Digital Monsters, Digital Adventure

Angie smiled at her sleeping cousins, sitting Indian style with her hands on her ankles.

Rocking herself gently as the ocean wind gently moved sky blue mask tails, the crimson-eyed turtle’s smile fell as she looked up at the sky.

She’d never had to actually lead her cousin’s like this before…

She was so scared that she’d mess up…

‘What if I make a mistake? What if I get them hurt?’

Truthfully, she was frightened…

Even on training runs, on drug busts, her father had managed to bail her out if she made a mistake.

‘I miss them…’

Looking at the horizon before them as Agumon leaned on her shell, Angie sighed.

‘But I can’t be weak now. I need to be strong so I can look after the others.’

She smiled a bit, hearing Izzy growl something in her sleep…

‘Maybe not all of them…’

Something started forming over the waves…

Standing and carefully laying her partner down, the sky-masked turtle tilted her head curiously.

“Whamon, is that Server?”

“It’s Server.”

She grinned, turning to her partner.

“Agu? Agu!”

He jolted awake…

“Yeah, Angie?”

“Go wake up the others. We’re almost at Server.”

Jumping up, the yellow-skinned Digimon ran among them yelling.

‘THIS is sure like that one Christmas Uncle Mikey got an Xbox 360 and a PS3…’

Once everyone was roused and informed of their situation, they were just as eager to reach land.

Z seemed most excited, but didn’t move that much.

She didn’t want to set off her crazy seasickness…

“Look, Poyomon! It’s a continent! Just like where I come from!”

“Maybe there’s food on the shore!”

Elie seemed ready to start eating, to be honest, as did Biyomon.

Lily still seemed a bit groggy, probably catching a weak virus that clouded her senses a bit.

Nothing too major.

Angie had to remember to keep an eye on her…

Gabriel was happily going over his map of Server, and Izzy was trying to sneak in a nap before Whamon pulled up alongside the shore.

They jumped down once the shore was within reach, and the jade-skinned turtle looked around.

The others waved goodbye to Whamon as he swam off…

‘The Koromon village Whamon told us about should be…this way.’

“Where we goin’, Fearless?”

“Whamon told me about a Koromon village we can stay at for the night. It should be this way, past the forest a few miles from here.”

“Koromon…That sounds familiar…” Rose noted.

“I was a Koromon the day you got here.”

“Oh yeah!”

“The Koromon are a group of Digimon always willing to help those in need.” Tentomon informed.

“Nice little Digimon…” Z mused.

“All baby Digimon seem good.” Lily muttered, rubbing at her eye.

“We should get there by nightfall if we move quickly.” Her brother calculated, looking up at the sun.

“Then let’s move out.” Angie ordered.

As the group began their trek from the shores of Server, they tried to make distracting conversation.

It averted boredom, and kept them moving for longer.

“What about Batman?”

“I think Batman and Nobody are a lot alike. I think they’d be equally matched.”

Elie looked up at Gabriel as if he was crazy.

“Nobody would win, hands down!”

“It depends on who tires first. Probably Nobody. Batman isn’t known as a great martial artist and detective without knowing his opponent’s weak points.”

“Let’s just ‘gree that both ‘a ‘em are cool.” Z interjected.

The desert sun was making them all a bit cranky by now, and fighting about stupid things made everyone irritated.

“Look, guys. Let’s not fight.” Lily soothed.

“It might not be the best out here, but we’ll manage. We always do.”

Angie quirked an eye-ridge at her Waterbending cousin…

The poor girl was sweating bullets.

‘We need to get out of this desert and get her water. She’s probably roasting alive just from the sunlight.’

Agumon perked, sniffing at the air.

“Agu?”

“I smell Koromon over in this direction.” He informed.

“Really? Tentomon, you think you could check?”

“On it!”

The bug Digimon flew up into the air, scanning the horizon…

“I see the forest!”

“That must be where the village is.” Izzy stated.

“Let’s head out.”

They headed for the shade at a run, no one willing to lag behind now.

It was much cooler, filled with buzzing and the chirping of birds.

