Digital Waltz

I just don't see the point why you made him wake up alone, then you let him join a team
While I don't know what you are planning, but shouldn't there be some plot for the character you chose to wake up alone and with whom you started the novel? I mean I saw characters who were alone and then kind of joined the team in some digimon seasons but they didn't join it from the get go (there were battles like 'Koichi Kimura' case in the frontier season), but you made a character with somewhat ambiguous background that he alone seem not to be able to remember how he got there (which I assume there is a reason behind it) and he seems to be unable to mix in with the team and want to leave but you keep dragging him back, and to be honest I don't see them making much progress like that (most time there is a fight and the reason includes him, too much filler mate, let him go and make his progress while they do theirs, there is no need to keep him in that team, that doesn't seem to let the things continue fast, it would be more interesting to see different kinds of progresses )

 

Oh, I guess that part wasn’t clear. Everyone woke up alone, and around the same time. The others just found each other first. I’ll need to revise this...

 

Spoiler: Chapter 6

Sylvia cries out as she stumbles. She tries catching herself by stepping forward, but her feet are stuck and she falls onto her hands and knees. As she rights herself an starts to get up, she screams again. The ground is swallowing her. Panicking, she rushes to get up but only ends up sinking deeper. Her thighs are vanishing from sight.

Kudamon shouts out to her from her shoulders, “Sylvia, calm down!”

“He-Help!”

Both Avery and Wilson lunge forward, grab her arms, and pull back. The ground refuses to let her go and their footing is slippery, but they gradually drag her out of the quicksand and back onto dry dirt.

Sylvia collapses back, trembling and taking quick, shallow, breathes.

Kudamon hops from her shoulders to stand before her and says, “Sylvia, there’s no more need to panic. Inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale. You are free now.”

Sylvia looks from Kudamon to everyone else. Fear lingers on her face as she says, “Wha- What just…”

Lee Ann drops down and holds Sylvia. She whispers into her ear, “It’s okay, it’s okay. Like Kudamon said, you’re free. It’s over now.”

Ben looks over the wide stretch of open space and says, “Looks like a river of quicksand. We’re gonna have to back track.”

Sylvia says, “Quicksand?”

Lee Ann says, “It’s sand mixed with water. You know how when at the beach, just before you enter the water, your feet will sink into the sand. It’s pretty much that, but deeper. Don’t worry, you can’t drown in it, but you’ll more or less be stuck there.”

Sylvia finds assurance in Lee Ann’s words, takes a deep breath, and gets back up with her help. She brushes some of the sand off her arms and turns to Wilson. “My apologies. I was unaware the way here would be like this. I am regretful to say, but we will need to find another way.”

Wilson sighs and says, “Whatever.” With a click of his tongue, he turns around and wades into the tall grass in order to backtrack. While the grass swallows Liollmon, it isn’t high enough to hid him and only reaches up past his stomach.

Ben walks up to Sylvia and asks her how she’s “holding up,” but she responds by saying, “My apologies, but I require a few moments to myself.” She then begins to brush away the sand clinging to her skin and dress.

Lee Ann helps her and the two start a conversation with one another. The two then head to the front of the group so that Sylvia can guide everyone.

……

Avery no longer bothers brushing the grass aside as he makes his way through it. It’s as a stalk brushes against his arm that he realizes another difference between the Digital World and Earth. “This place has no mosquitos.”

Patamon yawns from atop of his head and says, “Mosquitomon?”

“No, mosquitos. Annoying insects that suck your blood and leave you feeling itchy all over. What you said sounds like it would give me nightmares.”

Ben chuckles and says, “Sounds like you have bad experiences with them.”

Wilson says, “Let me guess, you’re a bug magnet?”

Avery shrugs, “I say not having mosquitos is a plus for this world.”

Ben then says. “Thinking about, it kinda makes sense. Things here are made of data. There’s nothing for a mosquito to even eat.”

Wilson says, “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I got a cut the other day and it bled.”

Ben says, “Digital blood?”

Lee Ann snaps at their conversation and says, “Who cares about stuff like that? Instead of wasting our time thinking useless thoughts like those, do something more productive.”

Avery says, “Like what?”

“Figure that out yourself!” She then sighs in frustration and disgust. “Great, thanks to all that talk, I can hear one now too.”

Patamon raises his ears at her remark. He then jumps to attention on Avery’s head. While shaking away his drowsiness, he says, “No, something’s coming! From the left!”

Liollmon leaps in that direction, glowing as he shouts, “Shinka!” Leomon emerges from the glow and punches a giant, red, stag beetle in the head.

Lee Ann says, “What, again!?” as Yugi Agumon glows and digivolves. “Get rid of it, Yukidarumon!”

“Absolute Zero Punch!”

Avery and Ben stand ready with their Digimon, but do not join in the battle. They know now that not only would they get in each other’s way if they all attacked at once, other digimon could take advantage of the confusion to attack as well. Therefore, the two of them cover the others while keeping watching of their surroundings.

Patamon and Dorumon stand ready to digivolve at any moment. Luckily, no one jumps out at them and the stage beetle soon flies away with a roar.

Wilson stretches his arms over his head as Liollmon returns to his side. “Easy win.”

Liollmon says, “Yeah, we showed him!”

Sylvia says, “Certainly, this battle went much smoother than before.”

Wilson’s tone tightens as he snaps back at her. “What do you take us for? Weaklings? When we go down, we come back stronger!”

Liollmon says, “You tell her, Wil! We’re invincible!”

Sylvia’s arms fly up in an attempt to smooth out the situation. With a gentle tone that’s growing quicker and more flustered, she says, “Ye-Yes, of course. I had no intention of implying otherwise. I merely meant to state that we ha—”

Lee Ann gives Sylvia a light push from behind. Exasperation laces her voice as she says, “Don’t take his words so seriously. He’s full of nothing but hot air.”

As Sylvia starts trying to convince Lee Ann otherwise, Ben speaks over them. “Yo, how about we start looking for a place to camp for the night? It’s starting to get late.”

Avery says, “We passed by some trees when we first came this way.” He yanks out a long stalk of grass from the ground and adds, “Sleeping underneath them is probably more comfortable than sleeping out here.”

Lee Ann says, “You mean that shimmering tree? Are you brain dead? How’s that going to let us sleep?”

Yuki Augumon says, “Shimmering trees only shimmer from the reflection of the sun. They no different from other trees even under moonlight.”

Sylvia projects a map from her digivice 02. Of what has been uncovered on the image show that said trees aren’t very far from their position. “Our arrival shouldn’t take us more than half an hour.”

The trip takes longer than estimated. The sun sets and the three moons take its place, and they still have yet to see a single tree. Regardless, they press on. The silver light from three moons shines bright enough for them to comfortably continue, albeit at a slower pace.

As they walk, Ben says, “Should we even stop. It’s way brighter outside the forest than we thought it would be. I mean, it’s not like we actually need to sleep, right?”

Liollmon says, “You say that now, but we absolutely need to recharge. You never know when another fight is gonna happen.”

Only after almost two hours do they reach their destination. They all hurry to the first tree they see, anxious to get out of the tall grass.

It’s as they all make themselves comfortable on the short grass that Lee Ann says, “This doesn’t make any sense. Why is the grass directly underneath the tree shorter? It’s like an umbrella.”

Kudamon perks up from Sylvia’s shoulders and says, “Try not to use your human logic in the Digital World. Most likely, this area is programed so that grass will not grow underneath trees.”

Patamon says, “That’s how it works?”

Kudamon says, “You were unaware?”

Liollmon speaks up as Patamon shakes his head. “I didn’t know that either.”

Yuki Agumon says, “Same.”

Kudamon tilts her head at their answers, but she doesn’t comment any further.”

Lee Ann plops down on the ground saying, “At least we know it isn’t dangerous.”

Sylvia also lowers herself onto the ground. “Agreed, more importantly, who will take first watch?”

Avery, squatted at the edge were the tall grass begins, volunteers at Sylvia’s reminder. “I’m not that sleepy yet, anyway.”

Lee Ann, curious, gets up and walks over to him. She peeks over his shoulder and leaps back in surprise, pointing at him in accusation. “You have a knife!?”

Avery pauses and turns to face her at the shout. His expression twists with confusion, but in one of his hands are cut stalks of grass while in the other is a switch blade.

“Don’t play dumb! You’re clearly holding a knife right there!”

Avery glances down towards his hand and an, “Oh,” escapes him. “I totally didn’t even register I was using this.”

“Why do you have a knife for?”

Avery intends to ignore her and resume cutting more grass, but then notices the apprehensive expressions on everyone else. Despite his annoyance at having to explain himself, he says, “For work. Opening and unpacking boxes was pretty much a daily thing and having this just made things easier. I completely forgot I even had this.”

Lee Ann calms down at his answer and watches as Avery begins weaving the grass together. She continues to watch but can’t make sense of his actions. After a bit, she says, “A… face mask?”

Avery looks at Lee Ann, his expression openly looking down on her. “Cause it’s bright out here.”

Lee Ann turns red at the obvious statement to her stupid question. She goes to turn away, but stops as her curiosity leads her to instead ask, “So why are you making one?”

Avery stares at her again, but she adds more before he can say anything, “No, I mean why are you, personally, making one? Aren’t you going to try and trick someone else into making one and then just steal it later?”

Avery’s expression turns into one of disgust as he says, “If a Digimon attacks us, I’m going to let it eat you.” He then returns to his weaving, leaving Lee Ann to walk back to the others.

As Lee Ann sits down, Sylvia notices her confusion and says, “Did something happen?”

“I don’t get him.”

“Why are you so mean to him?”

“What are you talking about? Sylvee, I’ve treated him exactly how he deserves to be treated.”

“You barely even know him.”

Lee Ann snips back as she says, “I know plenty. My father is always telling me about how Mexicans always try to cheat him and that they’re the ones to blame whenever his company’s stock goes down.”

“Avery isn’t Mexican.”

“And how would you know that?”

“I asked him about it the other day, and I do not believe him to have lied to me about that. More importantly, nothing you just said has anything to do with him, nor does it have anything to do with your treatment towards him.”

Lee Ann lies back and rolls onto her side. With the words, “You wouldn’t get it, not with that bubble you grew up in,” she goes to sleep.

……

Wilson, claiming his scout training makes him the best prepared for finding a way around the quicksand river, blazes a path through the tall grass. An explosion echoing from far off brings everyone to a stop. Excitement flashes across his face and he dashes off in the direction of the echo. Glee laces his voice as he says, “Come on, Liollmon!”

“Right!”

Everyone stares at the two run off for a moment before also giving chase. Ben tries calling out to Wilson, but he is ignored. Instead, Lee Ann answers, “That idiot. He probably thinks there’s a fight up ahead.”

Sylvia says, “No, this action is correct. We absolutely must investigate this.”

Lee Ann says, “No, we don’t!”

Regardless, they all continue to run after Wilson. Avery catches up after a few minutes and tackles him from behind. They tumble through the grass for a bit and as they get up, Wilson goes to tackle Avery. Ben emerges from the grass and steps in between them to catch Wilson’s punch.

Ben says, “Woah, hold on!”

Wilson yanks his arm free and turns to Avery. “What was that for!?”

“Me? You’re the one running off on us! You want to die, don’t drag us with you!”

“Then don’t follow me!”

Ben forces himself between them and shouts at the top of his lungs. “Cut it out! No one is dying or running off! Wil, if we’re going someplace, we are going together. Safety in numbers, man.” A louder explosion follows as if to emphasis his point.

Wilson clicks his tongue and storms of in the direction of the explosion. “Fine, then hurry up!”

Lee Ann grumbles as she follows from behind. “Why exactly are we going towards the explosions?”

Sylvia says, “We have to investigate this. Someone might be in trouble.”

“Yeah, that’s got nothing to do with us.” She then points at Wilson and adds, “Heck, you just mindlessly ran off! What are you, five?”

Wilson says, “If you don’t want to come, then don’t come!”

“No, I absolutely have to come! You’re just diving head first! Someone’s got to bail you out!” She then pauses for a second as a doubt washes over her face. “Actually, what about getting that virtue?”

“We can get that afterwards.”

“What? We came all the way out here because you made a huge deal about getting it! Do you even want it anymore?”

“Obviously, we just need to see what this is first.”

“Don’t lie, seeing what this is has nothing to do with anything.” Lee Ann feels a hand on her shoulder and glances to see Sylvia pleading with her. She then takes a breath and says, “You know what, forget it. But don’t think this is over!”

From behind, Ben turns to Avery and asks, “What do you think?”

“That he doesn’t really care about that virtue. Back then, he was just crying cause he lost, badly. Now that he’s calmed down—

“Wait…, what? No, I’m talking about going towards the explosion.”

Avery’s blanks for a moment before saying, “Completely stupi—” A ground shaking explosion sends everyone tumbling. Avery, despite falling onto his side, manages to keep his head up. Because of that, he sees a small metal ball flying past just above them. He then jumps to his feet, realizing that danger won’t be too far off. “Patamon!”

Patamon is already leaping upward, saying, “Shinka!” before Avery can finish calling out to him.

Avery leaps onto Airdramon’s back to gets a bird’s eye view of the situation before the digimon can even finish digivolving. From above, he sees white facemask wearing digimon covered in black, rubber, suits swarming through the tall grass around them. His instincts are screaming out, “danger” at the sight.

“Creepy…” Airdramon, too, he senses feels the same way. Both of them know not to take the strange digimon lightly.

“How did they even get this close?”

“No idea, I didn’t hear a single thing.”

Then, at the same time, they say, “Let’s take them out!”

Airdramon, with a flap of his wings, sends needle-shaped vacuum blades, “Spinning Needle!” at the “Troopmon,” as Avery scans them.

All of the troopmon focus their attention on Avery and Airdramon.

Avery, finding their empty stares nerve-wracking, unconsciously lowers himself into Airdramon’s mane as a flaming, “God Tornado,” is called upon to cut through the mindless what appear to be nothing more than mindless drones.

Airdramon himself speaks back to him in a low voice. “Stay low and hold on tight.

Airdramon continues to unleash a barrage of attacks at the troopmon as he flies around overhead, but they continue to stare unphased by the devastation. Those that aren’t deleted stand back up and resume staring from within the tall grass. They all then point their rifles at Airdramon in complete synchronization. Not a single one deviates in their motion.

“Hey, don’t ignore us!” Wilson shouts out as Leomon leaps into the air. His cry breaks the heavy silence and thunder fills the air as bullets are fired from all around. As all of the attacks are aimed at Airdramon, Leomon lands without any trouble. The lion man, having spotted his prey, then swings out with his sword and cleaves a troopmon in half before charging for the next one.

Airdramon does his best to shield Avery from the spray by flying higher and unleashing another flaming, “God Tornado!”

It’s then Avery notices the metal ball from before streaking back through the tall grass towards the troopmon. The ball then stops and points a cannon mounted to its arm forward. “Energy Bomb!” The glowing, red, sphere that shoots out cuts a path through the grass and detonates upon finding a troopmon.

While the explosion barely escapes over the grass, the hit troopmon is disintegrated and following shockwave knocks everyone onto the ground.

Avery takes the opening to scan the Digimon, “Metal Mamemon,” and then says, “Airdramon!”

“Right!” flaps its wings and dives towards a cluster of unbalanced troopmon. “Wing Cutter!”

Other attacks soon follow, “Absolute Zero Punch!”, “Cannonball!”, “Beast King Fist!”

Metal Mamemon swings his arm to the side and launches another, “Energy Bomb!” The glowing, red, sphere cuts another path through the tall grass, zipping right behind Sylvia’s head. Had she not been leaning forward at the time, it would have hit her.

Avery shivers as his eyes dart back to the smoking remains of the previous Troopmon. His mind envisions her being enveloped by the attack and being reduced to ash. He moves before he can realize he’s even shouting. Leaning out over the protection provided by Airdramon, he says, “Metal Mamemon, swing to your left!”

Metal Mamemon’s arm shoots out and, “Magnet Beam!” A crimson ray flashes out and explodes against a troopmon. The following explosion envelops the nearby troopmon as well.

“Go straight and shoot like crazy!”

Metal Mamemon lunges forward a step before turning up to Avery. Annoyance laces his voice as he realizes he’s randomly taking commands from a complete stranger. “What’s it to you, human?”

“We’ll cover you!” Avery then looks away and says, “Airdramon”

“Right! Spinning Needle!”

Metal Mamemon watches them unleash their attack before shrugging and just going with it. He plunges into a thicket of troopmon and rakes his claws through them, “Shaft Spike!” He then points his cannon straight ahead and, “Energy Bomb!”

Airdramon follows up on the attack with a wind based, “God Tornado!”

It’s then that the troopmon stop shooting and run away. As they slip away, Avery notices everyone else is still searching the tall grass for them. He takes a deep breath to calm down and says, “Stop, it’s over! They’ve all left!”

Lee Ann glares at him, wanting to fault him for not looking carefully, but holds her tongue. Regardless, her stare voices everything she wants to say for her.

Everyone uses Airdramon as a focal point as he lands. As they are all gathering, Airdramon dedigivolves back into Patamon and plops down on Avery’s head. Metal Mamemon steps forward and scratches the back of his head. “Well, I’ll be. Never expected I’d be thanking humans in my life, but here we are. You bunch are a much better lot than those last humans from way back when. Gratitude.”

Sylvia kneels down to get closer to Metal Mamemon’s eye level and says, “More importantly, are you injured? Why were those Digimon after you?”

Metal Mamemon shakes his head. “No clue. They got Andromon a few weeks back too. They just appeared out of no where and been following me ever since. Well, they ain’t that strong, so everything will probably work out once I find Andromon.”

Sylvia hesitates at his aloof response. “Are you… certain about this? Perhaps we could assist you in this endeavor.”

