I'm going to assume all bios are work-in-progresses until I'm told otherwise in here, because I've lost track of who is doing what, because I've had so many PMs over the last few days that I need to sift through it all; I shall do that later.
Do NOT PM me when you've finished your bio. Post in this thread. If you want private feedback, that's fine, but do NOT NOT NOT keep PMing me with updates. I only want to know when the bio has been completed and you want it read over. If you want advice, or to discuss ideas, via PM is fine, but if it can go in this thread, put it in this thread, and not in my inbox. Thank you.
Also, as a general note: I still have a 1st of October start date planned, but that might get pushed back a few days; it depends on many things. Once the RP starts, you have one additional week to get accepted if you haven't been already, and after that I'm closing signups. As a warning.
The information thread will be getting tidied up this weekend, and given a few additions as well. I'll notify people in here when things pop up.
@Soulcorruptor, I know yours is finished, so you don't need to say, since we're still discussing plans, and you can expect another PM from me sometime today, when I get around to reading the other one~
@Meteora, you're an exception to this rule, given the nature of your character. You're quite welcome to PM me your history before you post it if you feel the need to, so we can hammer it all out.
Anyways. Here is Devola. She might have a few history changes/additions to ensure some continuity between her bio and others, but she is otherwise complete. Lady Nex will follow somewhen soon.
Name: Devola Queen
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Crest: Miracles
Affiliation: Celestial Trinity | Digidestined
Appearance:
Since the Merge, Devola’s appearance has changed quite dramatically, to the point that it is doubtful that any but her two former comrades would recognize her. The most noticeable change is her hair: once her pride and joy, falling down to her waist in thick strands, she has since had it cropped in a short, more boyish style; combined with her formless, restrictive clothing, people often mistake her for a male until she opens her mouth, and some don’t even pick up on it then, as she has a very quiet, often toneless voice. Her facial features have become more angular and severe than they were previously, something that has only been accentuated by her new hair style; she seems to be almost carved from stone, with a sharply pointed nose – something that all men on her father’s side of the family have had, which only enhances her androgynous appearance – and chin, and eyes that lack the warmth that they previously had.
Devola’s clothing is similarly reserved, to the point that it might be considered a uniform: a tight white jacket with a navy blue inlay, adorned with gold buttons and a high collar, and a matching pair of military-style trousers. Her shoes are scuffed and worn from excess use, but still relatively study, being designed for walking over long distances. She commonly wears a navy blue hat over her distinctive pink hair, which remains the same vivid shade despite the fact that she has been unable to re-dye it, although she shows signs of light blond roots under her hat from where her hair has slowly started to grow out again.
She has not grown much over the years, and remains at a slender 5’6”, although she is not unfit, due to an active lifestyle. The years, however, have taken their toll on her: her eyes are often framed by dark shadows from where she has not slept, and she is far skinnier than she used to be, as she eats far less – more from lack of appetite than anything else – and spends more time travelling; this gives her a faintly wasted appearance at times. If she smiled and dressed in a more feminine fashion, some may find her attractive, although Devola has never really been interested in maintaining her appearance: her hair is a personal preference, and she wears whatever she finds comfortable. Recently, she has taken to carrying a staff for support in rougher terrain.
Personality:
Despite all that she has suffered, Devola remains a very kindhearted, selfless person; perhaps even more so now than before, given the last three years and the current state of the world. Whilst she struggles with her own inner demons, everything she does, she does for the sake of others: Devola is a compassionate, highly empathic individual who dislikes seeing people suffer, and feels compelled to do what she can to help them. She can be quite interfering at times, as she allows her experience to override her common sense and convince her that she knows what is best, although her heart is in the right place, and it is difficult to be angry with her as a result. She is earnest in her desire to help, and does not often need prompting to do things; whilst she is not always able to read people, she can be surprisingly perceptive at times.
Devola has matured significantly since she became a Digidestined, whether she would care to admit it or not: she has become more controlled and rational in her thinking and, despite the problems she faces, she is calm under pressure and unflinching in her resolve once she has decided on a course of action: her instincts have been finely honed, and she has learned to trust them and make quick-snap decisions that, whilst she may later regret, she is capable of following through on. She is no longer afraid to be angry with someone, or to say what she is really thinking: she is capable of being diplomatic, and she sees herself as a slave to her reputation, but she is not a doormat; she still retains some semblance of free will and personality, although the latter is perhaps tinged with desperation, as she struggles not to lose herself in the role of Digidestined: after all, the first time that happened things didn’t turn out as expected. She is consumed by worry and self-doubt, yet this is swept away in the face of battle, and even if it returns later, Devola is a woman that can be relied upon in a crisis. She has reached a balance of sorts in herself in an individual and, whilst she is still ruled by her emotions in some ways, this does not paralyze her in the way that it once did when the time comes to act.
Devola has hardened somewhat since the Merge, however. She was always idealistic, and believed in the power of her friends and her sister, if not her own power, at least initially. To discover that she was not indestructible, that she COULD be defeated by the forces of evil, that she could fail, when it was vital that she didn’t, has changed her outlook on the world dramatically. She is not longer as sure of herself as she was once; her hard-won confidence has evaporated and, whilst she knows that she is quite capable of going toe-to-toe with the strongest of opponents – after all, she has faced Demon Lords and come out on top – she no longer sees the value in doing so. What use in fighting when another evil will simply rise up in its place? Life is a struggle that you cannot win; there is a little point in trying to. You fight only when you need to in order to live; violence accomplishes nothing. Devola was a pacifist even before she became a Digidestined, but this belief has been twisted by fear as much as by her own personal code of morals and ethics: she is afraid of fighting her hardest when there is the possibility that she will lose. To give your all, only to ultimately fail, is the worst feeling that she has ever experienced, and not something that she wishes ever to repeat. She prefers to avoid confrontation as a result of this.
Devola prefers to travel alone, and is very quiet around others when she is forced to interact with them. She is not cold – on the contrary, she is quite friendly - although a lot of the energy and the warmth that characterized her personality have left her since her defeat at the hands of Lucemon: or, rather, since she became separated from her sister. Over the course of her journey Devola managed to acquire a measure of independence from her older sister, and learned to stand on her own, to have confidence in herself as a person, and in her skills…confidence that was shattered, along with her entire world, when the worlds were merged and her sister was taken from her. She remains highly independent and is arguably one of the most capable humans in the new world, given her experience with Digimon in the past, but being stripped of the person that she depended on the most has shown to her just how she relied on her, even after she learned to think and act for herself.
A large part of Devola’s life has been cut out, and she is still mourning over its loss, and remains unable to move on. Devola has always feared being abandoned because of how useless she perceives herself to be, and now that is stronger, more independent, she wonders if she made the right choice…or if she was ever really strong at all. Just what is strength, exactly? Devola’s thinking has turned decidedly bleak since the Merge, and many of the conclusions she reaches are ones that only plunge her further into morbidity. Once, she believed in the power of the self; to create your own miracles through your actions, to make the world what you want it to be. She has since lost faith in this power, having been shown by Lucemon just how powerless she truly is, and always was.
Over the course of her journey, Devola reinvented herself, both in how she acted and how she perceived herself to be, and her self-perception has been severely and drastically altered by the events of three years ago, and time has not healed the wounds. Doubt, and a sense of overwhelming guilt, dominate her thoughts, as she wanders aimlessly from place to place, never daring to go near a city out of shame, unable to show her face to those she let down. She works from within the shadows, too ashamed of herself to face those who once placed their faith in her, who trusted her to see them through the Celestial War. That many don’t blame her for her failure is even more painful for her: who else is to blame? Lucemon was powerful - is powerful; she does not believe the rumours of his demise, much as she would like to – but the one that chose them was more powerful still: she let both worlds down, and is directly to blame for the current circumstances.
