It seemed like a normal day.

It seemed like any other average Wednesday. The birds were singing, flowers blooming in the warm spring air, and the ringing of school bells echoed across the city. The wind was calm, rushing a cool hand across the inhabitants of this city as it wafted through the tall buildings. The scent of flowers floated between the people rushing to and fro. Some of these people were heading home, some were leaving for their next job. Some had families to visit. Some didn't. Some were alone in the world, and some… some wished they were.

The young man leaving his dojo sometimes wished he was. The only times he truly felt alive were when he sparred, clashed with his boken against an equal opponent. The rush of adrenaline, the feeling of having a true challenge against him, it was exhilarating. Truly, nothing like it could be had in this world. He sighed, adjusting the strap on his shoulder. The bag the strap held up contained his schoolwork and two wooden swords, his trademark amongst his peers. His school uniform was a dark grey outfit, with a red tie that he kept undone when he wasn't in front of teachers. As he started walking down the street, towards his house, he sighed again, his crimson hair falling to cast a shadow over his eyes. The shade matched his mood.

Nothing was difficult anymore.

Best kendo student in the dojo, and one of the top five in the state. An A student, top marks down the board. It was expected of him, though… His father was a brilliant scientist, his mother an expert businesswoman. Both of them expected him to be just as intelligent, and he was. He was, and more. He was stronger than them, as well. Whatever sport he tried, he excelled in. Whatever class he was pushed into, he mastered. In his last year of high school, two years earlier than his peers, he had finally hit a point in his life where… nothing was hard anymore. There was no challenge to anything.

There was no point to it.

He walked the streets, alone. People passed him, not caring about the high school kid with his duffel bag. The smells of the street stalls selling food from every country didn't entice him, he'd tried them all. The sounds of the hustling street, cars honking in traffic, people yelling at each other… none of it registered to him. He'd heard all of it before. He'd heard it all, smelled it all, tasted it all… nothing in this city surprised him anymore.

It seemed like a normal day…

Like every Wednesday, she left school alone. She walked home, alone. No one on the street paid her any mind, just like always. No one cared about the little girl with pink hair dye. Just another crazy high school girl, trying to be popular or different. No one watched her adjust her backpack, sighing at her life. No one noticed her walking up to her house, unlocking the front door, and walking in. No one knew that within, she was completely alone. Her parents were too busy working hard to keep that house, too busy working to be home for her. Too busy to pick her up, or do anything but leave a note in the kitchen.

She picked up the note, reading it quickly before tossing it in the trash. Her mother had left her a cake from a lunch date with one of her clients, but she left it there. It wasn't important. She tromped up to her room, crestfallen and depressed. Her backpack was tossed into a corner, and with a sigh, she fell onto a pile of stuffed animals. Her only friends.

It seemed like a normal day…

His mother had picked him up. The blonde young man had jumped into the car, trying to forget the pain of yet another pointless day at school. She drove him home, talking to him about how his father would be coming in this weekend. He barely registered that she was even speaking, too absorbed in his thoughts. Concepts roiled in his mind, thinking about where he could go with his next project. His backpack rested between his feet, sitting on the floor of the car. His laptop sat within it, filled with all of his ideas, all of his great thoughts that would someday become reality. But for now… nothing. His mind was merely a hard drive with too many programs running. Too many thoughts, not enough focus.

He only realized that they'd arrived at home when his mother opened her door. He gathered his belongings, leaving the car behind as he followed her up to their apartment. So many things he could do to better this place… and yet, nothing. Not old enough, they said. Not enough money, they said. There was always a problem, always something outside of his ideas that got in the way. But the more he tried to consider all the variables involved, the more problems arose. But still, the ideas clamored for attention. None of them would work, yet all of them would.

He moved to his room, stopping in the kitchen to grab a plate of cheese and crackers. He shouldn't eat as much, he was supposed to be on a diet. But his mind couldn't register that thought beyond the cacophony of other thoughts echoing like an incessant roar within. Too many thoughts, but none of them would work.

Except all of them would.

It seemed like a normal day…

Another month, another moving truck.

She sighed, lazily hanging an arm out of the window of the truck. She was used to this by now. She had adjusted to the constant moving. She had gotten used to the empty feeling in her heart, gotten used to her father once again dragging her to some new home. None of them were home, though. Not really. She didn't have a home, not anymore.

