Outcasts (rena/sangloup/danny)

[mirei]

Ah ... Primary Village. Such a wonderful place where to heal the wounds within one's heart. A beautiful land of peace and calm, it was a really fantastic place where to simply enjoy life and the wonders of nature ... too bad they aren't anymore in that wonderful place.

Instead, now the Alraumon and the Renamon were within the area around Factory Town. More precisely very nearby a small and precarious village built somewhere between Factory Town and the Village of beginnings. The night was falling on them and in an attempt to avoid the risks of sleeping in the middle of the plains at mercy of the whims of the more feral digimon who predates on defenseless travelers, they choose to go inside the village. Even if the appearance wasn't good, it was better than sleeping outside.

"Hello? We are tired travelers, can we go inside to rest?"

Despite it's rather poor looking appearance, the village was properly fortified .. maybe more than her own village. The main gate, as weak-looking as it was, was perfectly sealed and over there she could see slimy snail-like eyes looking at the Renamon and her. Probably they were a numemon's judging by their size and length. What's more, while the Alraumon didn't notice it, there was a Nohemon hidden behind some of those metal sheets that composed the village's walls and his arrow pointed towards the newcomers.

At that time it wasn't obvious why, but the villagefolks there were very wary against outsiders and any suspicious movement from the duo would cause the guards to retaliate with violence.

[observer]

Area around the Factory was, indeed, much unlike Village of Beginnings. The latter was a warm and sunny place with children, mattresses, toys, and a great tree in the center, from where eggs fall and are collected, and nurtured, so that they would be raised as good and honest digimon... For many - it is a second chance at life. Or 3rd, or 4th... But that place was doing something wrong if some of the people leaving it become villains...

The factory area was ... dark. Poisonous smog coming out of the pipes, clouds full of acid rain, lakes of waste and sludge... Renee was here before. She went through the factory once, this was where she and Ryusuke met Valus, and she first found out about digimon slavery. Why they were back? Well, perhaps hoping meeting somebody else here who could provide enough information. This was as good place as any to start.

They came to the village to seek shelter and hospitality for the night. Sadly, however, this place proved to be ... well, different. People were suspicious, they glared from holes, they were strange... Why they looked at them with such hostility? What did a bunch of poor weary travelers did to them? The fox didn't know, but feeling of being not welcome was somewhat hurting the sensitive fox. She didn't want people to hate her. She was nice...

But ... she could understand why these people acted the way they did... Or at least she thought so... This place... It was poor. People lived in half-collapsed huts and barracks. Nothing grew here. Walls and ground were corroded by acid rains and poisoned air. People themselves ... were affected by it. They looked ... scary, deformed... pitiful... The village was decaying... And it hurt her to see that.

As the two digimon walked across the empty streets, Renee could only lament at how people could possibly live here. It was a waste hole, nothing more. Like prison? Only here these poor, wretched creatures stayed voluntarily... But ... why?

- This place... poor. People ... help us ... can't... Many worries... their own... - the fox said to Alraumon, it would indeed be hard to ask something of people who barely have anything for themselves... She'd rather spend this night outside... Or ...do something to improve things. As the approached an old lamp post, it simply collapsed unto the floor, decayed. She shook her head. Bad, bad this was. Trying to put the pole back into place, she said:

- Help ... they need... More than we? Yes...

[mirei]

Fortunately, the exhausted travelers got the gatekeeper's approval to go inside the village, but what she found there was ... sad, simply sad. There were many digimon living there, some mutant types, other machine and there were even the odd puppet digimon. However, while their diversity of types and forms was impressive, there was something common in them: they looked ... weak and sick, and some were outright ugly and deformed to the point of being disgusting. This place was ill fitting for life due the pollution, but it was the home for many digimon who for one reason or another choose to live there.

Maybe it was evolution gone wrong, or the poor life conditions of this polluted area of the digital world; but regardless of what was the reason, something was wrong with those digimon of strange appearance. The moment the plant and beast digimon went it, the eyes of most of the village inhabitants fell upon them. It wasn't really noticeable if they were eyes filled with jealousy, hatred or a combination of both, but it was more than clear that outsiders were admitted but barely tolerated, especially outsiders free of physical imperfections. The Alraumon could even swear somebody talking behind their backs at how pretty ones came to pity them.