Indeed, one of Devola’s greatest fears, and her greatest shame, is that she is unable to live up to people’s expectations, that if people place their faith in her again, she will only let them down when they need her the most. Despite the fact that she and her comrades failed to stop the Merge from happening, she is still regarded as a heroine by many Digimon, and a lot of humans as well now given her activities over the last three years, and she is unable to face up to that, because she does not feel that is worthy of it…and, of course, in avoiding it, she feels even worse for running away from her responsibilities. She knows that she should be a leader; a beacon for the surviving forces of good and for humanity itself to rally to. She should be their symbol, just as she was before, now more than ever. It is her responsibility, her moral obligation, to correct her mistakes. She is unable to face such pressure alone, however, and hates herself for it.
Her reputation is something that Devola could never stand: always a humble girl who preferred to avoid the spotlight, it took her a long time to adjust to her role as Digidestined. She accepted it because Popola accepted it, and because she needed to; she had no choice. She still let the others down, and in trying to make amends over the past three years, she has become an idol, and it makes her sick to her stomach. Not only that, but she resents the role that has been thrust on her, as selfish as such thinking may be. None but her sister and Danny ever saw her as Devola, as a person. She has always been perceived as being larger than life, although she has never been anything more than who she is; she was simply given the power to accomplish more than other people. Anyone could do what she has done, if they had a Digimon partner. Whilst she was once proud of her accomplishments, Devola now refuses to consider them, as they have been rendered worthless by the fact that her ultimate goal ended in catastrophic failure. The world characterizes her by her achievements, and she resents that immensely, feeling that she has lost all sense of identity…yet, if she gives the people hope, how can she let them down any more than what she already has? What right does she have to rob them of their hopes and dreams, for the sake of her own feelings? This, then, is perhaps the biggest change in Devola since the Merge: she fights not because she wants to, but because she HAS to. Her choices have evaporated, and her life is no longer her own.
Despite her absence, Devola’s sister, Popola – or Poppy, as she affectionately called her – is still a huge influence on Devola; driving her thoughts and actions. Whilst she no longer aspires to be like her sister, Devola aspires to be someone that her sister could respect and trust, and is torn apart by her inability to do that. Her thoughts are influenced by what she believes her sister would think or do in certain situations, so although she no longer tries to emulate her, it does factor heavily into her life. Devola cannot accept that her sister is dead, and continues to search for her: just as she is the hope of many people, Popola is her hope, her strength, and facing the future without her is something that she is not prepared to do. So she searches, and continues to search, and becomes slowly more despondent and desperate with each day that passes without finding a trace of her.
Devola has become a hollow shell of her former self and, whilst she is still capable of kindness and warmth when approached, her heart is not really in her words; she is not insincere, but is, simply put, drained. The joy she found in life has been taken from her, and she struggles to find a new meaning to that life; a new cause to fight for. Something, anything at all, that she can cling to in her sister’s absence, to redeem her past failures, to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and forge them again into a miracle, as she did before when she was in the Digital World. Once, for the briefest of times, she thought that she could stand with her sister and her comrade, Danny, as an equal. Now, however, she is not so certain of her place in this new world, or whether she is even worthy of the mantle of Digidestined: if she chooses to fight again, then surely she will simply make things even worse. The blood of uncountable billions of both humans and Digimon is on her hands, and she will never be able to undo that. Whilst she is not about to give up and die, she is adrift; without her older sister’s guidance, or Danny’s support, she has no idea where to go or what to do, and thus she drifts, seeking the intangible and the unattainable, something she believes she has no right to: forgiveness. All the while, she continues to fight, always second-guessing her moves, always doubting herself. She continues to hold herself back, and it is doubtful that she will resolve her identity crisis at any point in the future. All she can do is push forward and hope for another miracle…
History:
Devola was born in Dunkirk, the second daughter of a financial adviser and a secondary school teacher. She grew up in relative comfort: her parents were in a comfortable marriage; both had reached their ideal position in their chosen professions, and had good standing in the community. For the first few years of life, she never experienced anything unpleasant or troubling – beyond the usual problems children often make up for themselves and, of course, chickenpox – and had as happy and healthy a life as a child could ask for.
Devola’s sister, Popola, was four years older than she was, and from the very first moment she could walk and talk, Devola idolized her. She followed her everywhere, cried blue murder when separated from her – it reached the point where the two had to share a room, despite their rather large house – and quite literally copied everything that she did. Her parents were spared the sibling rivalry, as Devola deferred to her elder sister in everything: she was her sister and her best friend, and whilst she was never really accepted by Popola’s friends, who had no interest in being around a girl four years younger than they were, it didn’t really bother her all that much.
Popola, for her part, seemed neither to notice nor care: always focused, even in her youth, on achieving a goal. She decided to pursue a career in archaeology from a very young age – an odd choice, but Devola was always an odd child – and worked determinedly towards that, concentrating on her studies in order to succeed. This had the added benefit of forcing Devola to focus on working, as Popola rarely wanted to go out and play. However, Devola did not find archaeology very interesting at all, which caused something of a conflict within her; she wanted to be exactly like her sister, yet the differences between them – differences she didn’t want to acknowledge – made it extremely difficult to be so. When her sister went to Secondary School, leaving her behind, she quickly grew depressed and listless; lacking her sister’s guidance, her motivation vanished, and her studies suffered.
Devola was fourteen when she entered the Digital World for the first time, being pulled in through her sister’s computer. Unlike Popola, however, Devola reacted very badly to this: she did NOT want to be stuck in some primitive world where monsters could talk, and where several were trying to kill her simply because she existed. It took her a very long time to come to terms with her situation – even with her sister’s coaxing – and, even though she stopped complaining when she realized that it wasn’t going to get her out any faster, she didn’t lose her resentment for her situation (which extended to her partner, Patamon, he being the most visible target for her ire) until the start of the Celestial War.
Much of Devola’s time in the Digital World was spent running, both physically and metaphorically speaking. When she, her sister, and her comrade, a boy named Danny, learned that Lilithmon was running after them, they could not afford to stay in one place for any given length of time, and several times the Nightmare Soldiers caught up to them, forcing them to fight back; something Devola loathed. She had never liked fighting, and did not approve of her Digimon destroying others, even to protect her. She became stubborn and obstinate, clashing with her sister for the very first time in her life: Popola had accepted her role immediately, and taken charge, as was her way. Her crest, the Crest of Destiny, was perfectly suited to her, and her partner reached the Ultimate level very quickly because of it.
Another troubling matter for Devola was her Crest, the Crest of Miracles. Devola had never believed in any kind of God, and refused to even consider the idea that the four Digimon Sovereigns were her Gods. To her, her Crest was meaningless, and she took the longest to find the meaning in her Crest of the three: she needed to come to terms with her own power – something she found difficult, given that she was dependant on her partner for survival – before she could get her Crest to activate, allowing her Digimon to reach the Ultimate level. It wasn’t until she came to terms with her own identity, however, and acknowledged that she would never become her sister no matter how much she tried to; that she had to shape her own life into a miracle if she was ever to move forward and be satisfied with herself, that her Digimon was able to reach its Mega form, however, and despite all that she had learned, and all that she had experienced, letting go of her sister was not something that Devola did easily.