Her father looked over in silence, his body stiff, military training keeping him awake through the long trip. He sighed, a look of defeat crossing his face, and turned back to the road. She flicked a strand of blue hair from her eyes. The wind was nice, at least, but it played havoc with her hair. With a sigh of consternation, she rolled up the window, and leaned the chair back. With a final deep breath, she covered her eyes with a newspaper and prayed she could drift to sleep for the rest of the trip.

At least she didn't have to feel that empty pain when she was asleep.

It seemed like a normal day…

For the most part, it was a normal day…

But there was something under the surface of the normality. As the red-haired youth walked home, across the street was an alleyway. From that alleyway, two large red eyes watched him walk. Two large eyes glared at the young man walking alone, heading towards an empty future. Those eyes were young, full of life, full of promise. They were also hungry, and their owner was hungry as well.

As the pink-haired girl walked home alone, one of her neighbors looked over her garden with confusion. It was the third time in as many days that she'd come outside to find her entire garden upturned, flipped over completely. Nothing was stolen, no vegetables eaten… just flipped over. Compost layered the soil, laid down fresh within hours of her discovering it. Yet no footprints could be seen, and there were no shovel marks around the edges of the garden. No one had used any tools to dig up and replace her lovely vegetable garden.

As the blond young man drove home with his mother, they passed by the city park, a huge patch of forest in the midst of suburban sprawl. From the forest, something watched their car pass by, something that could sense the electricity within it, could sense the young man's laptop even inside the car. Something wanted that power, wanted that young man's backpack.

As the blue-haired lass fell into slumber, the pain in her soul eased by the blissful ignorance of sleep, two creatures wandered the alleys of the city, scrounging for food. They were alone with each other, in a dark and unforgiving world that knew not what they even were. The two dug into a nearby dumpster, praying for a miracle to grant them dinner this night.

It seemed like a normal day… but it was something else entirely.

Digimon: Ignition

It felt like a strange day.

The red-haired youth dealt with his day as usual. Go in. Talk to everyone who talked to him. Smile, pretend nothing was wrong, and be excited about training that evening. It was, by all accounts, a normal day. School was teaching him nothing he didn't already know, his peers were all talking about different sports, and no one paid him any mind afterwards. As he left school, he bumped into someone. He apologized to the blonde young man, raising a hand to help him up, but the other boy had already picked up his bag. "It's alright. Don't worry about me."

"You sure? I'm kind of big…" A look of genuine concern appeared. The red-haired boy knew his mass was enough to knock anyone over. Contact sports had taught him that, and he had quickly become the star of the team… before he quit, feeling he'd mastered the sport within months.

"Yeah, I'm fine." The other boy nodded, adjusted a pair of thin-rimmed glasses, and started to walk off. It was clear he was distracted by something. Something eating away at his mind. Something… new to the red young man.

"You sure? If there's something on your mind, maybe I can help. I'm Ken, by the way." The red-haired youth caught up to his peer, holding out a hand in greeting. The blonde bespectacled boy cautiously took it, shaking hands with an air of uncertainty.

"I'm, uh… David. David Carter. And uh, no… just have a lot on my mind, Ken. Thanks for offering, though." A honk caught their attention, and they both turned to see David's mother waving at the two of them from her car. David sighed, and walked down the massive schoolyard towards the sidewalk. Ken followed, nodding to David's mother as he approached.

"Well, hey. If you ever need to talk, I'm around. I'll catch you later, David!" With his words said, he patted the younger boy on the back, and started jogging off towards his dojo. Training would start in less than an hour, and he had a long distance to cover before that. He didn't want to be late, but somehow he felt that it would be alright. He'd done something new today. It was a good day for Ken.

Meanwhile, David watched the other boy leave, setting his backpack between his feet. He glanced at his mother, who was smiling happily at him. "Well, that young man seemed nice. What's his name?" Her voice was full of cheer, happy her son had actually made a friend. As she started the car, he looked to her and replied.

"Uh… Ken. I think his last name is Satashi, he's a big-time star around here. Top marks in every class, sports genius, all that stuff." There was a twinge of jealousy in his voice as he spoke about the sports, as David looked down at the slight belly he was sporting. His diet hadn't been going well, and it was bothering him. Then again, a lot of things bothered him.