"Maybe we could help a little, as a payment for their generosity"

Well, it could be considered an act of generosity the fact they could find shelter in this place instead of being rejected. The plant digimon helped the Renamon to put back to its place the lamp post and looked around her for something to do for the villagefolk. Under the dim light of the other lamp posts she could finally give a good look at the inhabitants and ... they really looked kinda ill. There was a Sukamon collecting the wastes of other digimons, a Hagurumon whose gears were broken, and even a Porcupamon who clearly was stitched back to health one too many times. This was a very sad place indeed ... so many things to fix, yet not enough power nor skill to improve even a little the life of those poor digimon abandoned by the society, those poor outcasts who never had the opportunity to prove their worth, abandoned and left to waste away their lives ...

"There's too many things to do, if only we could find somebody to tell us what to do ..."

[observer]

- HEY! WHAT DID YOU DO TO THAT LAMP-POLE?

Suddenly a harsh, raspy voice was heard across the empty street, and soon three digimon approached. Two of them were those disgusting little slime things... What was their name? Numemon, or something. The third was taller, better - armed - a Nohemon. They would recognize him as one of the guardians from back at the gates. The slime digimon probably called him.

When the trio appeared, Renee instinctively let go of the lamp pole she tried to put back and straighten up, and it fell on the ground with a nasty clank again. She looked at it with a guilty look on her face. But was it really fault? That thing was so unstable it would fall apart if one would as much as breath at it... But the villagers would have none of it...

- I ... we ... nothing ... did. Fell ... itself by... it did... - the fox tried to explain that it wasn't their fault, but her words didn't sound too convincing for the angry villagers and a guard, who held his bow and arrow threateningly. He didn't talk, however, the crow on his shoulder did:

- It was perfectly fine... Until YOU two came along. - the crow sounded somewhat accusing, and the three closed up on the poor travelers. Things didn't look too good here... maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come into such a ... hostile village. Why were they so hateful to outsiders who did nothing wrong to them?

[mirei]

"!!!"

The sudden shout from one of the inhabitants of this village greatly startled the Alraumon. She was trying her best to slowly push the lamp post into the correct position, but between the Renamon dropping it and the recently arrived Numemon's loud shout, she used a bit too much strength into pushing the lamp post and it fell into the opposite direction of herself. The lightbulb within it broke and what little light it provided was now gone, thus leaving the five digimon around it only illuminated by the dim light of the moon and barely illuminated by what little light reached from the other lamp posts.

That Numemon wasn't alone, he was along another equally angry Numemon and ... some sort of living scarecrow. The doll itself had an emotionless expression in the face, but the crow on it's shoulder had his piercing and accusing eyes on the two travelers.

"Excuse us, we simply tried to put back into it's place"

Her words reached deaf ears. No one of them believed in the innocence of both Alraumon and Renamon. What's more, they seemed to be convinced that everything was their fault and the crow accused them of being the reason why the whole town was falling apart. Something was really wrong with that people ...

"But why are you accusing us of that? We arrived only a few minutes ago and only tried to do something nice for this place!"

The Alraumon's voice tone grew a bit aggressive, she didn't took nicely to be accused of something she didn't do. She would've reacted more calmly under other circumstances, but with an arrow pointing at them, there was no reason to be calm.

[observer]

- Don't try weaseling out of it! - the crow cawed loudly to the plant digimon, and the two numemons' facial expressions were becoming increasingly hostile. Things were becoming more violent. The fox didn't understand it all, she never met such digimons, in fact, she never met hostile digimon before... Aside from that big bird from the Misty Forest... She had to change this! Explain that this wasn't their fault!

- But ... no! Our fault ... it is not... Look ... at it. Rusty metal... corroded... Lack ... of care... brought this... Not us... - she said, stepping in between the Alraumon and the angry trio. her arguments were solid, but alas, here they wouldn't be listened to... Why they held such a grudge? What did they do wrong? The trio, however, seemed to not want to have any of it.

- Excuses excuses. All we know is that the pole was standing before you came, and when we arrived, it was down, and you two were near. - the crow barked, and the pupped moved it's bow, pointing the arrow at the fox's chest. A few more moments, and violence would have probably erupted. Renee's eyes were showing fright as she stared at that sharp edge pointing at her, shining in the dim moonlight... And then she heard the voice again...

- What are you waiting for? For this guy to shoot? Kick the arrow away and get to the crow! It's the one that controls the body. Numemons aren't much of a thread, they're weak. - the voice, as always, was calling to violence. Renee somewhat got used to that, and the answer she would give was the usual one...