During the Celestial War, Devola always felt that she was the weak link of the three of them: the Celestial Trinity, as they were now known, had become a beacon of hope for all who resisted the Demon Lords, and whilst she led armies to battle, Devola never had the confidence that her sister or Danny had…or, at least, that was her perception of events. In hindsight, she questioned many of her choices, and despite many encounters ending in victory – although she took their failure to storm Nightmare Castle the first time quite personally – she still doubted her ability to make a valid contribution to the team. She was a completely different person now from who she had been when she entered the Digital World, but was it going to be enough?
However, as their combined power proved enough to defeat Demon Lords, even Belphemon, who shocked her to the very core with his rampage which ended in an entire continent’s decimation, she began to grow more confident. That, coupled with her sister’s insistence that they were going to win and fulfil their Destiny to save the Digital World, gave her some measure of strength. She began, slowly, to take heart in her victories, and began to believe that they had a chance of defeating Lucemon, the one who had orchestrated the entire war. The fate of the Digital World was literally in their hands, and they could not afford to lose. They were going to win; defeat was not an option. It really was that simple. That was Devola’s mindset as, together with her comrades, she climbed Infinity Mountain in the last stage of the War to face Lucemon.
The Merge, when it occurred, changed Devola’s life for the worse: one minute, she was in front of the Gate of Seven Deadly Sins with her comrades, watching in horror as Lucemon threw the gate wide to claim his victory…and the next, she was in the middle of the Ash Zone, looking at the remains of what she later learned was New York City. The worlds had fused together, and as a result, nearly all life on both worlds had been wiped out…and, worst of all, her sister was gone. She was, unsurprisingly, inconsolable, and it took Devola several months to realize exactly what had happened to the world, as she spent much of her time trying desperately to locate her sister. Ultimately, her search proved unsuccessful, and she was forced to depart from the continent, for it was simply uninhabitable: she was unable to face living with the small group that had been set up in New York, and Rome was firmly under the thumb of NeoDevimon, who had forces far too expansive for her to take on by herself. Making her way south, she crossed over to the Binary Continent, staying in Riga for a time as just another refugee whilst she considered exactly what she was going to do with her life from hereon.
Unwilling to step back into the spotlight – a place she felt that she did not deserve any longer – Devola ultimately chose to remain in the shadows, disrupting the plans of the Nightmare Soldiers in whatever way she was able, and acting as an escort to those Drifters who were travelling across the continent, either to Riga or, more often than not, through the Graveyard Zone and down to Wanderer’s Cape, to join the Grey Swords, which were particularly popular in the earlier days of the Merge, once people learned that File City was off-limits, and much of Riga was missing. Whilst Devola had little to do with the foundation of the mercenary group, she established several ties with many of its leaders and founding members for her services: few who crossed the Graveyard Zone unprotected survived to tell the tale.
Devola began to fall into a comfortable role as an escort, reasoning that the best she could do was try to prevent more casualties than she had already caused…not to mention she felt uneasy staying in one place too long, constantly expecting Lucemon to find her and finish the job. After escorting a small group across to the Server Continent and the newly established Sanctuary Fortress, only to be greeted by Omnimon, word soon began to spread that the Celestial Trinity, the original Digidestined, were still very much active in the world. More than once after that she was approached by a representative of the Grey Swords following this, although she politely declined a place in their ranks each time: she had no interest in being paid for services that, she felt, were her obligation to give for free, and whilst life was difficult, she managed to remain supplied of the essentials; after all, conditions in the Digital World had been far worse than what she now faced.
She took great pains to disguise herself after the first few encounters as she realized she had drawn too much attention to herself too quickly, cutting off much of her hair (which, she believed, was how they were identifying her: how many girls did you encounter now with a hairstyle like that?) and adopting a more reserved style of dress, passing herself off as a boy as she had done in the past. She dropped off the radar, yet rumours still persisted, many of them speaking out in her favour, which only made her more determined to avoid reappearing. She heard rumours she would attribute to Danny during her travels, yet nothing of her sister, and with each month that passed, she grew more despondent.
Nonetheless, her work continued. Patrols of Nightmare Soldiers began to grow in size after she began actively targeting them, and after she single-handedly stormed the Server Asylum a month after it was established, freeing several captive humans and nearly destroying LadyDevimon after she sought to prevent her escape – and found, to her shock, that she faced one of the Digidestined responsible for destroying her master, and not a common rebel - she became something of a heroine to the surviving humans as well as the Digimon population, and word of her exploits reached the ears of the Royal Knights, who began to actively seek her out: groups of Drifters entering cities were searched for women matching her description, and she began to grow concerned that she had overextended herself significantly, and would be placed up on a pedestal or executed if she was caught by the wrong people. She spent a month in Star City, setting up a relief organization in the heart of the city for those who had been made homeless by the Merge and Digimon attacks, doing her best to remain incognito, unwilling to return to the spotlight, and fearing the Royal Knights would force her to do just that…or worse, confront her about her failure to prevent this whole mess from occurring…whilst she had lost much of her drive to live, Devola had never been the kind of girl to give up.
When Lady Nex appeared, roughly a year after the Merge, marking her debut by totalling one of the few surviving settlements and destroying Magnamon in the process, Devola went into hiding completely for a brief time, convinced that Lucemon had reappeared at last: that he had taken the form of a human woman and was using another Digimon to destroy didn’t matter; it was clearly him, for no other had the power to destroy a Royal Knight…except, perhaps, for one of the other Demon Lords, but they were all long dead. Only Lucemon could cause such destruction, and she lacked the strength to face him alone: even when the three of them had combined their powers, he had bested them easily, and she still had no idea how. To confront him would be to die, and she was no longer sure that her identity remained secret: rumours that one of the Celestial Trinity dwelled in the city had reached her ears. However, this was perhaps what she had been waiting for: whilst Nightmare Soldiers ravaged the continent, they were unable to infiltrate the cities, and the appearance of one who could would surely mark a change in the world. Perhaps, if her sister was still alive, it would draw her out of hiding, for she would not stand idly by and watch whilst he destroyed what was left of the world. Whilst she had not seen her for over a year, Devola was still convinced that her sister remained alive, somewhere: after all, she had made it out, and so had Danny. Where, then, was her sister?
Reluctantly, she left Star City, moving to the outskirts of Moscow, where she could passively observe the activities of the Mist Zone…or so she thought. Frequent raids conducted by the Nightmare Soldiers forced her into the spotlight yet again, as she was forced to intervene to stop innocents being massacred: even as MagnaAngemon, her partner had more than enough raw power to eliminate the Digimon sent to attack: it seemed, fortunately, the any Mega Digimon that were in the Nightmare Soldiers were otherwise occupied, and it was rare that one of the seven generals appeared on the front lines, allowing her to remain relatively unnoticed…at least, to Digimon. She was of great interest to the New Moscow Federation, however, and did not stay in Moscow for long once they started to search the outer areas of the city for her; she had heard nothing but bad things about the new government, and was as unwilling to entangle herself in human politics as she was to set herself up as a leader of any Digimon faction.
At a loss for what to do next, it was at this point that Devola decided to follow up on a rumour that she had heard some time ago, back in the early days of the Merge: the shrines for the Digimon Sovereigns, the Gods of the Digital World, had appeared in the four corners of the new world, and one of them was said to be in the Storm Zone. Perhaps, if she could find and unseal one of the Digimon Sovereigns, part of the world’s balance would be restored. It was better than nothing, and perhaps it would provide her with a new mission in life: if the Sovereigns were released, would the world return to normal?