“That’s mighty kind of you, but I’m good. Wouldn’t feel right to really on people I just met, after all.”

Sylvia wants to say more, but stops as Wilson places a hand on her shoulder and pulls her back.

It’s then that Metal Mamemon’s gaze focuses upon Wilson’s goggles. “Interesting fashion choice there.”

Wilson plucks at the goggles with a finger and says, “These? I have no idea where they came from. They just appeared on my head when I woke up.”

Sylvia then says, “Incidentally, might you happen to know a way past the quicksand river?”

Metal Mamemon points his cannon to the side and, “Energy Bomb!” He then nods and says, “Just head that way and you’ll reach a gap you can cross over. It’s annoying, but you can find one every so often.”

“You have our gratitude.”

Metal Mamemon tilts his head and cups his chin. “Odd you need something like that though. Ain’t any of you consider flying over atop of that Airdramon?”

Sylvia panics as everyone begins to consider the option. Her words are quick, yet clear. “There is absolutely no need for that. Digivolving for a simple task as that not only degrades the significance of evolution, it also weakens us. What would we do should we find ourselves unable to battle due to a reckless use of energy for the simple sake of convenience—”

Avery, recalling Sylvia’s fear of flying, chuckles to himself before cutting her off. “More importantly, we’re not taxis.”

Patamon gives a resolute nod as he chimes, “Yeah!”

Metal Mamemon laughs while saying, “Suit yourselves.” He then walks off with the words, “If we meet again, then let’s meet again.” The tall grass envelops him and he soon vanishes from sight.

Ben says, “Well, you all heard him. There’s a path this way, let’s go.”

They soon reach a land bridge of sorts. The stop and start between it and the quicksand can easily be distinguished through where the tall grass is growing. They will be safe so long as they walk where grass is growing.

All the digimon perk up their heads when they are barely halfway across the bridge. Sylvia looks to Kudamon and says, “What’s wrong?”

Kudamon speaks out for everyone to hear her. “Turn around, quickly! Corrosion is spreading!”

Everyone runs at the warning. Behind them, a garbling mass of electric pink and light green static fuzz swells and spreads. When the sound stops, so too does the spreading.

Sylvia looks around as they come to a stop. “Was anyone harmed?”

Wilson says, “No,” despite not bothering to actually check on anyone. He’s instead surveying the bridge. While the corrosion didn’t spread far, the hazy fuzz renders the way across the quicksand unusable. He then stares at Sylvia as if to accuse her and says, “The path you found is useless.”

What do you all think??

 

Chapter 7

Spoiler: chapter 7

“And don’t come back!” Lee Ann shouts at the fleeing digimon. Once the buzz of the giant red stag beetle’s wings are no longer audible, she faces everyone with a huff. “Honestly, that’s the fifth time we’ve fought that stupid bug since leaving the forest. Is it mental? When’s it gonna learn?”

Wilson disregards Lee Ann’s comment and turns to Sylvia. “What was it you were saying before we were attacked?”

Sylvia clears her throat. “That at the pace we are proceeding, we should arrive by the end of today…”

Ben picks up on her hesitation and teases her by saying, “Except?”

Sylvia ignores his him. She doesn’t even spare him a glance. She takes a breath and prepares herself to finish her train of though. Kudamon, however, cuts in and finishes for her. “Unfortunately, that estimate was under the assumption we would not be harassed. Taking future surprises into consideration, we should arrive sometime tomorrow, hopefully.”

Sylvia’s head drops in shame. “My apologies, I grew over eager.”

Wilson shrugs at her remorse. “I’ve already gotten used to it.”

While Sylvia breaths out in relief, Lee Ann jumps in, “Wait, no! You’re used to it? What exactly does that mean? Us being attacked or Sylvee being wrong?”

Wilson just clicks his tongue and turns away.

“Hey, don’t ignore me! Answer my question!”

Avery lowers his arm as Lee Ann pesters Wilson. Patamon lands on his head and says, “Too slow?”

Avery watches Wilson snap at Lee Ann and says, “She was just closer.” As they all resume walking, he turns to Sylvia. Ben is trying to talk to her about what happened, but she keeps to herself, holding Kudamon in her arms and looking at the ground.

Ben soon gives up and walks off. Avery steps up to walk besides Sylvia, but she doesn’t seem to notice him. He soon grows irritated at the gloom and silence and says, “The hell do you even admire him so much for?”

The heads of both Sylvia and Kudamon perk up at his question. Sylvia begins to speak without a shred of hesitation. “Wh-What are you saying? Of course, I will defer to Wilson. He is our leader.”

Kudamon nods as she follows up on her words. “That is correct. If anything, we are the ones baffled by all of you. You and Lee Ann always insist on disputing everything he decides upon.”

Avery is taken aback by their sincere expressions of surprise. He stares at them, trying to find his voice, before finally managing to say, “What? What do you mean our leader?”

Sylvia says, “He has goggles.”

Avery’s tone sharpens as he says, “What does that have to with anything?”

Kudamon says, “Goggles in the Digital World are a unifying sign. That he was granted them upon coming here is more than enou—”

“That’s just stupid.” The jaws of both Sylvia and Kudamon drop at his blunt statement. Avery pays them no mind and continues, “All he cares about is being some tough guy.”

“Perhaps, howev—”

“Don’t make excuses for him, Sylvia. He doesn’t care about us or you. All that matters to him is his ego.” Avery clicks his tongue and adds, “Even Lee Ann is better than him on that regard.”

Sylvia’s expression turns sullen as she once more looks down at the ground. Lee Ann notices and chides Avery away, “You creep! I knew you are worthless, but I didn’t think you’d stoo—”

Avery walks off while shooing her away with the back of his hand. “Oh, shut up. I don’t care.”

Not long later, as they near the top of a hill, Wilson stops walking. The abrupt action puts everyone else on guard. Wilson pays them no mind, his face going from gaping shock to filling with delight as he turns to Liollmon, “Do you smell that?”

Liollmon sniffs the air and says, “Yeah?”

“Don’t just say yeah, those are burgers!”

Everyone stares in shock as he dashes down the other side of the hill. A few seconds later, they chase after him with Sylvia calling, “Wilson? Wait!”

Avery also rushes after him, but he stops after seven steps. At Patamon’s inquiry, he says, “There’s no point.”

Lee Ann, the only person who didn’t give chase, says, “And here I thought you’d have been the first to run off.”

Avery looks back at her as she takes her time walking after everyone else and says, “Get over yourself.” He then goes on ahead of her before she can respond.

He doesn’t need to go far before also picking up on the smell of frying hamburgers. The alluring frizzling smell tempts him, salivates his mouth, and urges him to hurry, but he reins in his desires. Instead, he reaches up and scratches Patamon’s head. “I could run off like him, but that would be dangerous.”

Patamon makes himself comfortable on Avery’s hair and speaks with a laid-back tone. “You’re saying that more to yourself than me.”

“Not like I can’t get how Wilson’s feeling. It’s been almost two weeks since we came to the Digital World, and since we last ate anything.”

“Is food really that important.”

“Of course, it is.” Lee Ann chimes in with her haughty tone. “We humans are used to eating three meals day. We’ve all been too busy to notice, so no one’s said anything, but now that we can smell food, we’re obviously going to want some.”

Avery notes the pace she’s walking with and adds, “In other words, she’s just as eager as I am.”

“Shut up! We are nothing alike!”

“Sure, sure, then the fact that I like burgers and fries must mean you will absolutely refuse to eat any.”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up! Stop putting words in my mouth!”

The hill soon reveals an open area free of the tall grass that is instead dotted by trees with a river cutting through. Seated all around are various digimon eating burgers and fries. Their expressions, however, aren’t ones of delight or joy, but of wariness and vigilance. All of them stare at one spot in particular, at the shimmering tree where Wilson, Sylvia, and Ben are eating.

Avery and Lee Ann join them. Avery looks at the hut in the center of the clearing where the burgers are being made and says, “How did you even pay for them?”

Lee Ann stares at Avery in shock at the question. The doubt on her face gives rise to her saying, “You’re intending to pay?”

Confusion clouds Avery’s face as he turns to her. “What? Obviously.”

“You’re not going to just leave the bill to someone else and run off?”

Sylvia jumps up before Avery can react. “Lee Ann!”

“What? People like him—”

“Lee Ann!

Avery just shakes his head. Deciding he isn’t going to bother with her, he walks towards the hut. Before he can say anything, however, one of the onion headed Digimon behind the counter just hands him a tray with a couple burgers and french fries. With a smile, she says, “Please, enjoy.”

Avery accepts the tray with a “Thanks,” but he then adds, “I don’t have any money though.”

The digimon gives a nervous chuckle as she says, “I would never even dream of it.”

Avery swallows his words and walks back to the others feeling like he just robbed the place. Upon sitting down, he says, “That was weird,” and gives a burger to Patamon. He then turns to his where he places a layer of fries atop of the patty much to everyone’s surprise.

Ben swallows and says, “Is that seriously how you eat your burgers.”

Avery shrugs, “I learned it from my dad.” He then bites into it and feels himself melt from its deliciousness. “This… is amazing.”

Sylvia then speaks between bites of her burger. “This food is very delicious, yes… but I believe we should hurry and leave.”

Kudamon says, “Agreed, everyone is clearly on guard against us. There’s no telling what may happen if we stay for too long.”

Wilson says, “Please, if worst comes to it, we can just—"

Ben stops him before he can finish. “That’s a horrible idea. We’re completely outnumbered.”

“Wimp.”

Ben says, “Well, still, with how they’re looking at us. I kinda wish I knew what they were thinking.”

Avery glances at Patamon who says, “Hmmm, they are wondering why humans have appeared again after such a long time.” Patamon’s ears droop as he adds, “They’re blaming you all for the corrosion… Some are also wondering if we being here has something to do with some sort of occupation happening further ahead. Apparently, they’ve been driven away from their homes?”

Kudamon says, “Who in particular mentioned that?”

“Those meramon under that tree.”

Sylvia stands up and walks over to the meramon. Many digimon get ready to fight at her sudden action. But, upon seeing her walk away after asking a few questions, they all quickly relax.

Sylvia reports her findings, “The location of that occupation is in the direction we are headed. I fear they may be after the same thing we are.”

Wilson snorts and says, “More fun for us. We’ll force our way through.”

Avery says, “Sure, as long as Bancho Stingmon isn’t there.”

“Shut up!”

Lee Ann then turns to Sylvia. “That was pretty bold. Didn’t you say we should hurry and leave for our safety? What would you have done if they attacked you?”

Sylvia smiles, “I had faith they would understand I meant no harm.”

Avery says, “Still, Sylvia, that was way too reckless.”

Kudamon says, “More importantly, in regards to that information, we should push our arrival back until tomorrow when we are better rested. To charge in now knowing this would prove most reckless.”

Sylvia turns to Wilson and says, “Agreed, we should best wait until tomorrow.”

Wilson’s lips twitch as he scoffs at Sylvia’s appeal. “You guys are pathetic. It’s right there and you’re just going to let some rumors scare you away?”

Avery says, “What do you care? You don’t even want that virtue anymore.”

Lee Ann cuts in before Wilson can respond. “Give it a rest, you’re just too embarrassed to admit otherwise. Especially after that whole scene after losing to Bancho Stingmon.”

Wilson jumps to his feet. “Shut up! I don’t remember you being all that against this. If you don’t like it, then you all should have said something!”

Lee Ann stands up as she says, “Cause it was a good idea! It still is! The real issue here is you! Quit—”

“Woah, woah, guys, chill.” Ben jumps in between them before their argument gets any worse. “We’re just here to eat some food, not start a fight.”

Sylvia also appeals to Wilson. “This is no time to be fighting amongst ourselves. All of us agree that getting the virtue is important. We merely wish to be at our best when we do so. Please?”

Wilson clenches his teeth and storms off saying, “Whatever!”

The rest of them, feeling uncomfortable by the extra vigilance the surrounding digimon are showing, quickly finish their food and leave.

……

Avery climbs up a hill the next morning. Neither walking at the front of the group or at the back, he walks in the middle if a few steps off on the left. All of them walk much slower than they did on the previous days. The first explosion they heard was an hour ago and they’ve been growing louder with each step they take.

They eventually reach the top of the hill and stop. Avery himself takes a sharp breath from amazement. Now that the tall grass no longer blocks his view, he sees what appears to be a massive, red, mesa. Multiple golden line run down the sides from the top of the mountain and spreading out into the surrounding grass.

Carved from one side of the flat-topped mountain is a golden red city full of towers, square dwellings, and mosques. The rounded and polished stones almost give the impression of a wine glass collection. At the deepest and highest point of the carved city is a palace fit for a sultan.

Lee Ann looks around and says, “This is cool and all, but none of this makes any sense. Everything else around here is hills with grass. Where did something like this even come from?”

Sylvia says, “A home for Digimon provided by Yggdrasil doesn’t really need an explanation.”

Lee Ann is taken aback, but shrugs. “Yeah, you got a point there. But how do you know something like that?”

Wilson interrupts before anything more can be said, “Focus, this place is crawling with digimon.”

Avery holds out his 02 and begins scanning the various Digimon crawling around the area. “Sethmon, Pipismon, Pteranomon, and Owlmon.” An explosion echoes as he finishes. Despite the clear battle occurring somewhere in there, the digimon continue to patrol and search the area unfazed. He then adds, “Yeah, I say forget this place.”

Lee Ann makes a face and says, “I really, and I mean really hate that I’m about to say this, but Avery’s right. In case you forgot, these digimon have taken the city for themselves. Going in there would just be suicide for us.”

Liollmon says “Sneaking in is going to be impossible.”

Wilson says, “Then we’ll just have to use the front door.”

Both Avery and Lee Ann snap their heads towards and say at the same time, “What!?”

“You two can just wait here. I’m going.” Wilson then marches towards the mesa with Liollmon without a glance back towards anyone.

Sylvia steps after him, reaching out to stop him but hesitates. She glances back towards Avery and Lee Ann before again looking at Wilson’s advancing back. With grit teeth, she turns back to the two and lowers her head. “My apologies, but I cannot just remain ideal here. Please, wish for our good fortune.”

Ben also walks after Wilson. With a sly grin on his face, he says, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing bad happens. Just wait here for the good news.”

Avery and Lee Ann watch the three descend from the hilltop and walk straight towards the mesa unnoticed by any of the prowling digimon. They trek up the path into the mountain side and vanish within the city. The two of them continue to wait for them to be discovered, for a battle to break out, to have to rush in and help them, but nothing happens.

After about ten minutes of waiting, Avery says, “Just what kind of luck do they have?”

Lee Ann snaps and says, “No! Impossible! There’s absolutely no way they should have been able to pull that off!”

Patamon and Yuki Agumon look at each other before turning towards their respective partners and saying, “What do we do now?”

A wry smile plays on Avery’s face as he sits down. “We can go back and get more burgers?”

Lee Ann also sits down, a bit higher up on the hill than him, and says, “Feel free. We’ll stay here and tell them how you ditched out once they’re back.”

An hour passes when Avery feels Patamon tense up within his arms. He leaps to his feet and spins around. Instinctively, he knows exactly where to turn thanks to his connection with his partner.

A rough voice laughs out at them through the tall grass, saying, “Well, well, looks like we’ve finally caught up to you.”

Lee Ann’s expression darkens as she recognizes the voice. “Orgemon!” Yuki Agumon digivolves into Yukidarumon as she leaps to attack but ends up getting swatted back.

Orgemon laughs some more as he reaches the top of the hill. He rests his bone club on his should as he adds, “You humans make a mess everywhere you go. One question at that burger joint was all it took to find out exactly where you went.”

Cyclomon pounces out of the grass, energy gathering in his mouth as he says, “And now you die! Hyper Heat!”

Patamon leaps forward, glowing as he shouts, “Shinka!” As his body elongates into Airdramon, he rams his bone covered head into Cyclomon and knocks him aside.

Then, as Cyclomon’s attack fires off to the side, Yukidarumon jabs him from behind with, “Absolute Zero Punch!”

Meanwhile, Airdramon, still on the ground, turns towards Ogremon and flaps his wings. “Wing Cutter!”

Ogremon swats the wind blades aside with a few swings of his club and leaps. He closes in on Airdramon, aiming for the center of his forehead for a, “Bone Konbou!” He then laughs as Airdramon slams into the ground and says, “That brittle mask of yours is dirt compared to Skull Greymon’s bones.”

Ogremon then turns towards Yukidarumon whom is pummeling Cyclomon. With a, “Haouken!” he punches a blast of dark ethereal energy and knocks the snowman away.

Cyclomon leaps for Yukidarumon, thrusting out his massive arm. “Strength Arm!” Instead of crushing her, however, he’s caught in a tornado and is flung into the air.

Ogremon wild hair flies as he whips his head around and charges towards where he sent Airdramon. “You! Still awake I see!” He then hoists his club overhead and grips the handle with both hands. “This time, stay down!”

Airdramon dives to the side, but Orgemon follows with his swing. Airdramon glows with golden light as he gets sent flying and de-digivolves back into Patamon. Fear washes over Avery’s face as he catches his partner. Before he can say anything, Patamon gives a weak, “Avery…”

Avery then grabs Lee Ann’s arm and flees, forcing her to run with him down the hillside. Lee Ann resists and demands he stop and explain himself, but she isn’t strong enough to make anything of it. Yukidarumon, unable to abandon her partner, flings Cyclomon at Ogremon and chases after the two, de-digivolving back into Yuki Agumon in the process.

As they near the bottom of the hill, explosions rock the area. The shaking causes them to lose their footing and fall into the tall grass.

