then I’m very well ending it or doing my best at whatever it is to save everyone.

I don’t always win every confrontation with three hooves tied behind my back or without injury, but it’s becoming apparent that I’m going to keep pushing forward through everything that threatens any innocent lives.

Physically, mentally, spiritually and possibly existentially exhausted, I still stand among people who care about me and see me as a stalwart figure in the face of constant suffering.

For every day was suffering without the warmth of Tianhuo, but I couldn’t cry every day as I had responsibilities and the pressure of expectations keeping me on my forward momentum through all this insanity.

I suffer not alone, but with friends and these friends I’ve met are some of the best I’ve ever had.

This world alone, I was doing so much… both good and bad. Could anyone have done better than me, could anyone have done worse? Now I was going to help in an attack on a supervillain’s lair… on purpose no less!

Where did my need to exactly avoid conflict go? Why was running away from trouble so hard now? Was I still the same kind and gentle hearted lambkin Tianhuo met? Lots of things to consider, but I think I’m staying true to who I was.

“Baa-Ram-Ewe… always-be-true.” I intoned softly, still thinking about the adversities that I’ve faced.

“You okay back there Pom?” Launchpad shouted down from watching the Darkwing Duck show on a small television as he flew the plane.

“Yeah, just thinking some heavy things Launchpad.” The big guy waded into and out of action with us and he never had any complaints, like Murray he was all heart.

Speaking of Murray, he and Launchpad were immediate best of friends upon meeting one another as they had uncanny natures for finding the best in everyone. Murray loved his gang's van as much as Launchpad loved flying.

“Hey, want a comic book to get your mind off of things?” I was not going to question Launchpad flying the plane or the one hundred percent fact of the ensuing imminent crash we’d all survive. This was a known factor and no one that knew Launchpad should be afraid to be in the same vehicle as him, but that didn’t mean you shouldn’t actively try to avoid injury from the crashes he caused. “It always helps me get away from some thoughts when I’m not feeling very helpful or like I haven’t done enough to brighten someone’s day.”

“What kind of comic?” Bet he was going to say Darkwing Duck.

I really wanted to have a long talk with Dormarch, but he had to be the one to open up to me. I couldn’t very well force him to interact with me, he needed some freedom and he wasn’t getting much of that inside the PET.

“It’s one of my favorites, it’s The Mighty Ducks issue one! It’s said to be made by this neat hockey team in Anaheim, the stories are so realistic too. It’s actually as if someone has experienced them.” Launchpad stated excitedly as I gave him a curious look. If I could sell my life story I don’t think I would actually make much from it, but that’s my pessimistic side talking and the only people that would believe it are the people who’ve actually seen me getting involved in them. “What, you thought I was all about Darkwing? I have other heroes too you know!”

“Fine…” If it’ll help me relax. Thanks to my fluffmancer talents my wool will never fall out from stress. That said, I’m always stressed.

“Okay, hold on a second, let me find it.” It didn’t take him long and I was looking at the cover with six colorful ducks on it.

The story was interesting to say the least, alien duck people born to an ice covered planet called Puckworld and their main sport is hockey. They also had hockey themed technology, because of course they do, and they were fighting against the Saurians.

Said Saurians are a race of dangerous conquering lizard people that had a giant empire that got sealed away in a dimensional limbo by a hero with a golden hockey mask. Only a small group of them managed escape this fate and still managed to conquer Puckworld with an armada of robotic attack ships.

One duck named Canard Thunderbeak managed to get a resistance group together to resist the four Saurian overlords led by Lord Dragaunus. Things don’t turn out well for Thunderbeak as he and 'the team' try to make sure the Saurian threat couldn’t continue after getting Saurians on the run.

He sacrifices himself to a strange electromagnetic worm thing and his fate, surely death, is left somewhat unknown. Some think he might have survived it and others think it destroyed him entirely.

The new leader Wildwing Flashblade put on the golden hockey mask that allows them to see through the Saurians cloaking technology and thus the story really begins.

I looked to Ocellus, sleep cuddling Smolder and looking adorable while doing it too, she would definitely call these six a Harmony group if they existed.

Their only way home, being the Saurian ship’s gateway generator that couldn’t work very well due to the damage done to the Saurian ship, they arrived on a planet called Earth and thus began the battle to prevent the last Saurians from hurting anyone else.

How original of the writers to name the planet the heroes landed on after the one they were living on.

“So cool.” Launchpad said from over my shoulder.

Everything notably felt like it was currently at an angle.

“Gosh dang it all to Tartarus!” Tossing the comic book over my shoulder, I crossed my hooves with a flat look on my face. “Crash positions everyone!”

Author's Note:

What's foreshadowing, what isn't and is the Machinedra.mon thing in good taste?

I'm using the literal classification system of Digimon here, it's a tiny bit a complicated.

Herald of the Opera got the three man band idea.

Someone knew the music and gets an imaginary caramel cookie.

The inspiration overall for that page finale is the Ouendan level that features 'Read, Steady, Go', it's a rhthym game.

So many layers.

Comments

[Herald of Opera]

Inside Baseball Alert: Data is basically the "neutral" attribute, with Vaccine and Virus being "Good" and "Evil" in the D&D sense of being willing to distort what those mean because you don't like the implications of inherent morality. Also, being able to turn into a Mega for a single powerful attack is the games' version of Warp Digivolution so that's what Machinedramon is doing there.