It thinned to a slope, which lead down to a green valley.

On the far end, on the opposite side of two strange, tall plateau’s, was what looked like a village.

It probably was, and it was far larger than the Yokomon village they’d met on File Island.

Lily seemed a bit more clouded than usual, from her small germ, and something strong must have possessed her.

A feeling, a want, that filled her veins and gave her strength.

Starting at a jerky run down the slope, careful not to tumble, she soon had Palmon following her in worry.

“LIL!”

Gabriel and Tentomon went after them as well, and soon the whole family was heading down the slope after their wayward member.

“Something doesn’t feel right, Angie…”

“…”

‘That’s what I was worried about…’

Lily stopped among the buildings, spotting the strange little red-eyed, grey-furred Digimon.

“Pal?”

“Those are Pagumon.”

The sick she-turtle was pulled off her feet, her reaction time slowed with her senses, and Palmon was shoved to the ground as they marched off.

“PALMON?”

“They’ve got Lily!”

The turtles sped up, a new strength surging through them.

You didn’t take one of their own and not expect immense pain.

Following the plant Digimon, they stopped at an intersection.

“Damn it.” Izzy snarled.

“Where the hell did they take ‘er?” Z agreed.

A shout from the tower…

Elie bolted towards it.

“This way!”

The curtains were pushed aside, and Gabriel started up the stares, spotting his sister’s mask.

‘No!’

Angie stopped beside it, confused.

‘It doesn’t look torn off…More like she untied it…’

Her eyes widened as Izzy and Z stomped past her…

‘Uh oh…’

At the top of the steps was a thick curtain, which was pulled aside to show another room.

There were baskets, one which held the sick turtle’s clothes, and another curtain on the other side.

Frantic need made most of them ignore some of the details, but Angie wasn’t one to do such a thing.

Her father and uncle had taught her to keep a clear picture of her surroundings.

The sound of water, a familiar sound to her at least, made the sky-masked turtle skid to a halt.

“For the love of God, DON’T!!!”

The curtain still moved, and she groaned at the startled yelp she heard.

Lily was lying near some steamed rocks, still sweating, but she seemed much…clearer, than she had before.

Of course, the sharp movement had startled her, and the normally-violet-clad turtle had been frozen in shock.

With a yelp, she’d then thrown something at the intruders for her own privacy.

Obviously not expecting what they’d found, Z, and then Izzy, were smacked back by airborne bottles.

Once Gabriel had calmed his sister and pulled the curtain back into its rightful place, Angie stood over both of her cousins.

“…When I say ‘For the love of God, DON’T’…I mean, for the love of GOD, DON’T!”

“We get that…” Izzy grumbled, sitting up.

“NOW…” Z added.

Agumon snickered a bit, along with their two Digimon, but the two turtle’s glared…

Silence, and Gomamon started whistling innocently…

“…Dork…”

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The feast really was a nice thing for them to do…

But, being ninja, the turtle’s hadn’t fully relaxed.

Their fathers had told stories of being lulled into false senses of security, and how it had nearly cost them.

If anything, Angie wasn’t about to give these little Digimon the chance.

Agumon seemed to agree, untrusting because of what he’d smelled, and some of the other Digimon agreed.

Gomamon was quick to defend them, saying everything they’d heard were rumors, and Palmon merely said it was nice of them to help Lily.

The little germ seemed defeated for now, and the violet-masked she-turtle seemed much better.

Rose seemed only slightly uncomfortable, too busy feeding Poyomon to really worry.

When the baby Digimon stiffened, as if surprised, the pink-masked Digidestined paused.

“Poyomon?”

“Poyomon, Digivolve to…TOKOMON!!”

Crimson brown eyes widened, and then a grin spread across her face.

“Tokomon! You’re Tokomon again!”

“And together, we’ll make me Patamon again!”

Rose hugged her partner tight, near tears…

“It’s a’right, Rosie…We’re all still ‘ere, sis…”

Z nodded, and looked at the Pagumon.

That glint in their eyes…

Dark blue eyes narrowed, untrusting.