Lee Ann sits up and looks to the top of the hill. Sethmon, Pipismon, Pteranomon, and Owlmon swarm the area, releasing attack after attack. Disbelief crosses her face as she glances towards Avery. “How did you…”

Avery pushes himself into sitting up and also stares at the hilltop. “Not me, Patamon.”

Patamon grins as he says, “I made sure Orgemon would hit me towards Avery so I could warn him.”

Lee Ann’s expression falls flat as she says, “You’re nuts…”

Patamon climbs onto Avery’s head and gives a wishy-washy, “I trust Avery’s judgment.”

Lee Ann gets back up on her feet and says, “They’re definitely going to be in high alert in there now.” She then sends a message to the others with her digivice 02, but she receives an error message in return. “I can’t reach them…”

Avery hops to his feet and begins for the city in the mesa. “No choice then.”

“You’re just going to walk straight in?”

Avery glances back towards the hilltop. A cloud of dust covers it as the barrage against Ogremon and Cyclomon continues. “This is probably the best chance I’ll get for it.”

Lee Ann narrows her eyes and glares at Avery. “What do you mean you’ll get? What? You planning to just leave me here?”

Avery blinks. “You’re coming?”

“Obviously, I’m coming! Sylvee is my friend.” She then marches straight up to him and jabs him in the chest with a finger. “I’m not letting your screwups get her killed.”

Avery turns around and begins walking away. “Right, cause my screwup totally left us at the top of that hill.”

Lee Ann follows right beside him with a click of her tongue. At the same time, she refuses to let him be in front of her. As they walk, she says, “Thinking about it, this place probably won’t be safe for much longer either, anyway.”

As the two get closer to the city, various more of the sethmon, pipismon, pteranomon, and owlmon that are crawling around the place also come into view. While sethmon prowl the streets, pipismon fly between and around buildings. At the same time, pteranomon fly around the mesa while owlmon enter and exit the various buildings through their doors and windows. While there are much less than before, there are still hundreds.

Lee Ann freezes at the sight, but upon seeing Avery still continuing forward, hurries after him. Her expression twists deeper with worry with each step they take. She glances towards Avery and blanches upon only seeing firm determination on his face. With grit teeth and a deep breath, she says, “You’re not expecting to just walk through without any trouble, right? Or what, you think we have that same dumb luck?”

Avery, after a moment of silence, says, “Like hell we’d be able to pull of anything like that.”

Hope slips between Lee Ann’s words as she says, “Then… you’ve got a plan?”

“Get closer and try sending another message.”

Lee Ann stares at Avery with disbelief. “That’s your plan?” She then snaps at him and adds, “So then what are you going to do when that doesn’t work!?”

Avery feels a chill run down his back at Lee Ann’s outburst. Not waiting to confirm anything, he grabs her arm and takes off running.

She resists and shouts at him to stop. “The hell is wrong with you!? Let go of me! You worthless bastard, let me go!”

Avery, panicking, stops, spins around, and shouts at her. “You stupid idiot! Just shut up and run!” He then grabs her arm again and takes off running.

Lee Ann, too stunned by the ferocity behind his tone and expression, silently allows herself to be pulled along by him.

A squad of Pteranomon soon appear and release a barrage of bombs over them. Patamon leaps off Avery’s head with the cry, “Shinka!” and digivolves into Airdramon. Then, by using, “God Tornado!” he blows the attacks back at them.

Avery also stops running. Now that they’ve been discovered, there’s no point. Instead, he looks around for the closet thing that can give them cover.

Yuki Agumon, meanwhile, works to awaken Lee Ann from her daze so she can also digivolve and fight. She shakes her and calls her name, “Lee Ann! Lee Ann, wake up!” but nothing works. As more Digimon begin to attack them, she gets frustrated and pushes her.

Lee Ann falls onto her bottom, but she snaps out of her daze. “Yuki? What—?” An explosion makes her aware of the situation and she jumps onto her feet. She grabs Avery’s collar and shouts at his face. “You! Look at what you’ve done! Your plan is going to get us killed!”

The next thing Avery knows, Lee Ann is staring at him in fear and shock while holding her face. By the time he realizes what he’s doing, he’s already a few lines in through berating her. “-u’re the moron who shouted at the top of her lungs! No duh they found us!”

He then calls out, “Airdramon!” While his partner swoops down, he grabs Lee Ann and and holds out his hand to grab one of Airdramon’s horns as he flies past. Yuki Aguman, taking a clue from Avery’s actions, also times a leap onto Airdramon’s back.

Airdramon flies straight to the center of the approaching digimon, “Wing Cutter!” The air blades cut open a path which is further lengthened with, “Spinning Needle!”

“The city!” Lee Ann pushes Avery aside as she leans forward to get between Airdramon’s horns and adds, “Head for the city! There’s too many out here!”

Avery, picking up from Airdramon that they won’t be able to fight their way out, says, “Let’s go!”

With a flaming, “God Tornado!” Airdramon makes a sharp turn for the city in the mesa. Lee Ann then says, “Head straight for the palace!”

“What? Why!? We’ll be cornered in there!”

“Pay more attention! All those explosions have been coming from underground! We have a better fighting chance in a cave than out here in the open and there’s a better chance of finding a way down in there!”

“Fine, whatever! Airdramon!”

Airdramon makes a straight line for the palace. He grunts whenever an attack grazes him, but he grits his teeth and plows through. The tornados he generates at Avery’s directions keep the enemy digimon from landing any direct hits.

Golden lines can be made out running over the palace walls as they get closer. With grit teeth, Avery says, “Brace yourselves!”

Yuki Agumon runs down Airdramon’s face. She leaps forward off it as she begins to glow and shouts, “Shinka!” Yukidarumon, with an, “Absolute Zero Punch!” smashes an opening through the wall.

Airdramon dives into the opening as missiles explode down against his tail. As he slams threw the floor, Yukidarumon dedigivolves back into Yuki Agumon and grabs onto his hair to keep from being left behind. The accumulated momentum smashes him through the following floor as well and drops him and his passengers into a chamber crawling with digimon.

Airdramon directs his crash into a stone gazebo which then breaks and drops all of them into a deep shaft. The various Pipismon and Owlmon within the room cry out, attack Airdramon as he falls through, and chase him down into the cave below.

Airdramon cries out at their attacks. He twists his head underneath himself and with a fiery, “God Tornado!” both stops the enemy digimon from chasing after them and illuminates the drop. Then, seeing there are multiple shafts, he heaves for the furthest most hidden one only to slide himself across a large, jagged, stalagmite. He cries out as the rock cuts deep into his underbelly and ends up tumbling down a different shaft.

……

Silvia waits for the rumbling and explosions to stop before exhaling. Although curious to what the sounds outside could be, she refrains from peeking out the window out of fear of being spotted by any of the patrolling Sethmon, Pipismon, and Owlmon.

Ben glances towards a shut window and say, “The heck was that?”

Wilson shrugs and says, “Who cares. We keep moving.” He then turns towards Sylvia and calls up the map in his digivice 02. “So, where to now?”

Silvia blinks. “Just- Just a moment… are you not curious in the slightest about what just happened?”

“Explosions have been shaking up the place this whole time. It’s got nothing to do with us.”

“What? No, it could have everything to do with us. The explosions you refer to are occurring from somewhere below us. These clearly occurred just outside this building.”

Kudamon nods from her shoulder. “Agreed, I suggest inquiring with Avery and Lee Ann.”

While Wilson says, “Who cares, just tell me already,” Sylvia is already messaging the others. Her expression then turns grave after fumbling with her digivice 02 for a few moments.

Ben’s expression matches hers as he says, “What’s wrong, what happened?”

As Sylvia continues with growing desperation to try and contact Avery and Lee Ann, Kudamon scurries down her arm and places a paw over her digivice. She looks up at her and says, “Sylvia, what happened?”

Sylvia purses her lips and with a heavy heart, turns to Wilson. “I can’t reach them.”

Wilson then tries sending a message as well, but he has the same problem. “You’re right.”

Sylvia stares at him for a moment in shock. “Ar- Are you not worried? Something might have happened to them.”

Wilson clicks his tongue as he says, “Please, Avery can take care of himself.” The tone he uses, however, suggests he’s just naming him because he can’t be bothered to actually care. He then notes her expression and sighs. “Look, the sooner we find the virtue, the faster we can get back to worrying about them. Now, which way to we go?”

Sylvia sighs, realizing that the only way for her concern to be addressed is by finding the virtue faster. She meets Wilson’s stare and says, “There are caves below this city. We will be able to find the virtue there. A way down is in the palace, but the current situation doesn’t make that a viable route. However, there should be other points of access.”

Ben says, “How about checking out one of those mosques? An important place like that feels like a safe bet.”

Wilson heads for the door saying, “Right, let’s go.”

As Ben and Sylvia follow, Ben says to her, “Hey, Sylvee, relax. Wil might have just been saying whatever, but Avery’s pretty tough. Even if he and Lee Ann are caught up in what’s going, he’s probably got it under control.”

Sylvia ignores him and picks up her pace to leave him behind.

Ben sighs, but he doesn’t say anything else as he follows the others out the door.

Both of them soon come to a stop at the first corner behind Wilson. They peek over his shoulder and spot a trio of sethmon fighting each other. From what can be made out of their grunts, they’re so infuriated, they’ve turned to venting on one another.

Ben smirks and nudges Wilson. Wilson grins back and nods. Liollmon and Dorumon leap forward, glowing with golden light as they plunge into the battle. Leomon stabs the outermost sethmon with his sword while Dorugamon chomps down on its throat.

The other two sethmon are so engaged with each other, they don’t even notice. One flings the other past between Leomon and Dorugamon and into a wall before also charging by them so it can ram its fellow sethmon with its tusks, “Tusk Driver!”

As the second sethmon is deleted, Leomon and Dorugamon attack the remaining one. Before the remaining sethmon can turn around, it is deleted. Leomon then punches his fist towards the sky, “Beast King Fist!” and knocks an arriving owlmon off balance. Dorugamon jerks his head toward the fallen digimon to launch a, “Power Metal!” to delete it.

Wilson, Sylia, and Ben then rush down the cleared road and enter the first door they come across. Leomon and Dorugamon burst in right behind them, ready to fight any enemy digimon that might already be lurking inside. With the place clear, the two Digimon digivolve back into Liollmon and Dorumon.

Wilson once more calls up his map and confirms their position. He then points at a wall and the two digimon press themselves up against it. After a few moments, they turn to their respective partners and nod to signal they don’t detect anyone or anything in the next building.

Sylvia, meanwhile, keeps watch on the door. Now that she’s standing still, her worry flat out reveals itself on her face. Kudamon calls out to her in a low voice. “Sylvie, trust in them. They will be fine.”

“What if they aren’t?”

“Then we will rescue them.”

“But what if they have already—”

“Sylvie, trust in Yggdrasil. Everyone amongst us has been chosen for a reason. Believe in this world you want to protect.”

Sylvia nods and breathes. “Yes, my apologies. You are correct. I must have faith in them.”

An explosion rumbles underneath their feet. At the same time, the wall that was being marked is blown down by Dorumon’s, “Dash Metal!”

Liollmon leaps through the hole behind the purple dragon to take out any potential digimon they might have failed to notice in their initial assessment. With the room confirmed safe, everyone else enters.

Wilson proceeds straight to the door and opens it to come face to face with a sethmon passing by outside. As the sethmon roars out, he crouches down. Liollmon jumps over Wilson and latches on the Sethmon’s throat with, “Critical Bite!”

As the sethmon is deleted, Wilson gets up while saying, “This would be a challenge if they weren’t so braindead.”

Liollmon growls and says, “Yeah, these guys are pathetic.”

Ben walks past Wilson and heads for the nearest house across the street while saying, “So you’ve been saying.” Once there, he opens the door and Dorumon dashes inside to ambush any potential digimon inside. He then heads inside with the everyone else following behind him.

They continue like that all the way to the nearest mosque. From a second story window of a nearby building, they see a swarm of digimon entering and leaving its main gate.

Ben side eyes Wilson as he says, “You ain’t planning to barge straight through, are you?”

“How hard could it be? These guys don’t know the first thing about fighting. I bet they’d fight themselves if we told them they were humans in disguise.”

Sylvia too raises her hand to criticism his plan, but then stops her words while they are in her own throat. Despite her clear desire to say something, she swallows down her disagreement and instead says, “Perhaps we can sneak in through the back? We may even find success disguise ourselves. As Wilson mentioned, the anger burning within them leaves them unfocused and easily distracted.”

Wilson makes a face at her suggestion. Just a she gets ready to criticize her for being a coward, Ben tosses a large, brown, sheet over his head.

Ben says, “We can use these.”

Wilson flings off the sheet and says, “Like hell this will work!”

Sylvia, lifting the sheet that was flung over her head, says, “Then, upon being discovered, we can take advantage of the moment to perform a surprise attack and force our way in.”

A few moments later, a pair of cloaked figures walk to the front gate of the mosque. An owlmon stops them and demands to know who they are.

Ben, walking in the front, says, “We were called in to help deal with those explosions.”

The owlmon looks the two cloaked figures over and then flies off telling all the other Digimon to clear the way.

As the two figures walk again, Wilson says from behind Ben, “How is this working…?”

Sylvia, walking behind Wilson, hushes him. “Refrain from speaking. We are not through yet.”

The other cloaked figure, Leomon and Dorugamon, follow in silence.

Some pipsimon then attack the owlmon, angry at being ordered around. That quarrel frustrates other digimon into also picking fights with those around them.

Ben, Wilson, and Sylvia stop to stare at the ever-growing brawl in bewilderment. Kudamon breaks the silence, saying, “Let us not stand idle here and instead make haste. There is no telling when we too shall end up dragged into this.”

Wilson recovers with that prompt and gives Ben a light shove. “Move.”

“Chill.”

Yet despite those words, Ben resumes walking. They follow the line of digimon to the center of the mosque. From there, they enter a side chamber that houses a massive round staircase.

Ten steps down and Wilson scoffs, “This sucks. I figured it’d be something like a levitating platform.”

Sylvia says, “While those can be found within the Digital World, for such a mechanism to exist in a place of residence like this would be most unlikely.”

Wilson glances over his shoulder with a dubious expression. “And how the heck do you know something like that?”

Sylvia’s face turns bright red at his remark. She glances to the side and answers in a meek voice, “Just a guess…”

“Don’t make shit up.”

“…Yes, my apologies.”

Various sethmon, pipismon, and owlmon pass by them as they continue down the stairs, but they either snort, screech, or growl them and continue on their way. Not one finds them suspicious or thinks to question why they are there. Each time, once they are out of earshot, Wilson ridicules them under his breath. After close to an hour of walking, they step down onto cold, stone, cave floor.

Glowing crystals illuminate the various caverns. They don’t shine bright enough to reveal every nook, but enough for others to navigate.

They then step into a side cavern where Sylvia switches places with Ben to lead. After some more walking, a loud explosion echoes throughout the cavern. Wilsons’s head turns at it and says, “That one was way closer than all the others.”

Sylvia, worried about the excitement lacing his words, she says, “Yes, fortunately, it’s in the opposite direction we need to—”

“Come out and fight you humans!”

Sylvia feels her heart sink at the challenge. Her dread is proven correct as Wilson flings off the cloak and shouts back, “We’re right here!”

She can’t help but cry out a complaint. “Why are you responding to this provocation?”

Wilson smirks and points at himself with his thumb. “Only cowards run away from a fight!”

Leomon pounces forwards and lands in front of Wilson with his sword ready. “And we are not cowards!”

Sylvia watches in shock. All the caution that brought them there is brushed aside as Sethmon, Pipismon, and Owlmon flood in from other tunnels. Realizing there is nothing she can do, she backs away into one of the few, clear, caverns. Then, after a moments hesitation, she runs down it as fast as she can. Echoing behind her are the grunts and cries of Digimon being deleted.

Wilson notices and mutters to himself, “That’s one less thing to worry about.”

Ben glances over at him, not catching his words, but Wilson says, “Stop getting my way.”

Ben laughs at the accusation as Dorugamon chops down on an owlmon. “Right back at you.”

Leomon spins around with his sword and deflects a beam towards the ceiling. Half melted rocks shatter free from the impact and collapses one of the tunnels enemy digimon are pouring through.

Wilson grins. Just as he says, “Finally,” a booming roar cries out, “Humans!”

A yellow, ogre like, dragon man Digimon lunges for Leomon. Saliva splatters out as he thrusts out his oversized arm, “Strength Arm!”

Leomon catches the arm with his own two and then shoulder throws Cyclomon down another tunnel at oncoming enemy Digimon.

“Hey, we agreed Leomon is mine!” Ogremon then leaps out of the same tunnel Cyclomon came through. He swings his bone club at Leomon while saying, “Filthy traitor!”

Leomon twists to meet the club with his sword, but his posture is weak. He deflects the impact, but he is still blown into a cave wall. Ogremon gather dark purple energy in his fist and punches it towards the lion man, “Supreme King Fist!”

Dorugamon leaps onto Ogremon’s arm, and with his feet, redirect the purple, ethereal, blast. He then chops down on Ogremon’s head while hurling a large iron ball at him, “Power Metal!”

Ogremon roars out as the attack hits him. With his raging spirit, he brushes off any wooziness it might have caused, creating an opening to grab Dorugamon and piledrive him headfirst into the ground.

Leomon goes to rescue Dorugamon but is hit from behind by a scorching beaming. Crying out, he staggers and falls. Then, upon rolling onto his back, his eyes pop open and he thrusts his arms out to catch Cyclomon’s massive, “Strength Arm!” With grit teeth, a crater gouges out around him from the impact.

Ogremon, meanwhile, swings his bone club like a golf club and sends Dorugamon crashing into a wall. The impact shakes the cavern they’re in as that section of the tunnel collapses down on the beast Digimon.