…however, she never found it. Despite searching the area extensively, she never even caught a glimpse of the shrine, and the harsh conditions in the area did not encourage further exploration. Dejected, Devola decided to return to Star City, to continue with her relief work: she had hit a dead end with all her potential leads, and was at a loss for what to do next. She could not escort groups without risk of being discovered, could not enter Moscow without risk of being interrogated by the Moscow Federation, and was still unwilling to approach what remained of the Celestial Host to assume command. Her relief work had been the only time when she had been able to work relatively uninterrupted, so she returned to resume it.
Barely four months later, Star City was assaulted by Lady Nex, who levelled the entire city…although not before she and Devola came to blows, as she sought to defend the city from her – rather foolishly, given that she had already taken out three Royal Knights by this point. For reasons neither her nor Patamon could figure out, he was unable to take his Mega form, and he was overwhelmed easily by her Digimon, Ophanimon Falldown Mode – the sight of which rocked Devola to the core. Ophanimon had been the Mega form of her sister’s Digimon, Salamon, and whilst neither she nor her partner had recognized the Digimon or the masked woman, she could not help but shake the ominous feeling that her sister was connected somehow to the incident: was her sister Lady Nex? Had she been taken over by Lucemon, or was this someone else, masquerading as her? Exactly who was this woman, and what were her motivations?
Unfortunately, she did not get the opportunity to find out, as she was forced to flee after her Digimon was rather effortlessly knocked aside and pushed back to his In-Training form as Ophanimon Falldown Mode proceeded to destroy the city, leaving no survivors. Whilst Devola had managed to save a few of the citizens by distracting Lady Nex, she had not managed to stop her from levelling yet another settlement. The survivors of Star City headed to New London, hoping to receive assistance from the HRF faction there. She risked the trek back to the Woodland Zone – a journey that took her nearly a month, as she had to be extremely cautious lest she attract the wrong kind of attention – and spent several months in the forest, recovering and planning her next move.
It seemed that she had found a purpose in life: whoever this Lady Nex was, she was extremely dangerous, and obviously the new leader of the Nightmare Soldiers. She was disturbingly familiar, yet at the same time, she was a complete stranger: she did not have the aura of Lucemon, yet there was something of Lucemon in her bearing, and in her tone…and the raw power which her Digimon partner wielded. She was a mystery, and one that Devola intended to solve, despite the great personal risk: after all, it was what her sister would do in her stead, and it was, perhaps, the reason she had survived the Merge. Tracking her did not prove to be particularly difficult: shortly after Star City was destroyed, she laid siege to Sanctuary Fortress, and suddenly the Forest Zone was extremely unsafe, as Nightmare Soldiers crossed the border in the hundreds of thousands to assist in the siege. Devola could do little but lie low during this period: routes were blocked, and she had no desire to attract the ire of the Nightmare Soldiers when her Digimon was still recovering from its last encounter.
It turned out that her assistance was unnecessary, as Lady Nex was forced back by the combined strength of the three Royal Knight protectors of the Sanctuary Fortress; the only victory over her since her appearance. She decided to take advantage of this; seizing the opportunity to infiltrate the Mist Zone…perhaps she could catch her adversary in a moment of weakness. Devola unwittingly revealed herself to Digimon for the first time since the Merge shortly after the siege of Sanctuary Fortress ended, as she followed the retreating Nightmare Soldiers into the Mist Zone…and was stopped by the strike force the Celestial Host had sent after them. Despite her reluctance, she was made the commander of the force, under the false belief that she had returned to take command of the Celestial Host and lead them to victory, now that the enemy’s strongest warrior, Lady Nex, had been driven back by the combined power of the Royal Knights. Her old comrades welcomed her back with open arms, and those who expressed their doubts were quickly silenced, told to keep their opinions to themselves. For them, nothing had changed.
However, for Devola, everything had changed. She did not, however, refuse to take command of the force, unable to find the courage to refuse them: she felt that their chances at survival might be improved if she helped guide them. Unsurprisingly, the enemy was waiting for them, and suddenly they faced the combined force of all seven generals and Lady Nex. It was nothing short of a total rout, as those who fled into the mist were captured and killed by those that lurked within it, and those that fought were cut down where they stood with little effort. Devola barely escaped with her life, as her Digimon partner managed to cut a path through the enemy by digivolving into a form that she had never seen before as he attempted to Digivolve again to Mega, responding to her desperation. In this new form, he was capable of going toe-to-toe with Ophanimon Falldown Mode – indeed, he obliterated those of the Nightmare Soldiers who did not scatter – yet he lacked any form of control over his abilities, and was quickly overwhelmed...although he did force them to withdraw, allowing her a chance to escape.
Devola spent the next few months in the Woodland Zone, occasionally frequenting the Giga House to resupply her limited stock of food, but never staying in one place for very long. In truth, she was frightened: Patamon had completely lost control, displaying more power than she had ever seen in him before, yet had become…twisted. He did not remember the incident, and she was not about to remind him. It did, however, have dark implications: was this why he had struggled to reach the Mega level before then? She was positive that, if necessary, she could have him do it again…but would that be fair? Would it be right? She retreated into herself for some time whilst she considered her next move: clearly, Lady Nex was too powerful to attack directly. Yet who else was there but her? She was unsure of what had happened to Danny, and she could not ask the Royal Knights for help: Omnimon had vanished some months previously, and the others were too concerned with their own affairs. She had no right to ask the Celestial Host for help; she had let them down once too many times already. It was up to her to put a stop to it.
News that the Nightmare Soldiers had begun to gather in the Graveyard Zone reached Devola’s ears not long after, and she hastened to the Binary Continent, anticipating another attack: whilst she was hesitant to allow Patamon to enter battle again, in his Mega form, he had been capable of countering Ophanimon Falldown Mode’s attacks, and it was, perhaps, the best chance they had to end the threat once and for all. Perhaps if they did, they would find redemption for their inability to stop the Merge from occurring in the first place…it was a slim chance, but they had made miracles happen once before. Perhaps it was time to stop running.
Character theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5QoxKY43Io&feature=plcp
Battle themes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7PnAn0D8Qo [MagnaAngemon]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATRKPDYRVUY [Seraphimon]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci0IM0uJvAQ [ShadowSeraphimon]
Digimon Partner
[Name corresponds with current form]
Gender: Male
Personality: Devola’s Digimon partner, where she is empathic and kind, Patamon is actually quite rude, and does not have the demeanour one would expect of an angelic Digimon. If he has something to say, he will come right out and say it, and dare anyone to contradict him. Outspoken even before the Merge – yet never as bitter; he took his defeat much harder than Devola took hers – Patamon is a Digimon who is difficult to get along with, and annoys more people than he charms. This is simply in his nature: he does not seek to drive people away with his rudeness, and nor has it developed over time. This is how he is, who he is, and people can deal with it or sod off. End of story.
Patamon clashes with Devola frequently, especially over fighting – he was born to fight, and dislikes her holding him back when he is dependent on her for strength – although he has since acquired something of a grudging respect for her, and learned to rein in what she would label as bloodlust. Patamon delights in battling strong opponents – after all, what better way to prove his superiority? – even if he should happen to lose…perhaps the sole exceptions to this rule are Lucemon and Ophanimon Falldown Mode, two battles that he DID mind losing, and is eager to make up for. Patamon is extremely proud, even in defeat, and is confident in his abilities, although this is as much for Devola’s sake as it is his own: one of them has to be confident in themselves, so it might as well be him. He consciously acts as a counter-balance to his partner’s timidity and kindness in part, and is actually quite protective of her at times…although much of the time he is too busy making dry, biting remarks. He is an excellent motivational tool for her much of the time, and has a way of seeing directly to the heart of the problem…a side effect of never mixing words. “Tact” is not a word in Patamon’s vocabulary.