"Well, Ken seems like a nice boy. I'm sure you two would be good friends, if you gave him a chance." The car rushed by a series of small stores, advertisements blaring pointless words at them as they moved onwards.

"A chance… yeah, maybe."

His mother looked over as they stopped at a red light. Cars lined up around them, trapping the two in their discussion. "Sweetheart, I know you've had troubles in the past-"

"Troubles? Like those jerks pretending to be my friends so they could steal my lunch?"

She sighed, and nods to him. "Yeah… but you can't let those jerks stop you from making friends. Don't you kids watch cartoons that teach you these things nowadays? What about that pony show all the other kids like?"

David rolls his eyes, and chuckles. "C'mon, Mom, be serious."
"I am serious, Davey. You should open up, maybe Ken will be different."

As the two of them passed by the city park, David sighed. "Yeah, maybe… Can you let me out here, please? I… I'd like some time to myself to think about it."

His mother looked over, concerned, but drew the car over to the sidewalk. As he opened the door, leaving his backpack inside, she touched his shoulder. "Davey… be careful, okay? And please, think about talking to Ken again. I'm sure he'd be your friend."

David steps out of the car, and looks back to his mom. "I will. Thanks, Mom. I'll be home for dinner." He gives her a smile, and shuts the door, turning to the park. As she drove off, he stepped onto the path leading into the more civilised part of the park, and began walking. His mind was racing with thoughts, as usual, but this time he had worries about this Ken person screaming at him as well. The mere thought of another faker befriending him just to bully him was enough to send a shudder down his spine. David took a deep breath, looking up at the park. He had to calm his mind, or else he'd never be able to relax.

The sparse trees around him rustled in the breeze. He looked around to them, studying their shapes, trying to settle his mind into something resembling a peaceful state. He took a deep breath again, taking in the smell of the grass, the leaves, the nature around him. The green was overwhelming, and the faint scent of flowers tickled his nose. He continued walking, heading towards a large gazebo nearby, his eyes wandering around the tall trees here and there in the field around him.

Then he stopped, and looked again. There, in one of the trees, was… something. A massive something, almost the size of a toddler. It was on one of the lower branches. He slowly approached it, eyes watching the strange thing inquisitively. It looked like a huge caterpillar, with two long tendrils rising out of its forehead. Black lightning designs covered its yellow body, and a pale blue bill rested on the front of the monstrous thing. It had no eyes, but the only thing keeping David from dismissing it as an abandoned toy was its legs. They were moving around, wriggling like little spikes. He approached with caution, his own curiosity overcoming his common sense.

Suddenly, as he was about ten feet from the creature, it looked up. It had no eyes, yet it turned to face David directly. The monster hissed loudly, its beak opening to reveal a nightmarish maw within. The young man stumbled backwards, terrified of the worm-like beast. He turned to run away, trying to escape that horrible screeching, but something struck his leg. His foot stuck to the ground, and as he looked down, he saw a glob of some kind of sticky thread. It crackled with electricity, and David felt a wave of pain shoot up his leg. The young man screamed in pain, grasping his leg to try and free it this horrific prison. The creature leaped out of the tree, landing with a loud thump on the grass below. It wormed towards the boy, alien beak snapping at him, strands of the same sticky thread dangling from the corners of its maw.

David could only watch in horror as it slowly crawled towards him, releasing a nightmarish hiss as it did. The clicking of its beak interrupted the hiss every second or so, giving the impression of a timer counting down towards a gory oblivion. Tears welled up in his eyes as he continued to struggle, unable to touch the gooey threads without his hands sticking to it. The sizzling pain continued to run up his leg, keeping him from focusing. He couldn't find a way out, and he couldn't think long enough to figure one out! The monster was almost on top of him, the hissing now deafening, the clicking almost in his ears. He felt a single thorn-like foot touch his leg, and the monster reared back, thread building up in its mouth, ready to strike him in the face!

"Darkness Gear!"

A large, flying black gear slammed into the face of the monster. It was sent reeling backwards, rolling head over tail onto the soft grass. David blinked away tears, trying desperately to understand what happened. The pain was causing him to see double, and he barely recognized a strange form hovering over him. It was circular, with teeth around the edges, like… a gear? It had two smaller gears that seemed to be like hands for the thing. It turned around, and with a beam of red light, cut him free of the electrified goo.