The piled up debris begins to shake. Ogremon, recognizing it as Dorugamon getting up, hoists his bone club overhead and charges only for Cyclomon to be flung into him.

Leomon, having haven gotten his feet underneath himself, kicked Cyclomon off. He now places his hands beside his head and spring-kicks himself back onto his feet. His right hand then glows with golden, ethereal, energy that he then punches towards the two, “Beast King Fist!”

The attack explodes against Ogremon and Cyclomon, but as the dust clears, neither of them look all that phased. Dorugamon, however, was able to use that opening to slip out of the rubble and return to Ben’s side.

Wilson takes in everything that happened and takes a breath. “They’re a bit stronger, but… We’re not losing!”

Leomon roar and charges. He swings his sword at Ogremon who is closest, but the attack is blocked. Unfettered, he swings again, “Lion Sword!” Ogremon grunts as he again blocks the strike. The sound of iron clashing against bone echoes as their weapons continue to clash.

Dorugamon meanwhile rams his head into Cyclomon and thrusts him into a cavern wall. He then leaps back and sends a barrage of iron balls at him from his mouth, “Cannonball!” Cyclomon takes the attack with his oversized arm and lunges at Dorugamon, “Die!” Dorugamon leaps and uses Cyclomon’s head as a stepping platform to get behind him. Then, he counters with a, “Power Metal!”

Ben watches the battle unfold and says, “This isn’t working.”

Wilson scoffs at him. “Idiot, didn’t you see me tell Leomon to kick Cyclomon off him? Quit whining and figure something out yourself.”

“Well, this is different!” A loud voice drowns out the clashing battle. The ground then splits open and out jumps a Digimon seemingly made of dark grey rocks wearing a long, black, coat over his shoulders. “Humans with Digimon fighting other new Digimon.” He then notes the Sethmon, Pipismon, and Owlmon being caught in the crossfire and being deleted. “A four-way battle, just how I like!”

He then raises his drill like left arm and swings it at Leomon and Ogremon. The two Digimon forget the skirmish and try to block the attack. They aren’t working together but happen to have the same thought, that they will be deleted if they don’t give the newcomer their full attention. Regardless, both of them are blown away.

The mineral Digimon then turns to Dorugamon and Cyclomon, jumps, and drop kicks both of them before they can even react.

Leomon, Ogremon, Dorugamon, and Cyclomon forget about their previous battle and charge at the new Digimon. They don’t coordinate. They use whatever opening that appears to attack. Furthermore, if they can maneuver one of the others into a bad position, all the better.

******

Avery rolls onto his side and rubs his face. With a groan, he opens his eyes to darkness. Not registering what is happening, he blinks and pushes himself into sitting up. It’s only as his arms and legs scrape against the cold, rocky, ground does he recall the explosion that sent Airdramon flying out of control. After rubbing his eyes again, his eyes begin to adapt. The faint light crystals lining the ceiling, walls, and floor gradually bring his surroundings into a dim view.

His hand goes to the top of his head, but he feels nothing. As he looks around, all he sees is he uneven, bare, ground. He whips around to search behind himself, but sees more of the same. He forces himself onto his feet and cries out, “Patamon!”

That’s when he spots Lee Ann and Yuki Agumon leaning against a nearby stalagmite.

Lee Ann, startled by his outburst, sighs. She points at a small outcrop on the wall and says, “Calm down, he’s right next to you.”

Avery spins around and scoops up his partner within his arms. Only after he’s holding Patamon against his chest does he relax. He then looks back to Lee Ann and says, “Where are we?”

Lee Ann makes a face. “Caves underneath the city? How should I know?”

The low echoes of an explosion rumbles into the cavern and says, “How long has it been?”

“Not sure. A few minutes, maybe? I woke up not long ago, too.”

Avery takes a breath and thinks about their situation. After a bit, he says, “I’m going to look for the others.”

Panic laces Lee Ann’s voice as she jolts from his remark. “You’re just gonna leave me here!?”

Avery is taken aback by her shock. He frowns in half doubt as he says, “You want to come with me?” Then, after some more silence, he adds, “I totally decked you.”

Lee Ann turns her head in embarrassment at the memory. She bites her lips and grumbles to herself before saying, “I… I deserved that…” She then glares at Avery and adds, “I’m still ticked about it though. I considered kicking you, a lot.”

“I’m not going to apologize for it.”

“I don’t need your damned apology! Look, I get it… okay?” Her face lowers down in shame as she adds, “I messed up back there… Yet, even after all that, you didn’t just leave me there to die…”

Avery’s eyes pop open from his bewildered at her change in temperament. He uses the silence that follows to both settle himself and find his voice. “Thanks for not leaving…” He then glances down at Patamon who is still unconscious in his arms and add, “And for watching over us.”

As Lee Ann hesitantly looks back up at him, he adds, “We should go find the others. They’re probably down here somewhere looking for the virtue.”

Lee Ann gets up and walks towards his direction with Yuki Agumon. “We should keep our eyes open for it too.” As Avery matches her pace, she adds, “We’ll be able to get out of here that much faster if we find it.”

“If we do find, I say we give it to Sylve— Sylvia.”

“You can call her Sylvee, you know?”

“That’s pushing it. We’re traveling together, but it’s not like we’re actually friends…”

Lee Ann’s jaw drops as she stares at him. “Oh my— you worry about the weirdest of things. She’s upset that you stopped and thinks she did something to offend you.”

Avery goes silent at her remark. After mulling over her words, he says, “Back when I called her that, it was by accident.”

Lee Ann shakes puts a hand to her head and groans. “Everything my dad said is completely off…”

Avery’s tone hardens. “You can’t judge people off one standard.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to get that…”

They then enter a small chamber barely bigger than a room.

Avery says, “A dead end?”

“One way to find out.”

As they examine the few pillars, stalagmites, and smaller chambers along the walls, they continue talking.

Lee Ann says, “Anyway, you mentioned it the other day, but you’re right. Wilson doesn’t even want the stupid thing anymore. He only wanted it as a kiss for his bruised ego. Still, not like coming to get it was a bad idea though. If it can help her digivolve, she should totally accept it.”

“More like, I really hope she does.”

With nothing of interest in the chamber, they turn around.

Lee Ann glances at Avery’s face. His expression, despite everything that has happened, continues to look forward. It makes her falter and stop.

Avery notices and turns around. “Did something happen?”

Lee Ann scrunches her face at the question. She doesn’t want to answer, but a heavy feeling she’s been avoiding, keeping buried deep inside herself, wells out from her stomach. She tries to swallow it back down, but her mouth betrays her. “Why aren’t you scared?”

Avery doesn’t understand her question. He doesn’t know how to respond, but before he can dwell further on it, Lee Ann continues. Now that she started, she can’t stop. With clenched fists, she adds, “Sylvia, you, the others… I’m terrified. We don’t know what will happen, if some Digimon will be around the corner waiting to kill us… We don’t even know if we’ll ever get back home. So, how… why aren’t any of you scared?”

“I am scared.” Lee Ann looks at Avery in doubt. Avery, however, looks down the tunnel. “Like you said, we don’t have a clue to what will happen or if we’ll even get back home…” He then glances down at Patamon in his arms. “I think there is a way back, though. There have been other humans here. As long as we search, something will eventually turn up.”

“…You sound happy about that.”

“The Digital World… is more dangerous than back home… probably. But, I just love this freedom. Going where ever, seeing new places. It’s all just amazing. Besides, searching around like this is much better than moping around and regretting not doing anything later.”

“But you’re also scared?”

“Fear just means I have to be careful.”

Lee Ann releases a heavy sigh at his final, carefree, response.

Quick footsteps echoing through the cavern jolt everyone’s attention. Yuki Agumon growls as she places herself between the approaching footsteps and Lee Ann. However, after a few moments, they hear a familiar voice calling out to them. Delight bounces within each word. “Avery! Lee Ann!”

Both Avery and Lee Ann rush forward, saying, “Sylvee!?”

Sylvia leaps forward to hug both off them, one in each arm. “I am overjoyed to see both of you. Truly, I feared neither Wilson nor I would ever leave this place.” She then pulls away to look at them both. “Still, for you to be down here… Did something happen?”

Avery gives a brief summary of the events that lead to them being there, refraining from mentioning Lee Ann’s blunder.

Kudamon speaks from Sylvia’s shoulder. “And then those two also found a way down here.”

Sylvia marches past Avery and Lee Ann. “Come, we must hurry and retrieve the virtue for Wilson. From what you said, those two must have fought their way through that army. There’s no telling what could be happening.”

Lee Ann says, “Sylvee, wait. Are you saying Wilson and Ben are fighting Ogremon and Cyclomon?”

“That is correct. Hence, there is no time to waste.”

Avery says, “There’s nothing down there.”

Sylvia flinches the remark. She continues to face the way she was going, but her head drops. “Are you certain?”

Lee Ann says, “Positive, we checked the whole place, twice.

Sylvia lets out a heavy breath. “I’ve brought us on a fool’s errand...”

Avery says, “This isn’t your fault. More importantly, we need to get back. We might be able to help.”

Sylvia doesn’t respond. Instead, with grit teeth, she continues to berate herself under her breath. “I failed him. He’s going to be so disappointed.”

Kudamon says, “Sylvee, there is no changing the past. Save your regrets for later. Right now, our next course of action is clear.”

Sylvia, however, remains unresponsive.

Lee Ann walks up to her and shakes her shoulders. “Sylvee, get over it. So the virtue isn’t here. Big deal. We all knew coming was a gamble. Right now, we need to get going.”

Sylvia looks up at Lee Ann in shock. Under Lee Ann’s stare, she breathes in and then breathes out. After a few more breaths, she says, “Apologies, you are correct. Let us hurry.” With those words, she turns and takes off down the passage, leading the others back the way she came.

******

Wilson grabs a rock and throws it at the back of Bancho Golemon’s head. Bancho Golemon, punching a dazed Leomon in the face, pulls his swing short just before Leomon’s nose. He then turns around, stares into Wilson’s eyes and says, “You’re just a human.”

“Yeah, how embarrassing. A human landed the first hit on you.”

Bancho Golemon laughs and walks straight up to Wilson. “You know, I’ve been wanting to see what humans are made of for ages.” While Ben scurries off, Wilson stands proud and meets his gaze. Bancho Golemon stares at him, raises his left arm, and thrust his stone drill forward.

“Is this supposed to scare me?” Wilson continues to stare into Bancho Golemon’s eyes. If he tilts his head, even just a millimeter, it will be splattered by Bancho Golemon’s spinning drill. Hoever, instead of doubting, he thrusts forward and punches the glowing orange gem in the mineral Digimon’s abdomen.

Bancho Golemon laughs and says, “Alright then! Better dodge cause I won’t be stopping this ti—” His right hand flies to the side to catch Yukidarumon’s arm mid-punch. With a twist, he hurls the ice-snow Digimon into the approaching Leomon.

As Lee Ann, Avery, and Sylvia join up with Wilson and Ben, Bancho Golemon’s excitement fades. He leaps back with a sigh and says, “Forget it.” He then turns to Wilson, “Come find me if you survive this!”

Bancho Golemon spears his right hand into the ground. From it spreads a crack that widens and moves to cover the walls and ceiling. Leomon, Yukidarumon, and Doragamon lunge forward to stop him, but he knocks him away with his drill arm. The three hit the wall so hard they bounce off and land on the opposite side of Bancho Golemon where they then dedigivolve.

“Hurahh!” Bancho Golemon grunts and the cave shakes. Everyone still standing falls over as the ground rises. At the same time, the ground under his feet shatters and sinks while the ceiling above splits open. With a deafening roar, he hurls a third of the mesa into the sky.

Then, as he, Ogremon, Cyclomon, and various other Digimon fall into the caverns below, he fires a beam from the glowing, orange gem in his abdomen, “Kanshaku Dust!” Everything caught in its path disintegrates into ash.

******

Devimon deletes a piccolomon by crushing it within his black, leather bound, fingers. He then flicks off any bits of data that might remain on his palm and accepts a small golden statue from an evilmon. Upon seeing the sideways “S” like sigil, he narrows his crimson eyes.

“Is that virtue not to your liking?” An alluring and sweet voice calls out to him from behind. He turns around to find Lilithmon behind him. His evilmon are being deleted by Duskmon before they can make sound. Lilithmon continues, “If not, then won’t you allow me?”

Devimon barks out a cold laugh. His evilmon stop trying to remove Lilthmon and Duskmon upon seeing their master isn’t interested in fighting them. Devimon then tosses the virtue to Duskmon with the words, “Who am I to stand in the way of fate?”

Lilithmon hides her smile with her fan. “My, why thank you for your understanding. Do forgive us for… having to have forced our way here.”

Devimon again laughs and speaks with mock understanding, “Why, tis their fault for being weak. However, your heartless army has been in quite the frenzy since we’ve last met.”

Lilithmon brushes aside his inquiry towards her progress. Instead, she says, “You’ve been most generous with me, so I find myself a tad curious. Is there something you seek?”

“Me? I wish for the same as all Digimon in these chaotic times, to find hope.”

How would you rate the character interactions??

 

Good

 

Avery finally decked Lee Ann

 

Yes, I was wondering what kind of personality you gave him, turned out it was this

 

When you describe it like that, you make it sound like he was interested in her.

 

Is he ? you see mate, these below are thot slayers as well, are they intreseted in their 'targets'? maybe they are, but skipped straight to the punching ?

 

In Avery’s defense, he did it unconsciously.

 

I can't say much about the current progress, it just seems like a filler, not much worth mentioning aside from Lee Ann's change of heart
Is there a hidden villain that Devimon plans to overthrow? does Devimon plan to absorb Lilithmon after she uses the relic?
Why is Kudamon yet to digivolve? is it going to take the Kentaurosmon digivolution path or other?
Also lots of errors, that you need to correct

 

I guess it does feel like filler, but it relates to the plot, so it’s not useless~
Nope, nope.
Fufufu, this will be revealed soon~

 

Chapter 8~

So, there is a reason these haven't been edited. This is the first draft and there are a lot of changes that are being made as I write. As such, I want to get it all down first.

Spoiler: Chapter 8

Avery groans as he opens his eyes and sees the underside of a tree. He wants to get up, but his entire body aches. As he takes a breath, he feels a lump on his chest, a warm lump. Glancing down, he greeted by large blue eyes and a smile filled with sharp white teeth on an orange face. A wry smile cross Avery’s face. He recalls the first time they met as he says, “Morning, Patamon.”

“Good morning to you, too. You’re the third one to wake up.”

Avery, not bothering to move, says, “Oh, who beat me to it?”

“First, Wilson. Then, Ben.” Patamon then inches closer to Avery’s ear and hushes his voice. “Although, I think Ben was just pretending to sleep so Wilson could brag about being the first.”

Avery stares at Patamon for a moment before saying, “You… how long have you been awake for?”

Patamon’s smile widens. “I woke up when we were all falling through the sky. It was amazing. Right when I opened my eyes, Dorugamon digivolved again, caught everyone, and brought us all the way out here.”

“You guys can digivolve more than once?”

Patamon tilts his head. “You don’t know? This is my child form. Airdramon is my adult form. After that comes perfect. And before you ask, I’ll find out what that is once I digivolve into it.”

Avery’s head rolls back as he sighs. “In other words, we got really lucky there.” With a chuckle, he adds, “Honestly, I’m surprised no one has died yet.”

Then, while holding Patamon with an arm, Avery grunts as he forces himself to sit up. That is when he notices there is no tall grass. Instead, he is sitting on short, green, grass under tree shade by a river. Sylvia and Lee Ann are nearby with their partners. They are unconscious but appear to be fine.

Avery then forces himself to stand, only to stagger and almost fall over. Once he regains his footing, he takes small steps to climb to the top of the small hill. On the other side, beyond the boundary of the tree, fields of golden tall grass wave with the wind. “This place will never make sense to me…”

“Give it time. You’ll come to love this place before you know it.”

More importantly, however, he doesn’t see the mesa. He doesn’t even see any rubble from when the mountain was flipped into the sky, much less any sethmon, pipismon, pteranomon, and owlmon. “Ben must have carried us out here. Definitely better than being around there.”

“You could say that again. I do not want a round two flying through that swarm.”

That’s when he recalls the beam that was fired at them before passing out. “Who was that Digimon?”

“From what I’ve been able to overhear from Wilson and Ben, his name is Bancho Golemon.”

“Like Bancho Stingmon?”

“I guess? Both of them were wearing jacket capes.”

Avery looks around and spots Wilson and Ben on a nearby hill, one that overlooks the whole area. He makes his way over to them and plops down, much to his body’s relief.

Ben grins and says, “So, you still alive?”

Avery gives a wry smile. His aching body makes him say, “Barely.”

Ben then glances over at Sylvia and Lee Ann. “Well, make yourself comfortable. We’re probably gonna spend a day or two here recovering.”

Wilson says, “Bull, we leave tomorrow morning at the latest.”

Avery, not wanting to deal with Wilson’s attitude, forces himself to get back up. With a, “We’ll figure that out later,” he heads towards the river. A golden line running along the deepest part of the river shimmers underneath the sun.

The water is cool to the touch and from what he can see, the shore is shallow enough to wade through. He kicks of his shoes, removes his sock, and strips of his shirt. Leaving them on the grass, he takes tentative steps into the water and sits, submerging himself up to his neck. The gentle current coupled with the refreshing water soothes his aches. It’s enough that he plunges his head down as well. He then burst back up and laughs. While that laughter is cut short from pain, mirth laces his voice as he says, “This feels great!”

Patamon lands on his head and says, “I didn’t know you like playing in the water.”

“More than playing, I’ve been wanting to wash myself for weeks.” Avery splashes water onto his face and then crawls out to grab his shirt. “Might as well get the sweat out of this too.”