Digivolution Line: Tokomon -> Patamon -> Angemon -> MagnaAngemon -> Seraphimon
Do NOT PM me when you've finished your bio. Post in this thread. If you want private feedback, that's fine, but do NOT NOT NOT keep PMing me with updates. I only want to know when the bio has been completed and you want it read over. If you want advice, or to discuss ideas, via PM is fine, but if it can go in this thread, put it in this thread, and not in my inbox. Thank you.
Also, as a general note: I still have a 1st of October start date planned, but that might get pushed back a few days; it depends on many things. Once the RP starts, you have one additional week to get accepted if you haven't been already, and after that I'm closing signups. As a warning.
The information thread will be getting tidied up this weekend, and given a few additions as well. I'll notify people in here when things pop up.
@Soulcorruptor, I know yours is finished, so you don't need to say, since we're still discussing plans, and you can expect another PM from me sometime today, when I get around to reading the other one~
@Meteora, you're an exception to this rule, given the nature of your character. You're quite welcome to PM me your history before you post it if you feel the need to, so we can hammer it all out.
Anyways. Here is Devola. She might have a few history changes/additions to ensure some continuity between her bio and others, but she is otherwise complete. Lady Nex will follow somewhen soon.
Name: Devola Queen
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Crest: Miracles
Affiliation: Celestial Trinity | Digidestined
Appearance:
Since the Merge, Devola’s appearance has changed quite dramatically, to the point that it is doubtful that any but her two former comrades would recognize her. The most noticeable change is her hair: once her pride and joy, falling down to her waist in thick strands, she has since had it cropped in a short, more boyish style; combined with her formless, restrictive clothing, people often mistake her for a male until she opens her mouth, and some don’t even pick up on it then, as she has a very quiet, often toneless voice. Her facial features have become more angular and severe than they were previously, something that has only been accentuated by her new hair style; she seems to be almost carved from stone, with a sharply pointed nose – something that all men on her father’s side of the family have had, which only enhances her androgynous appearance – and chin, and eyes that lack the warmth that they previously had.
Devola’s clothing is similarly reserved, to the point that it might be considered a uniform: a tight white jacket with a navy blue inlay, adorned with gold buttons and a high collar, and a matching pair of military-style trousers. Her shoes are scuffed and worn from excess use, but still relatively study, being designed for walking over long distances. She commonly wears a navy blue hat over her distinctive pink hair, which remains the same vivid shade despite the fact that she has been unable to re-dye it, although she shows signs of light blond roots under her hat from where her hair has slowly started to grow out again.
She has not grown much over the years, and remains at a slender 5’6”, although she is not unfit, due to an active lifestyle. The years, however, have taken their toll on her: her eyes are often framed by dark shadows from where she has not slept, and she is far skinnier than she used to be, as she eats far less – more from lack of appetite than anything else – and spends more time travelling; this gives her a faintly wasted appearance at times. If she smiled and dressed in a more feminine fashion, some may find her attractive, although Devola has never really been interested in maintaining her appearance: her hair is a personal preference, and she wears whatever she finds comfortable. Recently, she has taken to carrying a staff for support in rougher terrain.
Personality:
Despite all that she has suffered, Devola remains a very kindhearted, selfless person; perhaps even more so now than before, given the last three years and the current state of the world. Whilst she struggles with her own inner demons, everything she does, she does for the sake of others: Devola is a compassionate, highly empathic individual who dislikes seeing people suffer, and feels compelled to do what she can to help them. She can be quite interfering at times, as she allows her experience to override her common sense and convince her that she knows what is best, although her heart is in the right place, and it is difficult to be angry with her as a result. She is earnest in her desire to help, and does not often need prompting to do things; whilst she is not always able to read people, she can be surprisingly perceptive at times.
Devola has matured significantly since she became a Digidestined, whether she would care to admit it or not: she has become more controlled and rational in her thinking and, despite the problems she faces, she is calm under pressure and unflinching in her resolve once she has decided on a course of action: her instincts have been finely honed, and she has learned to trust them and make quick-snap decisions that, whilst she may later regret, she is capable of following through on. She is no longer afraid to be angry with someone, or to say what she is really thinking: she is capable of being diplomatic, and she sees herself as a slave to her reputation, but she is not a doormat; she still retains some semblance of free will and personality, although the latter is perhaps tinged with desperation, as she struggles not to lose herself in the role of Digidestined: after all, the first time that happened things didn’t turn out as expected. She is consumed by worry and self-doubt, yet this is swept away in the face of battle, and even if it returns later, Devola is a woman that can be relied upon in a crisis. She has reached a balance of sorts in herself in an individual and, whilst she is still ruled by her emotions in some ways, this does not paralyze her in the way that it once did when the time comes to act.
Devola has hardened somewhat since the Merge, however. She was always idealistic, and believed in the power of her friends and her sister, if not her own power, at least initially. To discover that she was not indestructible, that she COULD be defeated by the forces of evil, that she could fail, when it was vital that she didn’t, has changed her outlook on the world dramatically. She is not longer as sure of herself as she was once; her hard-won confidence has evaporated and, whilst she knows that she is quite capable of going toe-to-toe with the strongest of opponents – after all, she has faced Demon Lords and come out on top – she no longer sees the value in doing so. What use in fighting when another evil will simply rise up in its place? Life is a struggle that you cannot win; there is a little point in trying to. You fight only when you need to in order to live; violence accomplishes nothing. Devola was a pacifist even before she became a Digidestined, but this belief has been twisted by fear as much as by her own personal code of morals and ethics: she is afraid of fighting her hardest when there is the possibility that she will lose. To give your all, only to ultimately fail, is the worst feeling that she has ever experienced, and not something that she wishes ever to repeat. She prefers to avoid confrontation as a result of this.
Devola prefers to travel alone, and is very quiet around others when she is forced to interact with them. She is not cold – on the contrary, she is quite friendly - although a lot of the energy and the warmth that characterized her personality have left her since her defeat at the hands of Lucemon: or, rather, since she became separated from her sister. Over the course of her journey Devola managed to acquire a measure of independence from her older sister, and learned to stand on her own, to have confidence in herself as a person, and in her skills…confidence that was shattered, along with her entire world, when the worlds were merged and her sister was taken from her. She remains highly independent and is arguably one of the most capable humans in the new world, given her experience with Digimon in the past, but being stripped of the person that she depended on the most has shown to her just how she relied on her, even after she learned to think and act for herself.
A large part of Devola’s life has been cut out, and she is still mourning over its loss, and remains unable to move on. Devola has always feared being abandoned because of how useless she perceives herself to be, and now that is stronger, more independent, she wonders if she made the right choice…or if she was ever really strong at all. Just what is strength, exactly? Devola’s thinking has turned decidedly bleak since the Merge, and many of the conclusions she reaches are ones that only plunge her further into morbidity. Once, she believed in the power of the self; to create your own miracles through your actions, to make the world what you want it to be. She has since lost faith in this power, having been shown by Lucemon just how powerless she truly is, and always was.
Over the course of her journey, Devola reinvented herself, both in how she acted and how she perceived herself to be, and her self-perception has been severely and drastically altered by the events of three years ago, and time has not healed the wounds. Doubt, and a sense of overwhelming guilt, dominate her thoughts, as she wanders aimlessly from place to place, never daring to go near a city out of shame, unable to show her face to those she let down. She works from within the shadows, too ashamed of herself to face those who once placed their faith in her, who trusted her to see them through the Celestial War. That many don’t blame her for her failure is even more painful for her: who else is to blame? Lucemon was powerful - is powerful; she does not believe the rumours of his demise, much as she would like to – but the one that chose them was more powerful still: she let both worlds down, and is directly to blame for the current circumstances.