Angie caught it, and decided keeping an eye on the Pagumon would be safe for all of them.

With the way things always seemed to go, the jade-skinned turtle had learned all too well that the easy way could just as easily get you killed.

And they needed to stay alive…

Then they could go home…

With their stomachs full and the feast over, the seven turtles were led to a hut to sleep.

Agumon joined his partner in the watch at first, but full stomachs and late nights were making them sleepy.

In at least four hours, both were asleep sitting up, the yellow-skinned Digimon leaning on his partner.

The sky-masked turtle was being shaken awake, and light began to filter through her lids…

“Angie! Angie, wake up!!”

But she was still so sleepy…

“Fearless, get yer shell up NOW!”

The shout surprised her eyes open, and Angie jolted into the waking world.

“Izzy-?”

“Tokomon’s gone!”

Rose was near tears…

“I don’t know where he is! I just woke up, and he wasn’t there!”

‘Pagumon…’

Crimson eyes narrowed, but she didn’t voice her suspicions.

“Agu, get up. We need to find Tokomon.”

Like her, he was unwilling to awaken, but they finally got him joined in the search.

“Alright, we’ll all split up. Izzy, Rose, search the desert. He couldn’t have gone far. Lily, Gabe, you two search the village. Z, Elie, you guys search whatever’s on the far side of the village.”

Angie sighed, and Agumon pulled on her hand.

“Angie?”

“…Agu, you go check wherever the Pagumon search.” She whispered, crouching down beside them.

“You don’t trust them?”

“And I believe you.”

She smiled a bit.

“I trust you more than I trust a village of Digimon, Agu. And I think something’s up with them. Will you do this for me?”

“…I’ll do anything you, Angie.”

Patting his head, she watched him run off…

‘Be careful…’

Warily, Angie then ordered the Pagumon in their search, knowing she couldn’t trust their findings.

Still, a kunoichi’s trick was to cause deceit, to trick their opponents.

If anything, she was a good kunoichi.

Standing on the tower, she watched everyone moving around.

Intent and frustrated and eager to punish.

At least, Izzy was…

If there was one thing you never did, it was mess with Rosie.

When she was near tears like she was now, her elder sister was like a savage tiger, pacing and searching and ready to pounce with a roar.

She probably would have snapped by now if Gabumon wasn’t soothing her.

Personally, Angie was eager to sick her cousin on the Pagumon…

‘I shouldn’t have fallen asleep.’ She scolded herself, brows furrowing.

‘I should’ve stayed awake. I could’ve saved Tokomon, caught those damn Pagumon red-handed…’

Something worried her as the Pagumon came back, her own green-eyed partner nowhere in sight.

‘Where could he be?’

The longer she waited, the more worried she became, when steam came up in puffs above the trees…

‘Agu?’

It was a distress signal…

“Agu!”

Jumping down, and startling her cousins, she glared at the Pagumon.

“Agu’s in trouble at the waterfall.”

“They already searched there…” Lily reminded.

“Obviously, they put Tokomon there, and now Agumon’s caught in a fight because he found where he was kept.”

Z growled.

“Ya little basturds! Trickin’ us like that!”

Izzy seemed murderous, a snarl in her chest.

“Ya took Tokomon…An’ I’m gonna make sure ya regret it…”

The Pagumon fled in fear, and Angie looked up at the sky to see the steam had died…

“Agu…”

Bolting, she didn’t care that branches and bushes nicked her skin.

He would do anything for her, and she would do anything for him.

The others were falling after, but she was speeding much too fast for them to catch up.

Her worry and fear seemed to give her energy, seemed to make her go much faster than she’d ever gone before…

Bursting out beside a river, the waterfall caught her attention next.

‘Behind the waterfall!’

Jumping up over large rocks, she found the cave.

Skidding to a halt, Angie spotted the two evil Digimon over Agumon’s beaten body.

Lining the other cave walls were cages, most of them holding Koromon, and one keeping a tied-up Tokomon.

“Agu!”

“Angie!”

The two Digimon faced her as if to strike, but the sky-masked turtle stood her ground.