Not long later, while he’s just relaxing, a sharp voice says, “What the hell are you doing?”

Avery turns around to see Lee Ann and Sylvia staring at him. Their partners are on their shoulder and at their side respectively. With complete disregard to her sharp tone, he gives a laidback, “Taking a break.”

He then notes Lee Ann’s expression and gets up. While gathering his now dried socks and shirt, he says, “I doubt any of us can do anything right now, so you guys might as well take a turn too.”

Lee Ann turns to her partner. “Yuki, go with him and make sure none of them peek at us.”

Sylvia, with a wry smile, speaks to her partner. “Kudamon, I would like to ask the same of you. I do not believe Lee Ann will let me refuse this.”

“Damn right, I won’t.” She then grabs Sylvia’s hand and pulls her a bit further down the stream where they soon disappear around a small bank.

Avery then joins up with Wilson and Ben. Ben whistles and says, “Dang, paradise is just around a corner.”

“White Hail!” Yuki Augmon blasts freezing energy at Ben’s feet, turning the ground before him into ice.

Ben raises his arms with a laugh. “Chill, chill… or actually, don’t chill. I’m just saying. Not going anywhere.” He then turns to Wilson and says, “Right?”

Wilson shrugs and says, “It’ll be a lot more satisfying once they finally decide to show me themselves.”

Almost an hour later, with the sun beginning to set, Sylvia and Lee Ann return. Their hair and clothes are somewhat damp, but much cleaner than before. More importantly, both of them breath with a sense of ease and calm.

Wilson sighs out at them in irritation. He then glares at Sylvia and says, “So, did you get it, or did you mess up again?”

Sylvia is taken aback and confused by the sudden accusation. The peace of mind and joy she attained from bathing shatters and her pleasant smile changes into hurt.

Ben, the only one able to find his voice amidst the shock, says, “What are you talking about?”

“Are you stupid or did you forget? Back when Ogremon and Cyclomon found us, she went off on her own. Obviously, she went to get the virtue.” He then turns back to Sylvia, “So, did you mess up or not?”

Sylvia, still hurt, shrinks in on herself and looks away in shame. “My deepest apologies. The virtue had already been claimed.”

“Wasting our— You’re so worthl—” Avery punches Wilson before he can finish. He then drops down kicks and kicks and his legs out from underneath him. Liollmon goes to attack Avery, but both Patamon and Yuki Agumon pin him down.

Lee Ann then kicks Wilson’s side as he’s getting back up. “Shut up! We all knew we might not find anything before going! Hell, the main reason we went there cause you wanted to! Now you’re mad cause it’s not—” Her growl cuts her own words short as she punches Wilson.

Wilson catches her fist and flings her to the side. He then notices Avery ready to attack him again, but walks off with the words, “Forget it. I’m going to sleep. We leave for that town tomorrow morning.”

Avery says, “Yeah, no. I say we use tomorrow to rest up some more.”

Wilson glares at him and says, “Watch it, or I’ll delete your sissy digimon,” before then storming off.

Lee Ann gets up saying, “Pfft, tough words.” She then walks off with Sylvia to help distract her from what happened.

Avery then plops down with a sigh. He glances to Ben and says, “Is it just me, or is he getting worse each day?”

Ben shrugs. “Honestly, I don’t get were he gets it all from. Bancho Golemon creamed us.”

“Is that why you haven’t said anything about Dorugamon digivolving?” Avery chuckles at Ben’s surprise. “Relax, I haven’t said anything to anyone about it. I’m just wondering. Are you keeping it a secret cause you know he’ll flip once he finds out about it?”

Ben sighs, “Got me there. No worries though, if it comes down to it, Dorumon, or I should say, Doruguremon, and I won’t hold back.”

“That’s… honestly, really reassuring to hear.”

Sylvia and Lee Ann soon return with their partners. Avery goes to greet them, but stops upon seeing Sylvia’s expression. She is deep in though. Once everyone is settled down, she asks for everyone’s attention and adds, “There may be a misunderstanding about deleting digimon. Tell me, what do you believe happens after a digimon is deleted.”

Avery recalls all the digimon they’ve delete until then. Each time, they would break into particles of light and vanish. “They turn into digi-eggs, don’t they?”

Kudamon shakes her head. “The truth is a bit more complicated.”

Lee Ann says, “What do you mean?”

“We digimon, for the most part, do turn into digi-eggs upon being deleted due to living to the end of our programing or another reason. However, while deletion doesn’t mean the end for a digimon, it is the end for that digimon.”

Lee Ann gasps as she understands what is being implied. She hugs Yuki Agumon to herself as she say, “You mean… you’re reformated?”

Kudamon nods. “Yes, we digimon are reformated upon being deleted so we may start anew. While exceptions can exist, such requires assistance from forces greater than ourselves.”

Sylvia adds, “Yggdrasil, for example.”

Avery reaches up to rub Patamon who is resting on his head. He then holds him within his arms and leans back, dropping onto the ground. The stars of the Digital World shine brighter and larger than any star he ever saw back home, but all he can think of is how warm Patamon feels.

After a while, Avery breaks the silence and volunteers to take first watch for the night. Lee Ann, however, claims that with everything that happened, she and Sylvia will take it instead. At that, Ben also states that he isn’t sleepy. In the end, all four of them wind up laying on their backs moons gazing.

Avery tilts his head to Patamon who is right beside him and says, “The way those three moons move around themselves is pretty amazing. I honestly keep thinking one of them is going to be hurled out into space.”

Lee Ann, overhearing him, says, “That’s because of gravity. Their pathing is all cause of the way they pull on each other. Actually, this planet is also affecting how they move and being affected in turn. Although, one flying off wouldn’t be that strange if something drastic happens.”

Patamon then says, “The Digital World used to only have one moon.”

Avery rolls onto his side from the surprise of that information and looks at Patamon. “Seriously?”

Patamon nods. “This was before I hatched, but I’ve heard that wavy lights filled the sky and then another moon appeared. Then it happened again and a third moon appeared. After that, I hatched.”

Yuki Agumon says, “I also hatched after the third moon appeared.”

Kudamon says, “The same applies to me.”

Sylvia says, “That is to say, there being three moons in the sky is not normal. Perhaps that is something Yggdrasil also wishes for us to look into.”

Lee Ann says, “Look into whatever. I just want to go home.”

Sylvia says, “I may be mistaken, but perhaps investigating this might result in our returning to Earth?”

Lee Ann jumps into sitting up. Disgust laces her voice as she says, “I am no one's lacky! If that tree wants something done about its moons, it can do it itself after sending us home.”

“She,” then, at Lee Ann’s puzzled glance, Sylvia continues. “Yggdrasil is not an it. Despite being an overseeing of the Digital World, she is considered the goddess of the Digital World for a reason.”

“How do you know… No, forget it. This place just gets weirder and weirder…”

Ben says, “Well, at least we can say the moons are normal. Here I thought this place having three moons was some Digital World thing, but it turns out three is actually wrong.”

“They’re fun to watch, but they’re too bright.” Avery builds off of Ben’s remark as a way to change the flow of the conversation. While he hopes Yggdrasill is alive, he doesn’t intend to demand to be sent home. Instead, he merely wants to be told the method for going home.

******

A sealsdramon wearing a white lab coat stands before a monitor. She presses a few buttons and notes down what appears on the screen. A commandramon then walks up to her, reports his arrival, and waits. Sealsdramon types something into the computer, notes down a few more things, and then turns to the commandramon. She says, “What is Tankdramon’s assessment?”

“The damage she received was massive. From the black box, we’ve determined that the two sistermon were able to weaken her strength to almost half. The rest of the damage occurred from falling off a cliff. The damage from the humans was minimal. We’ve determined that Tankdramon’s battle against the sistermon left her mentally weakened, something the humans were then able to exploit by tricking her into driving off the aforementioned cliff. Honestly, we are all amazing she didn’t end up getting deleted from that. Her returning back to her is nothing short of a miracle.”

Sealsdramon taps her chin with a finger. “A strong will can bring about many opportunities…” After musing to herself a bit more, she turns to the commandramon, “Provide Tankdramon with the utmost care and attention. I want her restored to her absolute best condition. Afterwards, she is to become a candidate for project, BAN-TYO.”

Commandramon freezes at her decision. At Sealsdramon’s cough, he regains his senses and says, “Of course, consider it done. Many of us also believe she might be able to do the impossible and actually survive the treatment.”

“Lord Daemon will be quite pleased if she does. Now, tell me about the humans. What have we been able to uncover so far?”

“As of the present, we’ve had two skirmishes with them. The first was Tankdramon. As mentioned before, she was heavily damaged, both physically and mentally. Regardless, her strength still exceeded that of an average adult Digimon. The tankdramon battalion sortied immediately after Lord Daemon informed us that humans had appeared in the Digital World. The humans could not have been in the Digital World more than a few days, yet three, freshly evolved, adult level, Digimon were able to successfully lead Tankdramon of a cliff. We estimate their growth potential… astronomical.”

Sealsdramon takes a breath. “The human factor when it comes to partnering with Digimon is well noted as being able to create miracles. Still, this only applies to speed of growth and unlocking possibilities. All Digimon, in theory, are capable of achieving the same. If possible, capture a human for study and experimentation.”

“Understood.”

“Now, what of the second… skirmish.”

“A sealsdramon lead a squad of commandramon to surround two female humans while they were battling an ogremon and a cyclomon. The humans were able to use the confusion to escape while the other two Digimon deleted the squad of commandramon.”

“How foolish, that sealsdramon should have let them defeat each other before engaging. I’m embarrassed to be of the same species of Digimon.”

The commandramon continues, “The sealsdramon was able to follow the two female humans and had them mostly defeated. Unfortunately, a surprise attack from above removed him from the battlefield. All that we could really gain from that is that these humans don’t have a firm grasp on tactics. However, we also believe that this weakness will be overcome in time.”

“And what of their present situation?”

“Unfortunately, we lost track of them not long after. The two sistermon from before and a just returned Bancho Stingmon ended up wiping away all our remaining forces we had deployed. We now await for Lord Daemon’s next return so that he may divine their location for us again.”

Sealsdramon clicks her tongue and goes over potential solutions to look into, but she says nothing more on the matter. Instead, she says, “Is there anything else?”

“Yes, I am happy to report that we were able to successfully infuse Dark Area energies into data and vaccine type digimon the same as Lord Daemon himself can. All Digimon, without exception, became viruses. They took on black hues and became much more aggressive than before. Furthermore, those able to digivolve showed that the changes carried on to their followint stages as well. We’ve taken to calling these Digimon the ‘Black’ series.”

“Excellent, Lord Daemon will be pleased.”

******

Ogremon and Cyclomon wade knee deep in freezing water through a dim tunnel illuminated by crystals. They’ve been searching for a way out of the tunnel system for what they guess to be a few days now but have had no luck. So far, they’ve only been able to come across patches of rock and dirt above the water level where they can rest and warm up. For now, all they can do is grit their teeth and plow through the fridged water.

Ogremon points with his bone club. “Looks like another rest area is coming up.”

“Finally, I’m freezing. I’m getting sick and tired of all this water.”

Ogremon sighs and says, “From the perspective of a city planner, these caverns were probably that city’s water source.”

The two climb up onto the dry rock and discover it’s the entrance to a dry cave system. That system is noticeably darker than where they were just walking. Regardless, they proceed deeper inside without a word. Both of them are equally tired of navigating through the bone chilling water. The lower visibility is an easy trade for them to make.

As they walk, Cyclomon continues where they left off. “You make it sound like you expected this to be down here. Are you saying that Digimon knew what he was doing when he threw us down here?”

“That pile of rocks? No clue.” Warmth and longing lace Ogremon’s words as he adds, “As for me, I used to be a city planner. A good one too. I’d wander the land as Goburimon, searching for suitable living spots. The number one thing I’d also look for was water. If dere was no water, or no way to get any, I’d move on. Looking deep underground was only natural. Back when we first discovered dese were tunnels, I figured something like this might be around.”

Cyclomon scoffs as he says, “Well, congratulations. You must be overjoyed at being right.”

“Darn right I am. If these caverns weren’t here, we might have ended up being buried alive. I’m just glad that crazy pile of rocks is gone.”

Cyclomon grows quiet, begrudgingly finding himself agreeing with Ogremon’s statement. After a bit, he says, “So, you really think there’s another way out of this?”

“Probably,” he then points at a broken crystal on the ceiling. “LED crystals are extremely useful. The bigger they are, the more they can illuminate. Sure, they take forever to grow, but that just makes them more valuable. Tell me, you notice anything different between the crystals here and those in the water?”

Cyclomon shrugs, “The ones here are smaller?”

“Exactly, that means these have been harvested. For these to be harvested and not the ones out there, it’s more likely than not that whoever harvested them was able to get the needed amount and left without having to venture in there.”

Cyclomon tenses, “You mean, we might run into someone…”

Ogremon laughs, “Calm down, you pansy. Crystals form really slowly. Seeing deir current sizes, dat all probably happened a few hundred years ago.”

The two them stop upon noticing one particular chamber emitting a bluish green light. With nothing to go on, they head towards it to investigate. The chasm is massive, easily five times their height. Hanging from the ceiling are crystals larger than them.

Cyclomon says, “If those other crystals were harvested, then why were there ignored? This place is a jackpot.”

Ogremon points at a massive monolith in the center of the room. Near the top of it is a silver, hexagon, plaque with a wolf head like silhouette on its center. “I might have spoken too soon. Instead of dose crystals being harvested for some sort of project, whoever dat was might have been trying ta hide dis place instead.”

Cyclomon’s expression flattens. “Yet all these crystals were left behind? Sounds sloppy to me. We wouldn’t have found this place without them.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Who knows where da proper entrance to dis place is. Da way here might just be some sort of pitch-black spiraling maze of death. Heck, whoever left dis here must have had no doubt no one else would ever be able to get here.”

“So, should we go up and get it?”

Ogremon shrugs, sets down his club, and shimmies up the monolith. Upon grabbing the plaque, he leaps back down to Cyclomon. Then, as he examines the plaque, his face twists with doubt and disbelief.

Cyclomon glances from his face, to the plaque, and back. “What, something the matter with that thing?”

“It’s called a digi-memory. Apparently, dere’s eight of dem.”

“Yeah, okay. I’m guessing that… Digi-memory is telling you all that? Anything else?”

“It’s some sort of failsafe for someding called Yggdrasil. Any idea who or what dat is?”

Cyclomon blanches. “You’re joking, right?”

“I know me about Mt. Oronus and the Olympus 12, but I ain’t never heard of no Yggdrasil or any Royal Knights before.”

“Really? What you said is what sounds made up to me.”

“Now, see, to me, dat’s just messed up. Mt. Oronus is the overseer of the Digital World and the Olympus 12 are something like his rebellious lackies.”

“What? No, Lord Yggdrasil is the creator of the Digital World. The Royal Knights are her guardians in protecting the peace.”

“Yeah, dat’s what this Digi-memory is telling me too. Dat she was planted her to see over the Digital World. Maybe dere’s something different on each continent?”

“You came all the way from another continent? Just to get revenge on the humans? Wow, and I thought I was driven.”

A growl laces Ogremon’s tone. “Yeah, that’s right, I braved the net ocean just to avenge Mt. Oronus and the Olympus 12. Humans…they came, erased everyding with dat monstrous Digimon, and left. I was laying dere, slowly deleting. Luckily, I was on Mt. Oronus. In his last moments, he saved me by giving me the last of his power. The world went crazy that day, lights in the sky, corrosion, another moon…”

Ogremon sighs and stares up at the ceiling as he loses himself to his memories. “I learned a few things after that. For starters, he, and probably dis Yggdrasil chick too, ain’t da creators of da Digital World. They’re more like administrators. And humans are da scum messing everyding up.”

“So then,” curiosity laces Cyclomon’s tone as he eyes the Digi-memory. “What exactly is that thing telling you.”

“Nothing much. It mainly details how Imperialdramon Paladin Mode gathered a few guys here and dere like Alphamon, Craniummon, Dukemon, etc, etc. They fought Pharaohmon, restored peace, yada yada. Impreialdramon was deleted, Yggdrasil invited the rest to fight for her, more knights joined, other knights were deleted in duty, and repeat. Although… wait, dat’s interesting, seems like all the new knights are the same as the old ones. Those 12 knights keep desiring justice so much that even after being deleted and reformatting, deir drive pushes them onto the same evolutionary path as before where dey den rejoin the knights. Seems to have been her little secret dough.”

Cyclomon stares at Ogremon. “Hearing… that lack of respect for Lord Yggdrasil… is just weird…”

“Whatever, how I talk about her is no skin off my back. Once I get my vengeance and eliminate the humans, I’m going back home.”

Cyclomon nods and his tone grows heavy. “We will kill all the humans. So, that memory know of a way out, too?”

Ogremon places the Digi-memory on his club while saying, “Nope, not a thing. Looks like we keep walking.”

With a heavy sigh, Cyclomon follows Ogremon into the cave’s depths. After a few more days of wandering around aimlessly, tripping on hiding stone outcroppings, crashing face first into dead ends, and smashing through thin cave walls, they finally come across rays of light.

Cyclomon rushes outside. “Freedom! Finally, the sun! Today, I’m a free mon!”

Ogremon remains calm, but his quick footsteps betray his impatience. Once outside, he too basks in the sun’s glory. He flops back on the lush grass and breathes in the warm, verdant scented, air.

The reprieve is short lived. Booming gunfire echoes across the sky. Ogremon jumps onto his feet and Cyclomon stops frolicking around. Both of their expressions harden into grim stares as they hurry to investigate.

In a rocky valley behind some hills, a large, red, stag beetle is being swarmed by Digimon in white facemasks and wearing rubber suits.