Indeed, one of Devola’s greatest fears, and her greatest shame, is that she is unable to live up to people’s expectations, that if people place their faith in her again, she will only let them down when they need her the most. Despite the fact that she and her comrades failed to stop the Merge from happening, she is still regarded as a heroine by many Digimon, and a lot of humans as well now given her activities over the last three years, and she is unable to face up to that, because she does not feel that is worthy of it…and, of course, in avoiding it, she feels even worse for running away from her responsibilities. She knows that she should be a leader; a beacon for the surviving forces of good and for humanity itself to rally to. She should be their symbol, just as she was before, now more than ever. It is her responsibility, her moral obligation, to correct her mistakes. She is unable to face such pressure alone, however, and hates herself for it.
Her reputation is something that Devola could never stand: always a humble girl who preferred to avoid the spotlight, it took her a long time to adjust to her role as Digidestined. She accepted it because Popola accepted it, and because she needed to; she had no choice. She still let the others down, and in trying to make amends over the past three years, she has become an idol, and it makes her sick to her stomach. Not only that, but she resents the role that has been thrust on her, as selfish as such thinking may be. None but her sister and Danny ever saw her as Devola, as a person. She has always been perceived as being larger than life, although she has never been anything more than who she is; she was simply given the power to accomplish more than other people. Anyone could do what she has done, if they had a Digimon partner. Whilst she was once proud of her accomplishments, Devola now refuses to consider them, as they have been rendered worthless by the fact that her ultimate goal ended in catastrophic failure. The world characterizes her by her achievements, and she resents that immensely, feeling that she has lost all sense of identity…yet, if she gives the people hope, how can she let them down any more than what she already has? What right does she have to rob them of their hopes and dreams, for the sake of her own feelings? This, then, is perhaps the biggest change in Devola since the Merge: she fights not because she wants to, but because she HAS to. Her choices have evaporated, and her life is no longer her own.
Despite her absence, Devola’s sister, Popola – or Poppy, as she affectionately called her – is still a huge influence on Devola; driving her thoughts and actions. Whilst she no longer aspires to be like her sister, Devola aspires to be someone that her sister could respect and trust, and is torn apart by her inability to do that. Her thoughts are influenced by what she believes her sister would think or do in certain situations, so although she no longer tries to emulate her, it does factor heavily into her life. Devola cannot accept that her sister is dead, and continues to search for her: just as she is the hope of many people, Popola is her hope, her strength, and facing the future without her is something that she is not prepared to do. So she searches, and continues to search, and becomes slowly more despondent and desperate with each day that passes without finding a trace of her.
Devola has become a hollow shell of her former self and, whilst she is still capable of kindness and warmth when approached, her heart is not really in her words; she is not insincere, but is, simply put, drained. The joy she found in life has been taken from her, and she struggles to find a new meaning to that life; a new cause to fight for. Something, anything at all, that she can cling to in her sister’s absence, to redeem her past failures, to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and forge them again into a miracle, as she did before when she was in the Digital World. Once, for the briefest of times, she thought that she could stand with her sister and her comrade, Danny, as an equal. Now, however, she is not so certain of her place in this new world, or whether she is even worthy of the mantle of Digidestined: if she chooses to fight again, then surely she will simply make things even worse. The blood of uncountable billions of both humans and Digimon is on her hands, and she will never be able to undo that. Whilst she is not about to give up and die, she is adrift; without her older sister’s guidance, or Danny’s support, she has no idea where to go or what to do, and thus she drifts, seeking the intangible and the unattainable, something she believes she has no right to: forgiveness. All the while, she continues to fight, always second-guessing her moves, always doubting herself. She continues to hold herself back, and it is doubtful that she will resolve her identity crisis at any point in the future. All she can do is push forward and hope for another miracle…
History:
Devola was born in Dunkirk, the second daughter of a financial adviser and a secondary school teacher. She grew up in relative comfort: her parents were in a comfortable marriage; both had reached their ideal position in their chosen professions, and had good standing in the community. For the first few years of life, she never experienced anything unpleasant or troubling – beyond the usual problems children often make up for themselves and, of course, chickenpox – and had as happy and healthy a life as a child could ask for.
Devola’s sister, Popola, was four years older than she was, and from the very first moment she could walk and talk, Devola idolized her. She followed her everywhere, cried blue murder when separated from her – it reached the point where the two had to share a room, despite their rather large house – and quite literally copied everything that she did. Her parents were spared the sibling rivalry, as Devola deferred to her elder sister in everything: she was her sister and her best friend, and whilst she was never really accepted by Popola’s friends, who had no interest in being around a girl four years younger than they were, it didn’t really bother her all that much.
Popola, for her part, seemed neither to notice nor care: always focused, even in her youth, on achieving a goal. She decided to pursue a career in archaeology from a very young age – an odd choice, but Devola was always an odd child – and worked determinedly towards that, concentrating on her studies in order to succeed. This had the added benefit of forcing Devola to focus on working, as Popola rarely wanted to go out and play. However, Devola did not find archaeology very interesting at all, which caused something of a conflict within her; she wanted to be exactly like her sister, yet the differences between them – differences she didn’t want to acknowledge – made it extremely difficult to be so. When her sister went to Secondary School, leaving her behind, she quickly grew depressed and listless; lacking her sister’s guidance, her motivation vanished, and her studies suffered.
Devola was fourteen when she entered the Digital World for the first time, being pulled in through her sister’s computer. Unlike Popola, however, Devola reacted very badly to this: she did NOT want to be stuck in some primitive world where monsters could talk, and where several were trying to kill her simply because she existed. It took her a very long time to come to terms with her situation – even with her sister’s coaxing – and, even though she stopped complaining when she realized that it wasn’t going to get her out any faster, she didn’t lose her resentment for her situation (which extended to her partner, Patamon, he being the most visible target for her ire) until the start of the Celestial War.
Much of Devola’s time in the Digital World was spent running, both physically and metaphorically speaking. When she, her sister, and her comrade, a boy named Danny, learned that Lilithmon was running after them, they could not afford to stay in one place for any given length of time, and several times the Nightmare Soldiers caught up to them, forcing them to fight back; something Devola loathed. She had never liked fighting, and did not approve of her Digimon destroying others, even to protect her. She became stubborn and obstinate, clashing with her sister for the very first time in her life: Popola had accepted her role immediately, and taken charge, as was her way. Her crest, the Crest of Destiny, was perfectly suited to her, and her partner reached the Ultimate level very quickly because of it.
Another troubling matter for Devola was her Crest, the Crest of Miracles. Devola had never believed in any kind of God, and refused to even consider the idea that the four Digimon Sovereigns were her Gods. To her, her Crest was meaningless, and she took the longest to find the meaning in her Crest of the three: she needed to come to terms with her own power – something she found difficult, given that she was dependant on her partner for survival – before she could get her Crest to activate, allowing her Digimon to reach the Ultimate level. It wasn’t until she came to terms with her own identity, however, and acknowledged that she would never become her sister no matter how much she tried to; that she had to shape her own life into a miracle if she was ever to move forward and be satisfied with herself, that her Digimon was able to reach its Mega form, however, and despite all that she had learned, and all that she had experienced, letting go of her sister was not something that Devola did easily.
During the Celestial War, Devola always felt that she was the weak link of the three of them: the Celestial Trinity, as they were now known, had become a beacon of hope for all who resisted the Demon Lords, and whilst she led armies to battle, Devola never had the confidence that her sister or Danny had…or, at least, that was her perception of events. In hindsight, she questioned many of her choices, and despite many encounters ending in victory – although she took their failure to storm Nightmare Castle the first time quite personally – she still doubted her ability to make a valid contribution to the team. She was a completely different person now from who she had been when she entered the Digital World, but was it going to be enough?