- No...

But the internal monologue had to give place back to reality once more... Situation had to resolve somehow... Surely they wouldn't just shoot them? It would be ... just stupid. But as an uncomfortable silence was held, suddenly, expression on one of the numemon's faces changed from angry to ... somewhat surprised, as he slimed forward looking up to the taller one...

- What's wrong with your voice? - he didn't sound angry now also, but more ... cautious for some reason... But why?

- I ... um... broken... sorry.... incomprehensible talk ... if I do... - the fox apologized, perceiving this to be the reason of such sudden curiosity, and in a way... it was... Numemon's face became somewhat morbid again, as it turned to Alraumon, looking at her with an accusing stare.

- Is that why you're here? - he asked the plant digimon. - To dump your companion here and leave?

[mirei]

"Just look at it. Like my partner said, it's so corroded that it fell by itself."

She was really losing the patience there. She wasn't used to being accused of things she didn't do and the fact that she was being treated like a criminal when there's genuinely criminals outside was infuriating.

Just like her, the nohemon was losing the patience as well and its arrow pointed at the Renamon. The Alraumon considered the idea of calming down to prevent the incident from getting worse, but then one of the Numemons just had to open his mouth and mention the speech impediment of Renamon. Almost immediately, the Nohemon reacted to the revelation and its arrow now pointed at the plant digimon.

"What?"

Those words of the Numemon, they left her speechless, with the mouth open and with a big expression of surprise in her face. She simply couldn't believe what he said.

"Your face says it all! You wanted to put the blame on that poor Renamon and abandon her to her luck!"

The second Numemon spoke and again accused the Alraumon about both destroying the light post AND trying to abandon her current companion. What's more, apparently the Renamon was magically free of guilt the moment the trio realized she had speech impediment and the scars in her body become noticeable under the dim light. It was almost like one had to be handicapped or defective to be accepted by the villagefolk.

"I would never do something like that! We teamed up only a few days ago to travel together and stopped here only to restfor the night. If you didn't wants us here in first place, why would you let us come in through the gate?"

The Plant digimon was still naive about some of the laws of the world. While she witnessed the horrors of the survival of the fittest mindset and the brutality of raiders and criminals, she never actually experienced what feels to be discriminated. She still hadn't realized the reason behind their hatred towards her and all she could do was to prove that she came only with good intentions.

[observer]

Renee's mouth went agape when the trio's burning hatred switched from them both to just her partner. And the accusations they were throwing just crossed the borderline from plausible to ridiculous. If the lamp pole gimmick was half-plausible and understandable from a certain point of view, the second accusation was ... well, way over the top. It was so ... stupid it made even kind-hearted and tolerant fox facepalm. And then she heard a chuckle within her head.

- Well this is a joke...

- They ... changed attitude... My speech hearing after? Think ... they... one of them am I... - Renee suddenly showed perceptiveness. It wasn't really that hard to deduct, but considering her, it was an achievement she rarely showed. They were in a village of ... well, weirdos. And she was a weirdo too, she was told to be such a number of times before. It all made sense...

- Let me handle it. - suddenly the voice requested.

- No... I'll talk ... them. - the casual answer came back.

- Hmpf, please. You won't talk your way out from stepping on someone's foot. I won't do anything rash. I'm not THAT stupid to pick up a fight on THEIR turf, unless it is necessary. - the voice replied nonchalantly, gleefully forgetting that just a moment ago it proposed to attack the Nohemon. Granted, that situation was edgy - the damn scarecrow was aiming a weapon at them. But still...

And then Renamon's stance changed. From frightened and flighty, ready to bolt away running, to somewhat solid, firm and confident. The confused and frightened expression disappeared from the face either, now becoming dead serious. The guards however, didn't notice the change yet, and were preparing to assault the Alraumon with more accusations, even though they were taken aback by "why they let them in in the first place". They didn't answer the question though.

- Or why are you here then, "Pretty"? To ditch your friend here, just like everyone else before you? - these words were said without even hiding the inner rage and bitterness. That ... pretty much explained it all, at least for the fox. Who, now, was becoming increasingly annoyed. As the Nohemon made a step towards the Alraumon, he was stopped by a hand pressing against his chest.

- Enough. - the intonation changed too, she sounded... pissed. And confident. Not that whimpering sniveling whatever that stood here before, coming up with excuses. This took the three by surprise, the Nohemon even taking a step back. The fox continued.