Cyclomon says, “Hey, isn’t that—”

“Fight first! Talk later!” Ogremon raises his bone club over head and leaps into the valley. As he does, the red beetle cries out in fear and pain. The troopmon have him pinned down and are ripping out one of his left arms.

 

So... do you plan to ressurect Moon Millenniummon? are you planning on making Patamon evil at some point ?

 

A millenniummon will be making an appearance, but how’d you make the jump to moon?? You may be focusing on the wrong thing here.

As for Patamon... well, keep reading~

 

Spoiler: Chapter 9

The town is surrounded by a simple fence of tightly lined wooden sticks with a watch tower at every few intervals. The gate, however, is made of stone. The two towers attached at its ends are the same. They are also connected by a bridge that spans the top of the gate. Seeing the the wooden walls with such a gate creates a jarring contrast.

Avery wonders if the entire budget went into construct just the gate and everything else was made using whatever was available. He then notices Digimon watching them from the towers and bridge and scans them. “Terriermon, wormmon, and biyomon.” He then turns to the three Digimon approaching them from front, “Toy agumon.”

Lee Ann, overhearing Avery’s mumbling, turns to her partner, Yuki Agumon. “They do kinda look like you. I can sorta see it if I squint.”

“Doesn’t that mean there isn’t really all that much of a resemblance!?”

The group of toy agumon reach them and the foremost one asks, “Why are you humans here?”

Sylvia steps forward and says, “Please, we mean you no harm. We merely wish to procure passage on a trailmon.”

The toy agumon look them over before turning to discuss amongst themselves. From what Patamon overhears and tells Avery, they talk about where they can stay, how the public might react to human guests, what kind of security might be needed, and so on. The toy agumon from before turns to face everyone and clears her throat. “Very well, you may enter. However, the trailmon has already departed for the day. The next one will be tomorrow at noon. There are hotels near the station. Please find your lodgings there. They’ll have been notified by the time you arrive.”

The toy agumon then escort everyone into a small room behind the gates. Once they all register their names, they are free to explore the city as they wish. Their first course of action is to find their lodgings for the night.

A renamon calls out to them as they find the train station. “You are the humans, yes? I have been awaiting your arrival. This way, please.”

They are lead to a large ranch style house. From what can be judged from the front, it has at least 20 rooms. The entrance is a living room converted into a lobby. The dinning room off on the side is also a literal dinning room, merely expanded by knocking down a wall.

Renamon says, “Please, once I record your names in the ledger, I’ll give you your room keys. Will three rooms be alright with you, or do you prefer individual rooms?”

Avery speaks up first. “We don’t actually have any money…”

Renemon chuckles and says, “Forgive me, I would never even dream of doing such a thing. I would be honored if you could consider this place your home.”

Wilson then says, “Give me a room to myself.”

Renemon doesn’t dawdle and immediately gives him a room key. “Individual rooms are on the left wing.”

Wilson then says to everyone, “You guys can do whatever.” He goes to walk away, but stops to look over Sylvia and Lee Ann. “Although, if you two wanna join me for a night of fun, I could change for something bigg—”

Lee Ann’s face burns red as she cuts him off. “Bastard! Go to hell! I’d rather claw my eyes out!”

Wilson laughs, and with the word, “feisty,” leaves.

Sylvia expression, clouded with confusion at the exchange, turns to Avery. “I have never seen Lee Ann make such an expression before. Were Wilson’s words really something that should garner such fury?”

Avery is taken aback by the innocent question. He swallows, but he finds himself unable to answer. With a light blush on his face, and after a few failed attempts to figure out how to answer, he manages to say, “Lee Ann can… probably… explain this better than me. Just… when you ask her… make sure to do it in, you know, private?”

Sylvia tilts her head, not understanding the problem, but doesn’t say thing more about it.

Ben claps his hands together and breaks the tension setting from Wilson’s parting remark. With a bright smile, he says, “Alright, alright, anyway, moving on.” He then turns to Renamon, “You didn’t get his name, is that alright?”

“Of course, it isn’t any trouble at all. But, if possible, may I hear it from one of you?”

Ben chuckles and says, “Don’t worry about it. That guy was Wilson. We’re Sylvia, Lee Ann, Avery, and finally, yours truly, Ben, Ben Arnold. As for the rooms, we’ll take the doubles.”

Renamon writes down their names with an, “Of course,” and then hands them their keys. “Your rooms will be just up the stairs. They’re right across from each other too for convenience.”

“Thank you, now that’s what I call model service.”

Renamon holds paw to her mouth and feigns embarrassment. “You are much too kind. Dinner is whenever you want. You merely need to come to the dinning room and ask. Please understand and grant us some time to cook it.”

“Of course.”

The four then make their way up the stairs. Once they are outside their rooms, Avery says, “I don’t like this.”

Lee Ann says, “Yeah, my dad always says there is no such thing as a free lunch.”

Ben chuckles and shakes his head. “You guys are over thinking it. This is just like with those burgermon.”

Lee Ann says, “Yeah, and they were utterly afraid of us. We show up and then they specifically choose a place for us to stay? I don’t like it.”

Sylvia nods and says, “Agreed, I recommend we remain vigilant during our stay here.”

Ben laughs and opens the door to the room he’ll be sharing with Avery. “Sure, sure, if that makes you feel better.”

Lee Ann rolls her eyes. She looks at Avery and says, “Talk to him,” before then entering her room with Sylvia.

Avery too enters his room. Once inside, he turns to Ben. “You seriously don’t think there’s anything wrong with this?”

“Oh, there’s a ton wrong with this. I don’t have a clue to what happened, but those other humans mess up, bad. All those attacks we’ve received are proof enough of that. This is just us finally reaping some benefits.”

Avery frowns. “You call this reaping benefits?”

“Yeah, I do. We’re being attack for no reason by practically this whole world. If we finally get some good out of this, I say great.”

“Yeah, for now, maybe.”

“Fine, I get it, I get it. There’s no telling how long we’ll be V.I.P.s, I’ll be ready to throw down whenever. But for now, I’m living it up.”

Avery shrugs out a, “Whatever,” and leaves. If a trap is going to be sprung on them, he refuses to just sit around and wait for it.

Ben’s words flash across Avery’s mind as he steps outside the hotel. As he pauses to ruminate on his suggestion to, “live it up,” Patamon peeks down at him from atop of his head.

Avery reaches up and rubs the top of Patamon’s head. “It’s nothing. I just had an idea.”

He walks off, and after a bit, enters small store. The rock like Digimon, Gottsumon according to his 02, says, “Welcome, always a pleasure to serve a human.”

A wry smile cross Avery’s face at Gottsumon’s forced smile. “Thanks, I just have a few questions. You mind answering?”

With clear, forced, excitement, Gottsumon says, “Again, I would be more than happy to do my utmost for you.”

Avery does his best to not react to Gottsumon’s behavior. Instead, he asks a lead in question to what he wants to know, “Are humans called to the digital world often?”

“Yes, in times of crisis, crisis that can’t be resolved by the Digital World, humans are called over to provide their wonderful guidance.”

Avery nods, noting that although embellished, the information matches what their Digimon partners have been able to tell them. “Can you give an example to some of those crises?”

Gottsumon closes his eyes as he falls deep into thought. “Most of those have become myths lost to time. Honestly, I really only know of the Demon Beast.”

Avery offers Gottsumon a reassuring smile. “One is more than I’m starting out with.”

Gottsumon gives Avery a strange look filled with doubt and uncertainty, but soon clears his throat. “This happened ages ago, so long that not even the remaining Royal Knights were around for it, but legend goes that an impossible Digimon, someone that was both holy and evil at the same time appeared. This unknown Digimon was beautiful beyond words, or so it’s been said, but her allure was all for the Demon Beast she heralded. Those she bewitched became her arms and legs with which she warred against the Digital World. We fought back, of course, and we were even winning, but then she succeeded. She summoned her master.”

Avery recalls Bancho Stingmon and Bancho Golemon and how impossibly strong they were. Unable to fathom how anything could be stronger than them, he says, “Would one digimon really make that much of a difference?”

Gottumon chuckles, but quickly stops as fear flashes across his face. With a serious tone, he says, “One digimon can always make a difference, but this digimon had an army. And with him came an endless flood, one that grew bigger as more of us joined their ranks. According to the seers, the Digital World was going to fall.

“Lord Yggdrasil, as a last resort, called nine virtuous humans who would never be corrupted by that Demon Beast’s evil. They were our last hope, and together, they changed the Digital World’s fate. No one really knows what happened afterwards. The Digimon and humans just vanished. Some say they become the very virtues they represented. Others say that they became fate itself. Others, still, say that the two most powerful were honored by Lord Yggdrasil and even now serve as her guardians. And then others say there were never any huma—” Gottsumon clears his throat, realizing what he’s about to say to Avery, a human.

Avery thinks over Gottsumon’s story for a bit. “So, you have no idea what happened to the humans afterwards.”

Gottsumon shakes his head and bows. Panic laces his voice as he cries out. “My deepest apologies. I truly don’t know.”

Avery is thrown off by Gottsumon’s apology and gets flustered. “Woah, woah, that’s fine, that’s fine. Not a big deal.” He only calms down once Gottsumon raises his head. Afterwards, he asks about something else that stood out to him, “What are those virtues you mentioned.”

Gottsumon’s eyes widen at Avery’s inquiry. Clear hesitation flashes across his face over answering, but in the end, he grimaces out of despair. With pain lacing every word, he says “According to the legends, they’re the virtues of each human made real. To find and wield one would be to fight with that human’s power.”

Avery wants to continue asking more questions, but no longer feels comfortable doing so. Suppress his sigh, he thanks Gottsumon for his time and leaves the store.

Once outside, Patamon says, “That was a pretty interesting story. I really hope we have a much nicer and cleaner ending, though.”

“Yeah, me, too. At least now we have an ide— another human!?” Avery then runs after what seems to be a young girl in a white dress, wearing a large, fluffy, pink bunny, veil.

The girl, hearing them turns around and goes wide eyed. She gasps as she says, “A human?” She then rushes up to Avery and shakes his hands with a wide smile. “What an honor to finally meet a real human!”

Avery is taken aback by her remark at first, but then sees her eyes. Ignoring the impossible silver color, her pupils are crosses. Even though she looks to be a girl no more than twelve, he says, “You’re a… Digimon?”

The girl covers her mouth as she giggles. She then curtseys and says, “Yes, I am Sistermon Blanc. No worries, though. A lot of Digimon confuse me for being human at first, too. Anyway, just call me Blanc.”

Avery is taken aback by her friendliness at first, but then says, “I’m Avery. Sounds like you’ve had it rough.”

Blanc sighs and glances to the side. “Yeah, Noir and I still get attacked every now and then. Although, it’s probably nowhere as bad as it must be for you. They realize pretty quick we’re Digimon after a few attacks and stop.”

Avery chuckles and says, “Yeah, we… Patamon and I get attacked, we fight them off, they run away, and then they attack again. But, to be attacked like that, do you travel around a lot?”

A sly grin crossed Blanc’s face. “You want to know about the Digital World?” She then takes Avery’s hand and drags him along before he can answer. “You have to play with me first.”

Avery tries to break free of Blanc’s hold, but her overwhelming strength makes that impossible. He’s shocked at first, but quickly gets over it upon recalling she is a Digimon, one who only happens to look very human.

Blanc drags Avery to a nearby park where she plops down on a swing. With both hands gripping the swing’s chains, she sits with her back straight and her head held high with expectation.

Avery stares at her and says, “This is what you want?”

Blanc looks over her shoulder with a pout. “No one ever wants to push me. Gankoomon always barks, ‘Learn to push yourself!’ and Noir makes me push her with the promise that she’ll push me later, but then never does.”

Avery sighs, places his hands on her back, and gives a gentle pushes. Playtime is a cheap price to pay for information.

Glee fills Blanc’s face. She kicks out her legs with the forward swing and brings them back on the return. As Avery catches her and pushes again, she says, “So, what is it you want to know.”

“Well, for one, why are you so chipper? Just about every other Digimon I’ve seen either hates or fears humans.”

“Me being happy to finally meet a human is bad? Hey, I want to go higher.”

Avery catches Blanc and pushes her harder. “Not bad, just… strange. Other than Patamon, I never thought a Digimon would be happy to see a human.”

Blanc giggles and says, “I guess that makes sense. Maybe it’s cause Noir and I keep getting confused for humans, but the way I see it, Digimon and humans aren’t that different. There are bad Digimon out there, so that last group of humans were probably just a batch of bad humans.”

Avery continues to push Blanc as he says, “Do you know anything about those previous humans?”

Blanc shakes her head as she continues to be pushed. “I never met them. They were before mine and even Noir’s time, but Gankoomon told us about them. The way he described it; the humans Lord Yggdrasil summoned to fight the Four Great Demon Lords were vipers. They bid their time, worked with the Royal Knights to get stronger, and then showed their true faces right when the Royal Knights were at their weakest. All that happens now is because of their machinations. Still, this was ages ago. No has seen them since.”

Avery catches Blanc, but he doesn’t push her again. Blanc looks back at him to inquire why. Avery’s lip curls with disgust as he says, “In other words… we’re just clean up?”

Blanc gets up and saying, “Maybe? Clean up or not, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve wanted to meet a human since forever and now I have.” She then hugs him tight, squeezing the air out of his body as she adds, “And, you also pushed me on the swing.”

She then releases Avery and he stumbles, but he refuses to fall over. Then, as he is catching his breath, she says, “Still, you and Patamon are going to be busy.”

Avery shrugs and says, “Well, what else is new?”

“Say, how about I give you some advice?”

“I’m listening.”

Blanc then takes Avery’s hand and drags him to a speaker tube. She tells him to wait there and runs off to another one. The words, “Can you hear me?” ring out.

Avery glances towards Blanc and sees that she’s staring at him, her eyes shining with anticipation. He moves his mouth close to the speaker and says, “Nope, can’t hear a word.”

Blanc is shock and quickly speaks back through the tube. “Really? You can’t hear a thing!?”

“Seriously, nothing you’re saying is coming through.”

“Really, not a thing.”

“No way!?” It’s then Blanc realizes she and Avery are holding a conversation. With a pout, she says, “You meanie!”

Avery laughs and says, “You’ve only got yourself to blame.”

Blanc clicks her tongue, but says, “So, like I was saying, it’s important to eat food while in the Digital World. Although it’s true that it isn’t required, that’s more the case for Digimon who live peaceful lives. Fighting and digivolving use up a lot of energy, and for someone like you who probably never knows when he’s going to be in a fight, keeping your energy up should be a priority.”

“That is good advice, thanks.”

Blanc giggles and says, “Here’s some more advice. Digivolving gets easier the more you do it. Once a Digimon gets used to doing it, they won’t expand as much energy for it and will be able to maintain it for longer. Eating before Digivolving also helps maintain a longer digivolution. Now, one last thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Make sure to eat plenty tonight. Also, don’t go to sleep.”

Avery’s head flicks towards Blanc, but she’s already gone. He looks up to Patamon and says, “That was unexpected.”

“She’s a good mon.”

Avery then sets off to continue exploring the town.

******

Sistermon Blanc hops from one jagged rocky outcrop to the next as she makes her way up a lush cliff side. Midway up, she stops to look back at the town.

Sistermon Noir’s voice carries over from the side. “So, how was it? You meet them?”

Sistermon Blanc jumps and loses her footing, and teetering off the narrow outcrop she was balancing on. Just as she falls, she thrusts her trident into the rock face and dangles from it by her arms. With a pout, she shouts at her older sister. “Don’t surprise me like that!”

Sistermon Noir chuckles. With a wry tone, she says, “Right, cause heading into town was no problem at all. Gankoomon totally okayed that and absolutely never said, ‘Don’t talk to them at all costs!’”

Sistermon Blanc groans and says, “I really wanted to meet them. And it’s not like I said anything important. Just a small warning, honest.”

Sistermon Noir leans back against the cliff wall and draws out one of her cross shaped pistols. She spins it around her finger and, with a breath, sends a sharp glare off towards some unseen enemy. “Well, not like we’re gonna be able to bail them out of this one.”

“You make it sounds like we actually did something with last one.”

“Hey!” Sistermon Noir flinches on herself. “They totally had that under control.”

“Says you.” Sistermon Blanc gives her sister the sweetest smile she can as she adds, “You were totally panicking about how Bancho Golemon was going to kill them.”

“Don’t make me come down there.”

Sistermon Blanc flinches. After a moment of silence passes, she speaks out with a meek voice. “So, this’ll be our secret?”

A playful smirk cross Sistermon Noir’s face as she says, “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

Sistermon Blanc, still dangling from her trident, giggles.

“So, what were they like?”

******

Avery stands up from his bed to drive away his drowsiness. Using the faint light entering from around the window blinds, he walks to the table to get a drink of water.

Lee Ann speaks up from Ben’s bed. She sits at its foot, using Yuki Agumon as a chin rest while also hugging the white dinosaur to herself. “Are you sure they’re attacking tonight?”

“Gathering up in here to wait was your idea.”

Sylvia then speaks from Avery’s bed. “Please, we’ve been over this. With us leaving on a trailmon tomorrow, at night when we’re sleep is their best opportunity.”

Lee Ann says, “Yeah, but that sistermon could have been a reverse trap. She could have said all that just so we stay up all night and tire ourselves out before the actual attack.”

Avery says, “If you want to go to sleep, then sleep. We’ll wake you once something happens.”

Lee Ann says, “That’s a horrible idea and you know it.”

Ben says from his bed, “Then why are you complaining…?”

Lee Ann turns her face without answering.

Avery sighs and says, “Just get up and stretch if you’re feeling sleepy.”

“I am not sleepy.”

Avery then glances to the clock on his digivice. After a few more minutes, the time will read two in the morning. He then says to Ben, “So, did Wilson ever respond?”