However, as their combined power proved enough to defeat Demon Lords, even Belphemon, who shocked her to the very core with his rampage which ended in an entire continent’s decimation, she began to grow more confident. That, coupled with her sister’s insistence that they were going to win and fulfil their Destiny to save the Digital World, gave her some measure of strength. She began, slowly, to take heart in her victories, and began to believe that they had a chance of defeating Lucemon, the one who had orchestrated the entire war. The fate of the Digital World was literally in their hands, and they could not afford to lose. They were going to win; defeat was not an option. It really was that simple. That was Devola’s mindset as, together with her comrades, she climbed Infinity Mountain in the last stage of the War to face Lucemon.
The Merge, when it occurred, changed Devola’s life for the worse: one minute, she was in front of the Gate of Seven Deadly Sins with her comrades, watching in horror as Lucemon threw the gate wide to claim his victory…and the next, she was in the middle of the Ash Zone, looking at the remains of what she later learned was New York City. The worlds had fused together, and as a result, nearly all life on both worlds had been wiped out…and, worst of all, her sister was gone. She was, unsurprisingly, inconsolable, and it took Devola several months to realize exactly what had happened to the world, as she spent much of her time trying desperately to locate her sister. Ultimately, her search proved unsuccessful, and she was forced to depart from the continent, for it was simply uninhabitable: she was unable to face living with the small group that had been set up in New York, and Rome was firmly under the thumb of NeoDevimon, who had forces far too expansive for her to take on by herself. Making her way south, she crossed over to the Binary Continent, staying in Riga for a time as just another refugee whilst she considered exactly what she was going to do with her life from hereon.
Unwilling to step back into the spotlight – a place she felt that she did not deserve any longer – Devola ultimately chose to remain in the shadows, disrupting the plans of the Nightmare Soldiers in whatever way she was able, and acting as an escort to those Drifters who were travelling across the continent, either to Riga or, more often than not, through the Graveyard Zone and down to Wanderer’s Cape, to join the Grey Swords, which were particularly popular in the earlier days of the Merge, once people learned that File City was off-limits, and much of Riga was missing. Whilst Devola had little to do with the foundation of the mercenary group, she established several ties with many of its leaders and founding members for her services: few who crossed the Graveyard Zone unprotected survived to tell the tale.
Devola began to fall into a comfortable role as an escort, reasoning that the best she could do was try to prevent more casualties than she had already caused…not to mention she felt uneasy staying in one place too long, constantly expecting Lucemon to find her and finish the job. After escorting a small group across to the Server Continent and the newly established Sanctuary Fortress, only to be greeted by Omnimon, word soon began to spread that the Celestial Trinity, the original Digidestined, were still very much active in the world. More than once after that she was approached by a representative of the Grey Swords following this, although she politely declined a place in their ranks each time: she had no interest in being paid for services that, she felt, were her obligation to give for free, and whilst life was difficult, she managed to remain supplied of the essentials; after all, conditions in the Digital World had been far worse than what she now faced.
She took great pains to disguise herself after the first few encounters as she realized she had drawn too much attention to herself too quickly, cutting off much of her hair (which, she believed, was how they were identifying her: how many girls did you encounter now with a hairstyle like that?) and adopting a more reserved style of dress, passing herself off as a boy as she had done in the past. She dropped off the radar, yet rumours still persisted, many of them speaking out in her favour, which only made her more determined to avoid reappearing. She heard rumours she would attribute to Danny during her travels, yet nothing of her sister, and with each month that passed, she grew more despondent.
Nonetheless, her work continued. Patrols of Nightmare Soldiers began to grow in size after she began actively targeting them, and after she single-handedly stormed the Server Asylum a month after it was established, freeing several captive humans and nearly destroying LadyDevimon after she sought to prevent her escape – and found, to her shock, that she faced one of the Digidestined responsible for destroying her master, and not a common rebel - she became something of a heroine to the surviving humans as well as the Digimon population, and word of her exploits reached the ears of the Royal Knights, who began to actively seek her out: groups of Drifters entering cities were searched for women matching her description, and she began to grow concerned that she had overextended herself significantly, and would be placed up on a pedestal or executed if she was caught by the wrong people. She spent a month in Star City, setting up a relief organization in the heart of the city for those who had been made homeless by the Merge and Digimon attacks, doing her best to remain incognito, unwilling to return to the spotlight, and fearing the Royal Knights would force her to do just that…or worse, confront her about her failure to prevent this whole mess from occurring…whilst she had lost much of her drive to live, Devola had never been the kind of girl to give up.
When Lady Nex appeared, roughly a year after the Merge, marking her debut by totalling one of the few surviving settlements and destroying Magnamon in the process, Devola went into hiding completely for a brief time, convinced that Lucemon had reappeared at last: that he had taken the form of a human woman and was using another Digimon to destroy didn’t matter; it was clearly him, for no other had the power to destroy a Royal Knight…except, perhaps, for one of the other Demon Lords, but they were all long dead. Only Lucemon could cause such destruction, and she lacked the strength to face him alone: even when the three of them had combined their powers, he had bested them easily, and she still had no idea how. To confront him would be to die, and she was no longer sure that her identity remained secret: rumours that one of the Celestial Trinity dwelled in the city had reached her ears. However, this was perhaps what she had been waiting for: whilst Nightmare Soldiers ravaged the continent, they were unable to infiltrate the cities, and the appearance of one who could would surely mark a change in the world. Perhaps, if her sister was still alive, it would draw her out of hiding, for she would not stand idly by and watch whilst he destroyed what was left of the world. Whilst she had not seen her for over a year, Devola was still convinced that her sister remained alive, somewhere: after all, she had made it out, and so had Danny. Where, then, was her sister?
Reluctantly, she left Star City, moving to the outskirts of Moscow, where she could passively observe the activities of the Mist Zone…or so she thought. Frequent raids conducted by the Nightmare Soldiers forced her into the spotlight yet again, as she was forced to intervene to stop innocents being massacred: even as MagnaAngemon, her partner had more than enough raw power to eliminate the Digimon sent to attack: it seemed, fortunately, the any Mega Digimon that were in the Nightmare Soldiers were otherwise occupied, and it was rare that one of the seven generals appeared on the front lines, allowing her to remain relatively unnoticed…at least, to Digimon. She was of great interest to the New Moscow Federation, however, and did not stay in Moscow for long once they started to search the outer areas of the city for her; she had heard nothing but bad things about the new government, and was as unwilling to entangle herself in human politics as she was to set herself up as a leader of any Digimon faction.
At a loss for what to do next, it was at this point that Devola decided to follow up on a rumour that she had heard some time ago, back in the early days of the Merge: the shrines for the Digimon Sovereigns, the Gods of the Digital World, had appeared in the four corners of the new world, and one of them was said to be in the Storm Zone. Perhaps, if she could find and unseal one of the Digimon Sovereigns, part of the world’s balance would be restored. It was better than nothing, and perhaps it would provide her with a new mission in life: if the Sovereigns were released, would the world return to normal?
…however, she never found it. Despite searching the area extensively, she never even caught a glimpse of the shrine, and the harsh conditions in the area did not encourage further exploration. Dejected, Devola decided to return to Star City, to continue with her relief work: she had hit a dead end with all her potential leads, and was at a loss for what to do next. She could not escort groups without risk of being discovered, could not enter Moscow without risk of being interrogated by the Moscow Federation, and was still unwilling to approach what remained of the Celestial Host to assume command. Her relief work had been the only time when she had been able to work relatively uninterrupted, so she returned to resume it.