- Enough of this farce... I had. Alraumon ... a friend of mine, is. We travel... I trust her. Insult me, you do... with your shenanigans. Lamp pole ... we didn't break. Do you believe ... ME? - crossing the arms on her chest, and looked at the three strictly, like an adult looks at a kid who annoys him, or her, and waited for an answer.

[mirei]

"I already said wh-"

"Shut up, you bi-"

By now, everybody was involved into a very heated discussion that seemed to have no end. No matter what argument the Alraumon used to prove her innocence, the Numemon and Nohemon refused to listen to reason and everything was going down to hell. The Nohemon was so agitated for the argument that the string on his bow was being pulled so hard that the smallest provocation would release the arrow. And then it happened.

Suddenly, the otherwise quiet and polite Renamon raised her voice and silenced everybody with .. no, it wasn't a new argument, she directly ordered everybody to shut up. Such was the surprise from the sudden change that the Nohemon accidentally released the grip on the arrow and it flied away barely missing the plant digimon, slightly grazing her left arm.

"Lies! You are going to be discarded like a broken doll! They never gave me a second chance, I was abandoned the moment I got injured!"

The Nohemon was quite tense and from its quiver, picked another arrow to replace the one he lost. The confused Alraumon paid this time more attention to the Nohemon and he ... yep, he had quite a gaping wound stitched on the left side of the scarecrow's body and it was missing one of it's legs. Not that she could've noticed it before, after all it was the crow the one who always kept the scarecrow floating and there was no reason to believe those imperfections were the cause of his anger.

"It's always the same story. The beauty and flawless ones uses us, and then abandon us when we outlive our usefulness. And that's if we ever got to be useful in first place!"

The talkative one of the Numemon duo retorted. Numemons aren't exactly known for being useful, but when they are it's true that their deeds are unrecognized. It was the price they paid for being so weak and ugly looking and in this world power was everything. Probably he suffered a terrible betrayal that shaped him into the borderline paranoiac he was now.

As for the Alraumon, she simply remained silent both for the amazing change of attitude of the Renamon and because it was better to let her do the talking. Anything she said would be ignored or used against her while the fox digimon might be taken seriously by the trio now that they considered her somebody worth listening to.

[observer]

For Renee, all of what was happening looked much like a TV show, with her being the audience. And, as audience, she felt pity and sympathy towards these ... poor, wretched creatures. She understood why they were so angry, so bitter... The poor Nohemon - wounded and abandoned, those Numemons ... probably discarded after seeing how hideous they were... She would have pitied them, offered them comfort... But she was audience. And her body was controlled by someone else, and that someone else didn't have anything for these wretches, but contempt.

- You ... annoy me. - she said when Nohemon picked up another arrow, putting it on the string of his bow. One swift movement, and the arrow wasn't there, but in the fox's hand, promptly crushed. The crow blinked , eyes widened, but the puppet's facial expression remained unchanged, as they both watched the arrow turning to dust in those strong fingers. Two Numemons gulped, the fox looked angry. Moving towards the Nohemon, she grabbed the puppet by the throat, lifting it up, so that the crow would be in front of her piercing blue eyes.

- Did ... she ... abandon you? - she asked a very direct question.

- All pretties do! - the crow cawed defiantly, but silenced under the threatening glare.

- I reiterate... question. Did... she ... abandon... you? Yes ... or No?!

- I... uhm... no? - the crow finally managed to reply after a few moments of hesitation. And after that the Nohemon body was dropped to the ground, like a potato sack. The renamon didn't bother helping him stand up - they already did too much to learn her ire. Asking them to apologize she felt a waste of their time. Spending night in this dump? Yeah right, they were better off in the field. Turning around, she nodded to the alraumon, who was the only innocent victim in this discussion, the only one accused of things she didn't do...

- Lets ... go. Leave ... this backwater ... trash - heap...

But then...

- I apologize for my underlings' behavior. Please stay...

Three gulps were heard from behind, obviously belonging to the Numemons and the Nohemon, when a big, black shadow was cast on the traveler duo, when that deep, low voice was heard... Renamon's eyes narrowed to slits, her not turning around, but sniffing the air. Ugh... Whatever was behind them ... was big... And smelly...

[mirei]

There was not much to say about the whole issue, the Renamon verbally crushed the trio as if she were used to do that and suggested them to leave.

"I don't think it's polite to call it like that, but .."