Ben clicks his tongue. His tone drops as he says, “Yeah, he said that if we were feeling scared, then Sylvia and Lee Ann could join him in his room instead.”

Sylvia blushes at the remark, now understanding the nuance behind it.

Lee Ann says, “What’s with his attitude? He’s been devolving from a stuck-up prick to whatever this is ever since he came to this world. What, just cause there are no laws here, he can do whatever he wants?”

Avery turns to Patamon who is lounging on a pillow. Patamon stretches his ears and says, “It’s true though. For the most part, might is right. Things are a bit stricter in towns like this though.”

Avery throws himself back on his bed with a sigh and stares at the ceiling. “So, what? Does that make us idiots for still caring then?”

Sylvia shakes her head. “I disagree with that notion. While it may appear true that there is no reason or merit for civility here, conducting yourself with chivalry allows for the harmony of the world to prosper. I am certain Wilson will soon come to understand such as well.”

Lee Ann says, “Yeah, I’m not getting my hopes up.”

Ben says, “I agree with Sylvee. He’ll come around once reality comes knocking.”

Sylvia makes a face at Ben’s approval. However, due to the dim lighting, only Avery who is close to her can somewhat make out that she is bothered by his words.

As silence begins to once more fall upon them, Lee Ann says, “So, you’re positive it’s tonight?”

Avery turns to her and says, “If your that afraid of falling as sleep, then just take a shower or something?”
“And risk being attacked naked!? No, thank you. Unlike you, I still have a sense of decency.”

Avery clicks his tongue. “It’s been days since I last had a shower. Besides, it wasn’t like they were going to attack us right then and there.”

“Say’s you. Them not attacking then and there was nothing more than a lucky guess.”

Ben says, “Yeah, assuming they actually are going to attack us that is.”

Lee Ann snaps at him, “You’re just saying that cause you also want to take a shower.”

“Just cause I want to take a shower doesn’t mean I’m crazy enough to risk taking one. Will and Avery can fight over that throne all on their own.”

Avery just chuckles and says, “Your loss.”

Their exchange continues and an hour passes. As Avery goes to sit up to stretch, Patamon jumps onto his feet and points his ears to the window. “A lot of Digimon are gathering around outside.”

Avery goes to ask what is being said outside, but Patamon jolts. Avery grabs his partner and throws himself at Sylvia. As he pushes her off the bed and onto the floor, he cries out at the top of his lungs. “Get down!”

Lee Ann and Been instinctively throw themselves of their bed as well. Avery’s hand meanwhile moves to the back of Sylvia’s head to cushion the impact against the floor.

Exactly at the same time, the wall facing outside explodes in on them. A golden sickle bursts into the room and tears through the beds, raining down wood and glass all over everyone. Other explosions shake the building as they echo through the night.

The jingling sound of a chain rings out and the sickle flies back and out the room. At the same time, Patamon lunges towards the opening in the wall, glowing as he cries out, “Shinka!”

Airdramon rams his head against a reaper like Digimon wearing a red hood just as the Digimon catches the golden sickle. Yukidarumon and Dorugamon also leap out of the room and retaliate against the Digimon gathered below.

Lee Ann, upon seeing the amount of Digimon outside, looks back at the door. Even though it’s being barricaded with the beds they snuck in from the other room, it won’t mean much against them.

Sylvia grips Lee Ann’s hand and says, “Do not worry. We merely need to be quick about this.”

Avery then says, “Might not be so easy.” He looks up from his digivice and glares at the Digimon just as Airdramon is hurled aside. “Fantomon, perfect, ghost, virus.”

Fantomon looks down at the four gathered by the hole he made and tisks. “Looks like you were expecting us. Well, no matter. Diabolic Star!” He then hurls the ball at the opposite end of his chain at Yukidarumon. The strike sends the ice-snow Digimon flying.

Lee Ann watches in horror as her partner crashes into a nearby building and is swarmed by the nearby bear digimon. “Yuki!”

Airdramon flies to the rescue and scatters the attacking Digimon with a flaming, “God Tornado!” Just as Airdramon begins getting pushed back, Yukidarumon leaps and intercepts a pouncing Digimon with, “Absolute Zero Punch!”

Lee Ann breathes out in relief at the sight. Her gaze then returns to Fantomon and her expression hardens. The reaper isn’t paying them any mind. His focus is on their partners, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike at them off guard. Seeing him makes Lee Ann grit her teeth.

Ben clasps her shoulder. “Relax, we still got this. Perfect means weaker than Bancho Golemon and Bancho Stingmon.”

Lee Ann, irritated by his attitude, flings off his hand. “Those two obviously held back on us.”

Ben just smirks and turns to his partner. Just as his digivice begins to glow, he says, “Dorugamon!”

Dorugamon explodes with light at the words, “Chou shinka!”

Ben then leaps from the hole and lands on his partner’s back just as the glow begins to fade. Beneath him is a dragon with a snow white mane yet covered in crimson fur. “Let’s do it, Doruguremon!”

Doruguremon spreads its four silver wings and takes to the air. The golden rings on them jingle with each flap. In an instant, he is thrusting the horn on his snout at Fantomon.

Fantomon floats back and catches the strike with the rod section of his sickle. With a grunt, he flicks away the charging beast dragon and conjures a dark magic circle, “Death Sentence!” A skull then emerges from the circle and spews a black fog at Doruguremon from its mouth.

Doruguremon, however, clears the fog away with a few flaps of its wings. Wilson shouts from his partner’s back. “You gotta do better than that!” Doruguremon then winds back his head and flings it forward, hurling an iron ball at Fantomon with the roar, “Metal Meteor!”

Fantomon goes to dodge, but the attack is faster. All he can do is grunt as he braces against it with his sickle. Doruguremon uses the opening to get closer. Fantomon tries to intercept with the skull, but it shatters as Yukidarumon hurls through it with her fist.

Ben laughs out, fist pumping as he says, “Alright, teamwork!”

Doruguremon thrusts his horn at Fantomon’s face. Fantomon avoids it by turning his head, but horn was only a distraction. Doruguremon’s tail loops around and skewers Fantomon from the side with its golden spike, “Bloody Tower!”

Fantomon cries out as the spike thrusts him aside, but at the same time, he swings his sickle around and jams it into Doruguremon’s tail. All the momentum from the attack returns to rip open the Digimon’s tail.

Doruguremon tenses as he cries out in pain, his wings unfurling and freezing in place. Fantomon, with a pained grunt, hurls the mace at the end of his chain at the falling beast dragon, “Diabolic Star!”

The mace smacks Doruguremon in the face with a loud crack. The crimson dragon twirls in the air and piledrives face first into the ground.

Fantomon yanks the chain to bring back the mace and twirls his sickle. He flings it at Doruguremon but is chomped from behind by Airdramon. At the same time, a metal ball from Doruguremon flies up and smacks the sickle. As a result, the attacks goes array and flies into an empty hotel room, shaking the building.

“Avery!” Sylvia, noticing a big rock from another digimon attack flying towards them, dives into the boy to shove him aside. The rock, however, slams into the back of her shoulder with a wet cracking sound.

Avery catches Sylvia as she cries out in pain. Then, as she collapses on him, they both fall against the wooden floor.

“Sylvie!” Kudamon scurries to her partner’s side as she moan in pain. “Sylvie, I am here for you! Sylvie!”

Avery eases off of himself and onto the floor. Then, as he goes to get a pillow for her head, she pinches the hem of his shirt. With grit teeth, she forces herself to say between heavy breaths, “I- I am… fine.”

Lee Ann drops down beside Sylvia. “No, not in the slightest! You’re shoulder is obviously dislocated.”

Sylvia, her face pale even under the moonlight, grits her teeth and tries to sit up. Lee Ann growls and holds her down, saying, “I just said your shoulder is dislocated! Don’t move!”

Sylvia’s eyes wince shut. She soon opens them and glares at Lee Ann. “There… is no… time… for this!” The hotel then shakes and creaks as it’s rocked by another explosion as if to emphasis her point.

Avery glances from her bulging shoulder to towards the battle outside. Ben and Doruguremon are currently distracted by why resembles to be three stumps and four red peppers, leaving Fantomon free to hook Airdramon with his sickle and slam him into Yukidarumon.

He then looks from the gathered digimon surrounding them to the barricaded door. If those digimon really wanted to, their barricade wouldn’t last 7 seconds.

Avery, with a click of his tongue, turns back to injured girl. His words are quick, “Sylvee, do you trust me?”

He ignores how everyone else looks at him with doubt. All he focuses on is the determination Sylvia’s eyes as he adds, “This is going to hurt.”

Lee Ann begins to say, “Avery, what are you-”, but Sylvia nodding is more important.

He takes a deep breath, grabs Sylvia’s dislocated arm just above her elbow while also bracing a hand upon her clavicle, and shoves the joint back in place with a stomach churning pop.

“You brute!” Lee Ann tackles Avery off of Sylvia. “The hell are you thinking! This needs proper medical treatment! Not stupid-” Most of her words, however, are drowned out by Sylvia’s shrill scream.

Sylvia, having reflexively curled into a ball, cries as she grips her shoulder. Kudamon calls out to her as she grips her hand, but she can’t hear her over the pain. Only after screaming her voice horse for half of a minute does she calm down enough to remember their situation. Realizing that she can move her arm again, she goes to stand, but is once more stopped by Lee Ann.

Avery grabs Lee Ann’s should to pull her back with the words, “We don’t have time for this!” He then takes loops his hand underneath Sylvia’s good arm to support her from her back and helps her onto her feet.

Sylvia, despite her heavy breathing, gives a brief, “Thanks…” Then, while leaning against Avery, returns her focus to the battle outside. She grits her teeth from both pain and frustrations as she watches Fantomon swing the ball at the end of his chain into Airdramon’s armored head. Yukidarumon uses that opening to attack Fantomon from behind, but Fantomon circles around her and slashes his sickle down her back.

Sylvia, mortified at how she and Kudamon can only watch, soon forgets her pain as she grabs the digivice on her forearm. She presses all the buttons she can, but it refuses to glow with the light of digivolution.

******

“Bear Claw!”

“Lion King!” Leomon meets Waru Monzaemon clawed gauntlet with his sword. He slides the blade between two claws, and with a roar, redirects the swing into merely swiping against the hairs on his chest.

Wilson, standing behind Leomon inside his room, rejoices at the opening. Leomon leaps forward and punches Waru Monzaemon in the face. At the same time his fist connects, he releases a, “Beast King Fist!”

Wilson roars in joy and vents his frustration. “That’s what you get, you worthless bear! I could’ve been living it up, but no! Cause of you, those stupid girls got too scared to leave their room!”

Leomon unleashes a barrage of punches on Waru Monzaemon. The puppet Digimon, still off balanced from the previous attack, covers his face with his paws, but is still forced back.

“That’s right, Leomon! No mercy! Rip him open! That’s what he gets!”

Leomon’s punches grow stronger and heavier with each word.

“Kill this bear! First, he ruined my night fun! Now, just when my dream was getting good, he woke me up! Rip off his face!”

Then, as Leomon reaches for Waru Monzaemon’s head, the puppet Digimon throws himself back, “Nasty Step!” Leomon’s missed grab leaves him over reaching, off balance, and unable to defend himself from the eerie light shot from the pale yellow eye looking out between the stitches on Waru Monzaemon’s stomach.

Wilson clicks his tongue as Leomon flies through one of the room’s walls. He grabs the lamp and hurls it at Waru Monzaemon. It slips through and smacks the pale yellow eye dead on.

Waru Monzaemon roars out in pain and lunges for Wilson. The puppet Digimon slams down on bed, but Wilson had already moved out of the way. Then, instead of running, he grabs a broken piece of wood and jams it at the neckless gap between Waru Monzaemon’s head and torso.

“Stupid bear, you worthless stupid bear!” Wilson pulls back, and jams the piece of wood forward again and again. Each of his stabs is done with more fervor than the previous as he continues, “I’ll rip off your head myself!” Yet, despite his assault, his arms lack the strength to cause any harm to Waru Monzaemon. To his growing frustration, he may as well just be rubbing the digimon’s neck.

Waru Monzaemon grabs Wilson between his paws and growls. “Arrogant brat. That was just a lucky hit!” He then opens his maw. The stitches holding it shut snap one at a time as it widens, one strand cutting Wilson’s cheek as it whips him across the face.

Wilson’s eyes widen with fear as his head is then placed within the maw where a heavy pungent stench blows against his face. He flails kicks against the puppet Digimon’s head in a struggle to break free, but it’s like hitting a pillow. His blows are harmlessly absorbed by Waru Monzaemon’s body.

Waru Monzaemon’s head lurches forward. Wilson screams out as close to half his body is thrust inside, not from fear and regret, but from a burning frustration. “Damn it! I’ll kill you! I swear, I will kill you!”

The crunching of Wilson’s bones as blood splatters from his bursting body doesn’t happen. He is instead hurled away as Waru Monzaemon is sent flying back and out of the room.

Wilson slowly becomes aware of a buzz saw like ring filling his ears. It’s then he realizes he’s being lowered onto the ground. Whatever is holding him is metallic, but vibrates with a warm and gentle glow. A grin fills his face as he stands, instinctively realizing what must have happened.

He takes in his partner’s new, white armor clad, form and says, “So, what do I call you?”

The turbines on the lion man’s forearms revolve with spirit as he says, “Grapple Leomon.”

Wilson turns to Waru Monzaemon who is clambering back into his room and says, “He dies.”

Grapple Leomon darts forward at those words. Waru Monzaemon slashes at him with, “Bear Claw!”, but the lion man is too quick. He slips underneath the attack and leaps at the puppet’s face. Roaring as the king of beasts, the turbine on his arm burns red as he punches forward, “Lion Beast Wave Slash!”

The attack plunges straight into Waru Monzaemon’s snout and he’s against sent flying into the hall. Grapple Leomon springs forward as he lands, this time unleashing a barrage of kicks, “Whirlwind Turbine Kick!”

The final kick once more sends Waru Monzaemon flying back, this time down the open hallway and into the lobby. The puppet thrusts his arm forward as he sits back up. Grapple Leomon leaps up over the claw and flips onto the ceiling where he then spring dives forward with another punch.

Waru Monzaemon upper cuts with his gauntlet, “Custom Claw!” His claw swells in size, swiping lion man from the air as it stabs into him by surprise. With a grunt, the puppet then hurls him through the hotel’s front door.

Grapple Leomon covers his face as he smashes through the wooden wall. Despite the wound in his stomach, he moves to land with a roll, but instead finds himself being caught out of the air by an orange monkey.

The orange monkey cries out as he flips Grapple Leomon upside down, wraps his legs around the lion man’s neck, and pile drives him head first into the ground. He then leaps off with a monkey like laugh while saying, “And ol’ Monz said he wouldn’t need ol’ Etemon’s help.” Adopting the tone of a radio announcer, he thumps his chest as he adds, “Well, good thing I said I’d be waiting here, just in case. After wall, we’re two peas in a pod. We go all the way back to when the great santa— Say, are you listening to me?”

Then, as Grapple Leomon struggles onto all fours, Etemon punts him towards a group of platinum colored digimon. “Yo, Platinum Scu, heads up.” Then, with a gorilla like roar, he runs forward while pounding his chest. “Listen up y’all, Etemon is joining the battle!”

Etemon leaps and with a, “Geronimo!” lands on Airdramon’s back. He then grips the serpent’s horns and yanks his head upward, while saying, “Hey, where’s my mid-flight snack! The is the worst! I want mah money back!”

He then stands up, and with an overhead punch that puts all of his bulging muscles into it, pummels Airdramon into Doruguremon who’s right below him. The two digimon are sent tumbling into a group of giant tarantulas.

Etemon lands on a roof top and laughs so hard at his handy work, he’s clutching his sides. Fantomon appears behind him and says, “You fool! I had him, but you let him get away!”

Etemon smacks Fantomon aside and says, “Aw, shut up. I’m here to help ol’ Monz tussle, not listen to you whine.”

“For once, listen to me you oaf. Your help is making things worse!” Fantomon then vanishes with the words, “Go home and take nap if you want to help.”

Etemon puts his hands to his mouth and bellows as loud as he can. “Yeah, well, you’re just a dirty gym rag!” He then leaps onto the ground, hoists Yukidarumon over head and cries out to anyone who is listening, “Say, any of you guys got chocolate syrup and strawberries? I’ve got a mad craving for a slushy! No? No one! Well, phooey.” He then tosses the snowman into a tree.

*****

“Etemon, perfect, puppet, virus…” Avery trails off upon reading off the information on the new digimon presented to him by his digivice. He glances up at the Fantomon watching from above and says, “Yeah, cause just one easy enough.

Sylvia trembles with frustration as she again grips her digivice.

Lee Ann glances towards the lion man who had burst from the hotel earlier. He is currently being covered in a sort of silvery goo. Near him she finds Wilson and Ben trying to wrestle off the shiny digimon bombarding the lion man. That’s when she notices an evil looking teddy bear closing in on them from behind. “Wilson, Ben, behind you!”

They don’t respond.

She again tries, “Ben, Wilson, turn around!”

Once more, they do not respond.

“Damn it, they can’t hear me!”

Kudamon then springs out of the hotel room, saying, “Leave it to me!” The white ferret scurries to the ground and slips between the legs off all the larger digimon busy trying to overwhelm Airdramon, Yukidarumon, and Doruguremon.

Kudamon leaps onto Waru Monzaemon’s leg and scampers up the back his body. The puppet shakes around as he tries to swat her away, but he isn’t nibble enough to catch her. In the end, the smaller digimon gets on the patch reading, 悪, on Waru Monzaemon’s arm and slips underneath its stitchings.