Barely four months later, Star City was assaulted by Lady Nex, who levelled the entire city…although not before she and Devola came to blows, as she sought to defend the city from her – rather foolishly, given that she had already taken out three Royal Knights by this point. For reasons neither her nor Patamon could figure out, he was unable to take his Mega form, and he was overwhelmed easily by her Digimon, Ophanimon Falldown Mode – the sight of which rocked Devola to the core. Ophanimon had been the Mega form of her sister’s Digimon, Salamon, and whilst neither she nor her partner had recognized the Digimon or the masked woman, she could not help but shake the ominous feeling that her sister was connected somehow to the incident: was her sister Lady Nex? Had she been taken over by Lucemon, or was this someone else, masquerading as her? Exactly who was this woman, and what were her motivations?
Unfortunately, she did not get the opportunity to find out, as she was forced to flee after her Digimon was rather effortlessly knocked aside and pushed back to his In-Training form as Ophanimon Falldown Mode proceeded to destroy the city, leaving no survivors. Whilst Devola had managed to save a few of the citizens by distracting Lady Nex, she had not managed to stop her from levelling yet another settlement. The survivors of Star City headed to New London, hoping to receive assistance from the HRF faction there. She risked the trek back to the Woodland Zone – a journey that took her nearly a month, as she had to be extremely cautious lest she attract the wrong kind of attention – and spent several months in the forest, recovering and planning her next move.
It seemed that she had found a purpose in life: whoever this Lady Nex was, she was extremely dangerous, and obviously the new leader of the Nightmare Soldiers. She was disturbingly familiar, yet at the same time, she was a complete stranger: she did not have the aura of Lucemon, yet there was something of Lucemon in her bearing, and in her tone…and the raw power which her Digimon partner wielded. She was a mystery, and one that Devola intended to solve, despite the great personal risk: after all, it was what her sister would do in her stead, and it was, perhaps, the reason she had survived the Merge. Tracking her did not prove to be particularly difficult: shortly after Star City was destroyed, she laid siege to Sanctuary Fortress, and suddenly the Forest Zone was extremely unsafe, as Nightmare Soldiers crossed the border in the hundreds of thousands to assist in the siege. Devola could do little but lie low during this period: routes were blocked, and she had no desire to attract the ire of the Nightmare Soldiers when her Digimon was still recovering from its last encounter.
It turned out that her assistance was unnecessary, as Lady Nex was forced back by the combined strength of the three Royal Knight protectors of the Sanctuary Fortress; the only victory over her since her appearance. She decided to take advantage of this; seizing the opportunity to infiltrate the Mist Zone…perhaps she could catch her adversary in a moment of weakness. Devola unwittingly revealed herself to Digimon for the first time since the Merge shortly after the siege of Sanctuary Fortress ended, as she followed the retreating Nightmare Soldiers into the Mist Zone…and was stopped by the strike force the Celestial Host had sent after them. Despite her reluctance, she was made the commander of the force, under the false belief that she had returned to take command of the Celestial Host and lead them to victory, now that the enemy’s strongest warrior, Lady Nex, had been driven back by the combined power of the Royal Knights. Her old comrades welcomed her back with open arms, and those who expressed their doubts were quickly silenced, told to keep their opinions to themselves. For them, nothing had changed.
However, for Devola, everything had changed. She did not, however, refuse to take command of the force, unable to find the courage to refuse them: she felt that their chances at survival might be improved if she helped guide them. Unsurprisingly, the enemy was waiting for them, and suddenly they faced the combined force of all seven generals and Lady Nex. It was nothing short of a total rout, as those who fled into the mist were captured and killed by those that lurked within it, and those that fought were cut down where they stood with little effort. Devola barely escaped with her life, as her Digimon partner managed to cut a path through the enemy by digivolving into a form that she had never seen before as he attempted to Digivolve again to Mega, responding to her desperation. In this new form, he was capable of going toe-to-toe with Ophanimon Falldown Mode – indeed, he obliterated those of the Nightmare Soldiers who did not scatter – yet he lacked any form of control over his abilities, and was quickly overwhelmed...although he did force them to withdraw, allowing her a chance to escape.
Devola spent the next few months in the Woodland Zone, occasionally frequenting the Giga House to resupply her limited stock of food, but never staying in one place for very long. In truth, she was frightened: Patamon had completely lost control, displaying more power than she had ever seen in him before, yet had become…twisted. He did not remember the incident, and she was not about to remind him. It did, however, have dark implications: was this why he had struggled to reach the Mega level before then? She was positive that, if necessary, she could have him do it again…but would that be fair? Would it be right? She retreated into herself for some time whilst she considered her next move: clearly, Lady Nex was too powerful to attack directly. Yet who else was there but her? She was unsure of what had happened to Danny, and she could not ask the Royal Knights for help: Omnimon had vanished some months previously, and the others were too concerned with their own affairs. She had no right to ask the Celestial Host for help; she had let them down once too many times already. It was up to her to put a stop to it.
News that the Nightmare Soldiers had begun to gather in the Graveyard Zone reached Devola’s ears not long after, and she hastened to the Binary Continent, anticipating another attack: whilst she was hesitant to allow Patamon to enter battle again, in his Mega form, he had been capable of countering Ophanimon Falldown Mode’s attacks, and it was, perhaps, the best chance they had to end the threat once and for all. Perhaps if they did, they would find redemption for their inability to stop the Merge from occurring in the first place…it was a slim chance, but they had made miracles happen once before. Perhaps it was time to stop running.
Character theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5QoxKY43Io&feature=plcp
Battle themes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7PnAn0D8Qo [MagnaAngemon]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATRKPDYRVUY [Seraphimon]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci0IM0uJvAQ [ShadowSeraphimon]
Digimon Partner
[Name corresponds with current form]
Gender: Male
Personality: Devola’s Digimon partner, where she is empathic and kind, Patamon is actually quite rude, and does not have the demeanour one would expect of an angelic Digimon. If he has something to say, he will come right out and say it, and dare anyone to contradict him. Outspoken even before the Merge – yet never as bitter; he took his defeat much harder than Devola took hers – Patamon is a Digimon who is difficult to get along with, and annoys more people than he charms. This is simply in his nature: he does not seek to drive people away with his rudeness, and nor has it developed over time. This is how he is, who he is, and people can deal with it or sod off. End of story.
Patamon clashes with Devola frequently, especially over fighting – he was born to fight, and dislikes her holding him back when he is dependent on her for strength – although he has since acquired something of a grudging respect for her, and learned to rein in what she would label as bloodlust. Patamon delights in battling strong opponents – after all, what better way to prove his superiority? – even if he should happen to lose…perhaps the sole exceptions to this rule are Lucemon and Ophanimon Falldown Mode, two battles that he DID mind losing, and is eager to make up for. Patamon is extremely proud, even in defeat, and is confident in his abilities, although this is as much for Devola’s sake as it is his own: one of them has to be confident in themselves, so it might as well be him. He consciously acts as a counter-balance to his partner’s timidity and kindness in part, and is actually quite protective of her at times…although much of the time he is too busy making dry, biting remarks. He is an excellent motivational tool for her much of the time, and has a way of seeing directly to the heart of the problem…a side effect of never mixing words. “Tact” is not a word in Patamon’s vocabulary.
Digivolution Line: Tokomon -> Patamon -> Angemon -> MagnaAngemon -> Seraphimon