No matter how disgusting those guys were, the Alraumon didn't want to offend their sensibility. After what they said, she could kind of understand why they were like that. Sure, that could NEVER justify that they acted like jerks just because they can, but she could feel some sympathy for those outcasts of the society.

She was about to leave along the Renamon when a powerful voice from behind told them not to leave. The plant digimon was at first pleased for knowing there was a decent digimon in this place, but she couldn't hide the disgust that the awful smell that came along the voice provoked in her. It was the stench of death and rot meat, of a Cocktail of necrotic flesh with toxic wastes. She turned around to see who was talking to them and ... oh dear, it looked like a rotten and putrid corpse whose physical integrity was only sustained by the exposed bones it still had and the machines and wires haphazardly crafted into it. THAT THING, it was an ugly abomination, a sin against nature itself ... but it was also the digimon who offered some understanding to the tired wanderers.

" Umm ... thanks and .."

"I know what you are thinking and I'm not offended for that. This is the way I am and as the leader of this village I offer you my apologize"

Never judge a book by its cover. There were never more wise words than those. The abomination who appeared in front of them was the ugliest and most disgusting thing the Alraumon had ever seen in her life, yet its words showed wisdom and a gentle spirit one would never expect from somebody like that thing. "It"who had every reason to loathe everything that was nice and good had only good intentions; and by comparison made the angry trio look like heavenly beings free of impurity.

"This is a village for those who are rejected by our world. We are no better than those who fears us if we act like that"

Once the creature spoke, the trio apologized in front of the duo and left towards the gate to continue serving as gatekeepers. That kind of power and authority "it" had amazed the plant digimon. It was respected by everybody in the village and all those suspicious eyes that glared at them immediately looked away and continued with their activities. She knew that there was something she could learn from this ..she wasn't really sure if the creature was a he or a she, but it was more than clear that somehow it had that special "something" that leaders have. The Alraumon was surprised, she thought all leaders were beautiful and powerful, yet this pathetic looking creature was EVEN more respect-inspiring than Yureimon. The digital world was sure filled with amazing people ...

[observer]

- Ugh... what is that ugly, stinky, hideous pile of liquid shi-...

- Quiet... be now... Your thing... Did. Scared poor things... Forfeit control. Now. - Renee replied once more to that inner dialogue going inside of her head. She was angry. Sure, the situation with guards had to be dealt with, but ... not like this. She humiliated the poor wretches, destroyed them verbally quite completely, it wasn't something she wanted to do... She was a nice girl...

- Alright, alright, sheesh. No need to get all huffy about it. Talk to the giant slimeball if you want, I won't interfere...

And then, Renee ... changed again. The confident look of a boss disappeared into thin air, replaced by meekness. Her eyes looking down, ashamed, and not wishing to meet with those of a Raremon... She felt guilty, somehow, even if technically she didn't do anything wrong and only protected her friend from being harassed. And because of that...

- I ... sorry ... I am. Shout at them... needed not...

- Do not worry, they were in the wrong here, so they got what they deserved. It is I who needs to ask you two to forgive them. They've been here only for a few months, and the anger within their souls is not easy to quench... The ones who live here longer know not to take their frustrations out of innocent strangers... for the most part... - the Raremon explained as they went down the street.

The humongous black slime figure certainly attracted attention of the rest of the populace - this was their village elder after all... People started coming out, to look ... to see... Renee's heart clenched again when she saw them... Poor things, beaten, battered, bruised ... forgotten... They deserved nothing but kindness and pity... And yet... those three considered her one of their own? It was... sad. Renee looked at herself, did she really look that way? Sounded that way? Her thoughts were interrupted by Raremon's words again, as he spoke...

- We rarely get strangers here... Most of the times those are either "parent" digimons who come here to dump their child after it somehow grew into a numemon... Or those who bring injured and incapable here from the factories... Labor there ... is very hazardous... I'd welcome you in my house for the night, but I do not advise you to stay for long... Outsiders ... made our hard life even less easier recently... - the last sentence... it sounded quite grim...

[mirei]

"That is terrible!"

The truth of this village and it's inhabitants was something hard to accept and now she understood why the trio treated her so badly. This was a village for the outcast, the unwanted, and those who still bore the hatred and anger of being discarded looked with envy, fear and fury at those who "tainted" their home with their free of imperfections data.