Waru Monzaemon punches his arm in an attempt to hit the invader, but ends up hurting himself more than Kudamon could. As he growls out in frustration, a platinum cover kicked empowered by a raging turbine twerks his head around.

Grapple Leomon, finally free of the Platinum Skumon, roars out as he follows up on his attack. “Lion Beast Wave Slash!”

Waru Monzaemon is protects himself by holding up his gauntlet, but is still forced to take a few steps back at the relentless assault. Grapple Leomon goes for a, “Whirlwind Turbine Kick!”, but his attack is stopped just before Waru Monzaemon’s chin.

The turbine one Grapple Leomon’s leg crushed into a stop by an orange hand and its roaring whirl dies out with a pathetic whine. Etemon yanks Grapple Leomon by his leg and slams him through a tree.

The monkey snorts and says, “No one, and I mean no one, wails on ol’ Monz.” He then swings the lion man over head and bashes him against the ground. The impact is so strong, an imprint forms and nearby trees rustle. “Not as long as ol’ Etemon is watching his back!”

Waru Monzaemon, with a, “Thanks,” raises his claw and stabs it into Grapple Leomon’s stomach, “Bear Claw!”

*****

Kudamon gnaws at what she can within Waru Monzaemon. She knows it doesn’t do much, if anything at all, but prays her actions will help with buying even half a second of time. Now that she finally has the opportunity, she is desperate to contribute what she can. Then, feeling a shiver go up her back, she stops everything and rolls to the side.

She can’t see it, but senses a foul malice tainting the area she was just occupying. Then, upon turning her head, see discovers a glowing yellow eye staring at her from deeper inside Waru Monzaemon’s body. “Seems like this will be more straightforward than I anticipated.”

They eye shines brighter and Kudamon dives through the cotton stuffing of Waru Monzaemon’s body. She didn’t see anything come from the eye, but once more feels a foul malice radiating from where she once stood.

Kudamon scurries and swims through the cotton, using it as cover to both hide from the eye and shield herself from its attacks. Her plan to loop around behind the eye is short lived as what feels like lightning shoots up her tail.

The eye charges Kudamon as she spasms from pain. Kudamon squirms as she tries to swim away, but the shock has left her too slow. The eye slams into Kudamon and rams her against the inside of Waru Monzaemon’s fabric skin. Tendrils then reach out from behind the eye and stab into the ferret.

Kudamon cries out as she feels herself being eroded from the inside. However, instead of trying to break free, she lunges at the eye, determined to fight. The markings on her back glow and a white light shoots out from her mouth, “Holy Shot!”

The eye wreathes back as the shining ray hits it dead center in the pupil. Kudamon snaps the tendrils from her body and leaps. With a small flip, she whacks her tail down on the eye, “Bullet Whirlwind!”

The eye roars out and glows brighter than before. Kudamon dives behind a layer cotton, but it disintegrates to the invisible attack. She quickly tries wrapping her tail around herself, but it makes no difference.

Everything surrounding the eye is scorched. Kudamon, too, lays moaning on a pile of cotton. The word, “Sylvie,” escapes her lips as she tries her best to move. Above her, the eye thrusts out once more with its tendrils.

*****

With Doruguremon keeping Fantomon busy, Airdramon surprise dive bombs onto Waru Monzaemon to help even the odds for Grapple Leomon. Etemon jumps in the way, catches him, and hurls him towards a giant spider web.

Yukidarumon uses that opening to slam her fist into Etemon’s back, “Absolute Zero Punch!” She then punches again with her left arm, followed by her right, and then left again. Then, as she goes for a fifth punch, Etemon’s hand flies behind himself and catches her fist. She tries to pull it free, but her hand won’t budge.

Etemon speaks without turn around. “Ya know, I was always told not to eat food if it falls onto the ground.” He then leaps with a spin kick to Yukidarumon’s head. As she goes soaring to the side, he adds, “But as long as you get up before five seconds are up, it’s all good!”

Waru Monzeamon, meanwhile, deflects one of Grapple Leomon’s punches. Grapple Leomon grabs the large arm that was used to deflect his punch with his free hand and hoists himself towards the stuffed bear. He jerks his head forward and headbutts Waru Monzaemon.

The ground cracks underneath Waru Monzaemon’s feet from the impact, but he pushes his head forward and sends the headbutt back towards Grapple Leomon. As the lion man’s head snaps back, the stuffed bear leaps and bodyslams him into the ground.

Grapple Leomon is crushed underneath Waru Monzaemon. Wilson grits his teeth at the sight and says, “Get up, Grapple Leomon! You’re not seriously going to loose like this, are you?”

Waru Monzaemon laughs, makes a face at Wilson, and rolls around. Wilson, refusing to be mocked, picks up a broken piece of wood and charges the stuffed bear. Waru Monzaemon slaps him aside without bothering to get up and laughs. Then, slapping Wilson onto the ground as he is getting back up, he says, “Thinking about you, my snack was interrupted earlier.”

He reaches for him with his gauntlet, but his claw rips across his arm instead of skewering his shoulder. Wilson staggers from the pain, but he doesn’t back away. Instead, he stares back are Waru Monzaemon, daring him try again.

Waru Monzaemon swings, but his aim is once more off. His claw merely brushes against Wilson’s cheek.

“Pathetic, you’re such a worthless fathead you can’t even aim right!”

Waru Monzaemon screeches with the sound of nails on glass, ready to pounce on Wilson, but loses balance upon trying to get up. It’s then that a faint buzzsaw like sound can be heard humming to life. Now that they hear it, it grows louder with each pass moment.

Wilson sneers as he looks down on the stuffed bear. “Rip him a new one.”

Waru Mozaemon growls out, but ends up getting hoisted overhead by Grapple Leomon. the lion man drops the stuffed bear and, with a beastial roar, pummels a fist straight into the rift on his body.

******

Kudamon cries out as the fist wedges itself between her and the yellow eye. Her head is spinning, but now that she is finally free from the eye’s tendrils, she shaking away the pain and uses that distraction to leap off the fist and pounce back on the eye. Landing directly on it, she opens her mouth for a, “Holy Shot!”

The eye screeches in pain. Despite having no mouth, the sharp wail fills the surroundings.

The pain from hearing it forces Kudamon to cover her ears, but she can’t block it out. Soon enough, she too is crying out. The hand grabs Kudamon and whips her out from within Waru Monzaemon’s body.

At the same time, Etemon arrives from above by drop kicking, Grapple Leomon away. Then, with the words, “Don’t worry Monzae, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal. Ol’ Etemon is here for you,” he thrusts his hand into the Waru Monzaemon’s body and yanks out the yellow eye.

Then, with a primal howl, he hurls it into the sky, “Dark Spirits!” A ball of darkness flies out from his and smothers the yellow eye out of existence.

Monzaemon faints as he falls onto his back. At the same time, his face fades from a perpetual snarl to a serene calm while the black fabric making up his body turns into a yellowish orange. Etemon waves his arms around, crying tears of joy at the sight. He then yanks the bear gauntlet from Monzaemon’s hand and chucks it into they sky where it vanishes in the horizon.


Fantomon, upon seeing Monzaemon return to normal, calls out to the waiting digimon. “Chang of plans! Charge in and kill the hum-”. His command is cut short as a golden spike spears through his throat from behind.

He turns in time to see it’s Doruguremon’s tail before imploding into particles as he’s deleted. Ben, from atop of Doruguremon’s back, shakes his head and says, “And we’re done here.”

The surrounding Digimon, however, heard enough. With a roar that shakes the surrounding buildings, they all swarm forward. They launch any attack they can at Ben who is atop of Doruguromon, surround Wilson and Grapple Leomon, and rush into the hotel while also attacking the gapping hole in the hotel wall.


Avery grits his teeth upon hearing the barricaded door being pounded on. Even though an endless barrage of attacks are being thrown in, they will absolutely die if they stay there. Still helping Sylvia stand, he unconsciously hugs her tight to himself out of fear.

Lee Ann then shouts, “No, I refuse to just die like that!” She then grabs the bed and starts pushing it towards the barricade.

Avery and Sylvia, encouraged by her action, nod to one another and help her. Together, the three set it up against the dressers and cabinets gathered from both of their provided rooms. Afterwards, they hurry and do the same with the other bed. It’s while they are pushing back against the digimon trying to break in that the phrase, “God Tornado!” echoes.

A blazing tornado appears in front of the hotel, scattering the attacking digimon. Airdramon drops to the hole in the wall, but is soon forced away by the impact generated from the following barrage of attacks.

“Metal Meteor!” Massive iron spheres rain down on the attacking digimon. As Doruguremon appears in front of the hole, Ben says, “The rescue team has arrived!”

Lee Ann dashes forward and springs onto Doruguremon while Ben is still saying, “All aboard!”

Avery also hurries forward, but stops upon realizing Sylvia is missing. He turns and sees she is still has her back against the barricade. The way she stares at Ben with hesitation and unease gives the impression that she isn’t actually pushing back into the barricade, but is instead trying to back away from him. Not understanding why, Avery holds out his hand while saying, “Sylvee!”

“Just… Just go! I’ll be fine!”

Avery is left speechless at her clear refusal. He dashes back for her, grabs her arm, and drags her towards Doruguremon. Then, just as the reach the hole, another barrage of attacks forces Doruguremon to fly away.

Lee Ann cries out, “Sylvee! Avery!” but there is nothing she can do.

Avery grits his teeth and pulls Sylvia away from the opening as Digimon attacks resume entering from there. At the same time, their barricade is smashed apart and in enter a horde of toy agumon.

Sylvia eyes go wide as she realizes they are trapped.

Airdramon’s roars of anguish, “Spinning Needle, Wing Cutter!” can be heard as he tries to get back to the hole, but he never appears.

Avery pulls out his knife and rushes at the nearest toy agumon. He swings and lands a hit, but another toy agumon bites his hand and smacks him back. Sylvia helps him up, and upon seeing he’s still determine to continue fighting, gives a quiet, “I’m sorry…”

“Forget about it.” With those words, Avery attacks another toy agumon, but he’s again smacked back.

Sylvia once more helps him back up, but this time, holds him. Avery doesn’t try to break free. Realizing forcing a way out won’t work, he wracks his brain as he searches around for anything that could help them.

As the toy agumon open their mouths for their attack, he stands in front of Sylvia. He waits for the second they release their attacks to dive onto the floor with Sylvia. Getting ready, he bends his knees and an orange monkey jumps down in front of him. The monkey claps his hands together, creating a shockwave that sends the toy agumon tumbling back as he shouts, “Typhoon Boom!”

As the toy agumon get back up, glaring at both the humans and Etemon, the puppet digimon claps his hands to create another shockwave while saying, “I said, ‘Typhoon Boom!’ damn it! Everyone, fights over! We’re done here! Go home! Peace out! Got it? Or does ol’ Etemon gotta give an encore?”

As the toy agumon begrudgingly stop attacking, Etemon picks up Avery and Sylvia with his arms, jumps out the hole, and lands near what looks like a clean version of Waru Monzaemon. Before going into the room, Etemon seems to have somehow stopped all the fighting outside as well.

Soon, Wilson, Ben, and Lee Ann gather with their respective partners. Kudamon herself scurries up Sylvia’s leg and onto her shoulder where she rubs her face against hers in relief.

Wilson walks up to Etemon and stares into his sunglass. “What was all that about? What do you mean the fight’s over? Getting scared?”

Etemon laughs and lowers himself to Wilson’s eye level by doing an alternating criss cross with his legs and hands. While speaking like some sort of DJ, he says, “Ya got it all wrong. The fight was only happening ‘cus ol Monzae had gone all evil and stuff. Now that he’s cured and back to being good, lovable, Monzaemon, there’s no need to fight.”

Wilson scoffs and says, “You’re just scar-”

Avery shoves Wilson aside and says, “The fight’s over! Quit trying to start another one!”

Wilson goes to punch Avery, but Etemon catches his fist. He then says, “Woah, woah, chill out. Aren’t you all friends here? Looks, it’s been a long night. I reckon the sun will be up in a couple of hours. How about you all get some shut eye and we can resume this conversation once you’re all fresh?”

Then, before anyone can comment about the suggestion, Etemon lifts Monzaemon overhead and walks away.

Wilson looks at Avery, shakes his head while muttering, “Stupid girl,” and makes his way back to the hotel with Liollmon.

Lee Ann says, “Wait, just like that? It’s over?”

Avery looks around at all the digimon that had gathered to attack. A lot of them have baffeled expressions, but none seem egear to resume fighting. Some are even starting to leave. He then looks to Wilson confidently strolling into the hotel. “Honestly, I’m more shocked about that. Can we even stay there anymore?”

Ben says, “Do we have any other choices?”

They all look at each other and shrug. Despite their uncertainties, they decide to simply take Etemon’s word for it and also head for the hotel. Along the way, Lee Ann says, “I’m demanding a new room.”

Ben chuckles and says, “Yeah, and I’m gonna sleep all week.”

Avery says, “Sleep is good, but honestly, I just want to take a shower.”

Lee Ann says, “What, again?”

“I sleep better when I’m not covered in dirt, blood, and sweat.”

Sylvia gives a tired smile as she says, “Agreed. I, too, desire nothing more than a soothing, hot, bath.”



*****



Saffie holds up her free arm to shield her face as she bursts out from between a pair of thorn bushes. Countless tips are dyed red as they tear cuts across her face, but she doesn’t falter. Even when vines grab hold of her light, teal, blue hair, she pushes harder, barely feeling the locks of hair being ripped out of her head.

Free from the bush, she risks a quick glance over her shoulder. The pale light of the three moons that manages to shift through the clouds and trees reveal nothing. Dread sprouts from a pit in her stomach and wraps vines around her heart to pull it down. No longer trusting her first impulse, she breaks towards the left and slides underneath a fallen tree.

She ignores the rocks digging into the underside of her legs and thighs, slams a knee into a rock as she rolls onto them, and with a slight limp, takes off running again only to trip and fall flat on her face.

Falling down with her is Aegiomon, a half boy half goat digimon. The entire time Saffie was running, not once did her grip on his hand loosen, and she refuses to let go now. She helps him onto his hooves as she stands back up and with a hurried voice, says, “Can you still run?”

Aegiomon looks around in fright as he gives a nervous, “Of… of course…”

(name) places her hands on Aegiomon’s shoulders and says, “I know, everything’s bad now. But you need to stay strong. No matter what happens, you have to survive. Now, come on.”

She takes his hand again and resumes running. As long as they make it to Derinkuyu, she is confident that they can use the tunnel networks to escape to one of the other underground cities. It’s then she feels a chill, as if a shower of needles are prickling her back.

Saffie tugs Aegiomon to the side and into a shrub. After a few steps, they step off a ledge and slide down a shallow cliffside. Then, upon reaching the bottom, Saffie hugs Aegiomon tight to herself as she presses back against the cliffside in hopes of making themselves as inconspicuous as possible. She even goes as far as to hold her breath and cover Aegiomon’s mouth with her hand.

A shadow with four wings and thick limbs flys past overhead. Saffie shivers as she recalls how it hurled into their meeting chamber. Her sister’s scream of fear and pain as it impaled her with a spear created from its tentacle hand still repeats itself whenever she has a free moment.

A heavy gasp escapes her. Unable to control herself, she gulps down more air only it to escape back out. Her breathing grows quicker with each breath being shallower than before. Her mind closes in on itself and all she can recall is her family being erased right before her eyes. The pain she felt as her skin was peeled off bit by bit when—

Aegiomon shakes her.

Saffie, returning to her senses, finds Aegiomon staring into her eyes with worry. She takes a breath to settle her nerves and says, “I’m fine, thanks.”

Aegiomon helps her back up while saying, “We’re almost there, right?”

“Yeah, yeah… just a bit more and then-”

Aegiomon scoops Saffie up in her arms and leaps aside. By the time they land, the cliff wall they were using for shelter has vanished. Saffie gasps at the sight, her skin feeling as if it’s being prickles by needles as it recalls the technique. Panicking, her hair flutters around as she jerks her head left and right in search for the attacking digimon, but ends up getting hurled from Aegiomon’s hold they are drop kicked from behind.

Breaking her fall with her arms, she lands face first into mud and rocks. She scampers onto her feet, tumbling over a few times due to her trembling, and sees a tentacle hand suffocating a struggling Aegiomon.

Saffie forgets her fear with a scream. She lunges at the digimon with a clenched fists, crying out, “Dominion Blade!” The digimon swings his arm and back hands her away. With her beloved great sword not appearing, the digimon’s swing snaps her bare arm and sends her down onto the ground.

“Damn it!” With clenched teeth, she forces herself back up. She then hurls herself once more. Fear that she’ll lose Aegiomon, that the last hope for the Digital World will be lost, that she will be alone drive her to forget her fear and pain. “Let him go!”

The digimon kicks in the stomach. Her breath is forced from her lungs as her body arcs into a U from the impact. She hits the ground, bounces, and tumbles over. As she struggles to move, the digimon flips her over with his tentacled foot and stomps down her stomach.

Saffie coughs out whatever breath she was able to get back and cries out in pain. In desperation, she grabs at the foot coiling around her body with her remaining hand as it squishes her. Screeching for it to get off, she claws with her fingers, punches, and tries to pull herself her. Aegiomon’s struggle to free himself fuels her drive. Strength begins to return to her hands, but a tentacle smacks her across the face and everything fades black.

A lot got in the way of posting this chapter. For one, I decided to stop until I was able to give Avery an actual personality. It might still be weak, but at least there is something defining him now. I've also gone back and made some changes to the previous chapters. You can probably get by fine without going back to read them, however. Finally, my tablet, with which I typed with, stopped working for over a month. That did not help in the slightest with the updates.
Anyway, enjoy~

 

Oh ****, **** just got real.