He scurried back, pulling his leg away from the horrible threads. His leg was responding, but only enough for him to crawl away. He pulled it close, pulling up his pants leg to see the damage. David was surprised to see only redness, as if he'd been rubbing that spot for too long. With a whimper, he looked back up to his savior.

The strange worm-like beast was still hissing, but was clearly outmatched by this new thing. The floating gears were more than a match for it, easily dodging the shots of electric goo, and countering with its own crimson beams of light. Finally, after a moment of back and forth combat, the worm hissed and started to crawl off. The gear monster laughed, and what looked like code started to coalesce before it. With a final laugh, it fired the black code at the worm, and it formed into a spinning gear as it flew. The gear slammed into the worm's back, cutting through its flesh with ease.

The worm screeched in pain, and David slapped his hands over his ears. It was a ear-splitting pitch, and loud enough to be heard from the streets. As he managed to peek open his eyes, he saw the worm fizzle, almost like it was made out of static on a TV screen. Suddenly, it dissolved into tiny numbers and symbols, which the gear seemed to draw into itself. The code from the worm was all different colors, matching the colors the beast had been in life. As the last of the symbols was absorbed by the gear, it slowly turned to look at the young man on the ground.

It floated towards him, and David tried to crawl backwards, desperate to escape these horrible creatures! Now that his vision was clearer, he could see that it was, indeed, a massive gear. It hovered near him, unaided by propellers or jets, with a faint ticking noise coming from within it. The smell of copper and brass hung around it like a metallic miasma, but the worst of its appearance were its eyes. Two big, glowing scarlet gears peeking out from shattered parts of its outer shell seemed to spin in place, studying the boy sitting on the ground. David held up his arms, closing his eyes in preparation for whatever this monster was going to do to him. He felt more tears welling up, and his heart beat a terrible tempo into his ribs. He silently prayed for forgiveness from whatever deity inflicted this upon him, hoping beyond hope that this monster would at least make his death quick.

"What're you doing, dude?"

The death never came. David cracked open one of his eyes, looking at the metallic… thing. It was merely hovering there, watching him inquisitively. Its voice was… odd. It had a metal ring to it, yet also sounded like someone with a stuffy nose. Deep in the back of his mind, David attributed this to the fact that it didn't have a nose, but that thought was buried under the sheer mass of confusion, relief, curiosity, and fear that was otherwise overwhelming his thoughts. The monster simply tilted its entire body, watching him with those scarlet eyes.

"Dude, c'mon, get up. You're makin' a scene."

David blinked in surprise, and his heart slowed its salsa dance rhythm as he realized the being wasn't going to kill him. His mind told him to be wary, and be ready to run. His body disagreed, as when he stood up, he almost instantly fell over. His injured leg wasn't going to keep him up, and he yelped as he started to fall… but the gear caught him, hovering over to him to help support his leg.

"Relax, dude. You took a hit, but it's okay. That little jerk is gone now, okay? You can breathe easy, it's alright." Its voice was calming, and despite its frightful appearance, David felt relieved to hear that the worm was dead. He held himself up, aided by the floating gear monster, and started to walk towards the nearby gazebo.

"I… thank you. Who… what are you?" As he sat down on the small stairs leading up to the gazebo, he turned to look at the bizarre robot before him . It was most certainly a robotic being, there could be no doubt, but David was more interested in where it came from.

"Well, to answer both those questions: I'm Hagurumon, and I'm a Digimon."

The young man's mind reeled with questions beyond the first two. Hagurumon's answer had NOT been enlightening in the slightest. In fact, it raised far too many more questions! "What… What the heck is a Digimon? Where did you come from, who built you?" His face was surprisingly calm, despite the outrageous situation that had just unfolded around him. The strange being was odd, but somehow David felt that it would be alright. Deep within his heart, a spark ignited that he hadn't felt in months. He had to know about this thi- about Hagurumon.

"I'm a Digimon, stands for Digital Monster. I came from… well, I was born around here, so I'm from here, I guess. No one built me, I hatched from an egg." The floating gear hovered down to rest on the ground, balancing on the concrete path. "I know that sounds weird, lil' dude, but trust me, it's the best answer I've got."