All the people who went out of the shadows to witness their elder delivering justice was as pathetic looking if not more than the Nohemon and the Numemons. Some of them had their data corrupted so badly that were barely more than error and bugs shaped like digimon while others were evolution gone wrong. This sad scene reminded her about what once the elder Jureimon said, that sometimes when digimon were incorrectly raised, their flawed data would be unable to expand into their true forms and instead they would take the form of junk data like Numemon or in the worst cases, Sukamon.

"What did the outsiders who came before us do? If we can, we would like to help a little to fix whatever the bad outsiders did."

What he said after mentioning the truth about the village was rather sad. It was bad enough that several of them inhabitants showed mistrust towards outsiders, but if there were some of them who actively and willingly caused trouble for the forsaken ones, that would make even harder for them to earn the acceptance of the inhabitants.

[observer]

- I shall tell you more, but ... inside... - the Raremon replied to the plant digimon as they approached something that was probably his home. The reason I said "something" was because it looked more like a ruin than a home - roof was collapsed in several places, instead of windows - dark gaps that looked like eyes of a skull. There wasn't even a door, a large rock blocked the entrance instead. With a push, the ugly but powerful Raremon managed to push it away, and said:

- Come on in.

Once the torch has been lit, it would be possible to see what was inside. On the inside the house looked ... well, not much better than on the outside. Everything was old, very old, almost decaying... Chairs, a sofa... some sort of an iron table at the center... Very few of actual personal belongings. A picture hanging on the wall, so old it was impossible to figure out what was drawn on it - it was crippled from poisoned and corrosive air and time...

- You may take a sit, if you wish... - Raremon said, and pulled a chair for himself. It was unclear how that gooey monstrosity would sit on it, but apparently there was a way, when he lifted his biomass up and on the surface of it, but from 3rd perspective it looked like his body wrapped around the chair itself... Gross sight...

Turning around, the Raremon focused on the plant digimon again. She, of the two, seemed to be more ... well, open to talking, and it was she who asked, after all. The fox didn't say a thing since that apology... But ... he would ask if something was wrong later. For now... explanation. And he had a bit of a heavy heart talking about it...

- Several days ago, a band of ... "pretties" came to our village. They were lead by a Sangloupmon - a vicious, fearsome champion. I met them and asked why did they visit our humble homes... They seemed desperate, and they demanded our livelihood. Brigants, they were, bandits. We are poor people, we barely have enough to support ourselves alive, barely alive. We often suffer from disease, from famine. We had nothing to spare, or give them... We denied them anything, and they left, but promised to return, and take what they want by force... - the Raremon then went down from his chair, and moved towards the window, looking out thoughtfully.

- I don't know if that threat was real or not... But I doubled the number of guards on the walls just in case. And people since became increasingly wary of strangers...

[mirei]

The beast and plant digimon duo accepted the Raremon's invitation and followed him to his house. It was shocking to discover that the house was so .. awful, both from outside and from inside. It was supposed to be an elder's house, yet it was as poor looking and unhealthy as the precarious house of the less fortunate, who have to build their homes with whatever junk they can gather.

Out of courtesy, she sit on one of the chairs nearby; it wasn't really nice looking, but it was sturdier than it looked. Probably it was custom-made for the elder's use. Leaving the chair and the appearance of the house aside, what the Raremon said was simply shocking.

"Sang ... loupmon?"

It ... it simply shouldn't be possible. The rumors said that the whole gang died along Renamon, so it it couldn't be possible for THE Sangloupmon to be alive. Maybe if he were just a member from your generic everyday gang of bandits, the Alraumon would've simply shrugged off the mention of the vile bloodsucker, but nothing would erase from her mind the memories of the evil Renamon and her faithful followers Sangloupmon. She could still remember the horror, how he devoured the leftover data from the hostages executed in the village, the malicious expression on his and Renamon's face ... it was an experience so terrible that the mere mention of a gang led by a Sangloupmon was enough to make her assume he was the same one from before, but now leaderless.

"Elder, if he comes here like he promised, use everything in your power to capture him! If he is the Sanglupmon I think he is, I want to know the truth from him, about what happened to that evil Renamon!"

One could say that anything related with the raiders who destroyed her village was her berserk button. She believed both of them and their followers to be dead, but if he and the gang survived ... then the possibility of THE Renamon still being alive wasn't bad at all. Like ... what if she went to the continent and abandoned his troops like the ruthless complete monster she was? The fox digimon was too dangerous to leave alive, she had to be destroyed before her evil expanded to the whole world. The rumors about her death had to be confirmed, that was the only thing in the plant digimon's mind ...