“You guys are going down! No one hurts my friend and gets away with it!”

“And what are you going to do about it?”

She gripped her Digivice tight…

“I’m not going to do anything…He is.”

A bright light…

“Agumon, Digivolve to…GREYMON!!”

He reared up, rock moving to disrupt the flow of water into the river.

“Burn those Gazimon up, Greymon!”

“So you guys like two against one, do you? Nova Blast!”

Both Gazimon fell into the river, washed away by the tide, and the others joined them in the cave.

“TOKOMON!”

Rose managed to open the door and untie her partner, who leapt into her arms with joy.

“I thought I’d lost you again…”

“I’d never leave you, Rosie…I promise…”

Z busted the other cages open with her sister’s help, and the Koromon poured out.

“The Pagumon are gone now. You all can go home.” Elie assured.

“Well, hello!”

Startled by the sound, everyone looked out the mouth of the cave.

A hologram of a monkey-like, Elvis-impersonator Digimon contrasted the blue sky, and he had a guitar and microphone in his hands.

“Oh great…He’s goin’ ta ruin rock an’ roll…” Izzy grumbled.

“Not if we don’t ruin ‘im first…” Z replied.

“Well, maybe we should hold our blows.” Gabriel advised.

“He’s right. Maybe he’ll show us his weak spot, and then we can strike.” Lily agreed.

“You pesky Digidestined!”

“It’s Etemon!” The village exclaimed.

“You rotten little kids messed up all my big beautiful plans! Well, now I’m gonna have to punish you all by playing a little number I just wrote! It’s called ‘Wrecking the Whole Place’!”

“Wreckin’ the whole place?”

“Can he actually do that?” Lily wondered worriedly.

“Dark Network Concert Crash!”

Strange black wires floated into the air, red electricity crackling.

“What’s he doing?” Gabriel asked.

Huts were blown up in the village, but the wires hung menacingly in the air and warned against attempted escapes.

“What are gonna do?” Rose wondered, hugging her partner tighter.

“We’re gonna kick ‘is shell! Buddy!”

“Gabumon, Digivolve to…GARURUMON!!”

“You say you want a Digivolution? The answer’s NO!”

A harsh note from the guitar, and both Digimon reared in pain.

“Greymon! Greymon, what’s wrong?”

“Garurumon!”

The two Champion-level Digimon glowed before Dedigivolving, and their partners rushed to their sides.

“AGU!”

“Buddy! Buddy, get up!”

“His music makes them Dedigivolve.” Gabe mused.

“Doesn’t rock and roll have that effect in your world?” His partner asked.

“…Not really…”

“Either way, we’ve gotta get outta ‘ere!” Z growled, Gomamon on her head.

“How? We’re in a cave!” Elie replied, tightening her hold on Biyomon’s hand.

“If only we could fight ‘im…” Izzy snarled darkly.

“But they can’t do it as they are!” Angie retorted.

“We need the crests before they can Digivolve more.”

Dark lightning shot down from the sky, and the mouth of the cave began to crumble.

“MOVE!”

Lily pulled her brother along as everyone bolted to safety.

The Koromon led their mad dash to a safe room, which they explained was meant for when their village was in danger.

Thing was, there was no exit except the one behind them…

Angie jumped when her tag began to glow, and she looked at it curiously before the walls became a bright flame orange.

It seemed so…right…

‘My crest…’

The wall before them had a strange carved symbol upon it, and it shrunk into what looked like one of the crests they’d been looking for…

Still glowing, it floated to her tag and clicked itself into place.

Seemingly satisfied, it stopped glowing…

“It’s the Crest of Courage.” Agumon voiced.

“Courage…” She mumbled, looking at it in her palm.

“Lookie!” Elie squealed.

There was a forest and mountains and a valley before them, apparently very far from where they’d been before.

Izzy smirked a bit, clapping a hand on her cousin’s shoulder.

“Courage, huh? Personally, I thin’ it’s a perfect fit, Fearless…”

As the group started walking, she held back…

‘At least one of us thinks so…’