"The best answer…? How?" David, despite the ache in his leg, felt a twinge of annoyance. He took a deep breath, relaxing himself, and trying to focus again. To his surprise, he managed to focus easily. The thoughts that normally clouded his mind were gone. "You're a mechanical being. How were you hatched? From an egg? That doesn't make any sense."

"Sure it does. I'm a Digimon, we hatch from eggs."

"Yes, because THAT explains everything."

Hagurumon sighed. "Look, dude, I don't know how to explain it any better than that." The gear Digimon merely shrugged, using its two hand-gears to express its confusion. "Dunno, dude. I'm a Digimon, that's about all I can say. I hatched, grew into what I am now, and I've been hangin' out in this place for about a… week, I think?"

David hummed to himself, thinking. A week… huh, that's not long. "You said you grew into what you are now. Did you look different when you were… hatched?"

"Yeah, dude. I'm sure you looked different when you were born." Hagurumon chuckled at his little joke. "I looked like… uh, lil' metal blob? Kinda cute, if I do say so myself."

The young man snickered back, but sighed as he leaned back. "Well… guess there's not really any more you can tell me. Thank you for saving me, Hagurumon."

The Digimon nodded, his whole body tilting at David. "No problem, dude. Glad to help out!"

The two looked up as they both heard sirens approaching. David realized that the screech the worm had released as it died must have been heard, and someone must have called the authorities to check it out. He looked at the Digimon, who merely looked over towards the sound of approaching police cars with mild interest. "Come on. You won't be safe here."

"Why not?"

"If the police find you, they might open fire. They've never seen somethi- someone like you before!"

Hagurumon considered this statement, and nodded his agreement. "True… but where am I supposed to go? I live here, under the bridge."

David blinked, remembering that there was a large creek flowing through the park nearby. He knew the long stone bridge Hagurumon was talking about, too, but… "If the cops search the area, they'll definitely check under the bridge. Why don't you come with me? I'm sure my mother wouldn't mind." He actually wasn't sure, but at this point, there was no better option. Besides, the floating gear had saved his life. He owed Hagurumon.

"Uh… if you say so, dude. I guess it would be nice to stay inside for a while." Hagurumon floated back up into the air. David stood as well, shaking his leg. It felt better, recovered from the shocking experience earlier. The two new friends dashed away from the scene, heading towards David's house. They vanished into the forest, the most direct route home, running (or floating, in this case) towards the safety of a warm house…

Across town, Ken was running down the sidewalk. Despite his hustle, he was already late for kendo practice. His sensei at the dojo was a stickler for punctuality, and being late was sure to set him off. Ken dodged around pedestrians, red hair rustling in the breeze. The young man was rushing towards a little building nestled in the midst of the city. As he skidded to a stop outside the dojo, he noticed his sensei talking to someone inside. Beyond them, the rest of the class was already practicing their stances.

Ken pushed the door open, quickly stepping inside. His sensei, a balding Japanese man, glanced over to him. He gave Ken a curt nod, and turned back to the stranger. The odd man was tall, dark-haired and seemed to give off an air of mystery. His neat pressed suit gave Ken the first impression of a secret agent, and as he walked past the stranger, the barely concealed pistol under the man's coat cemented the idea of a government agent. As Ken took his place amongst the others, he carefully watched the two adults talking. It didn't seem hostile from either side, nor did it seem important. Just two grown men talking quietly about something.

Finally, the stranger gave the sensei a nod, and extended a hand. Ken's teacher took the agent's hand, wishing him luck with his endeavors. As the man left, the young man made no attempt to hide his curious gaze, watching his teacher as the older man walked to the front of the room. Within seconds, he was back to teaching them, going over the stances for the newer members of the class. Ken spent the rest of class barely listening to anything that was said, his mind questioning what the agent had wanted…

Finally, class was dismissed. The rest of the students moved to stash away their equipment, but Ken had a different task in mind. He made for the teacher, who sat down at his desk nearby. As he approached, the sensei looked up to him. "Don't think I didn't notice you arriving late, Sahashi." His gaze was steady and neutral, no emotions breaking through his steadfast mask.

"I… I'm sorry, sensei. I was distracted this afternoon." Ken knew better than to make excuses, he'd learned that during his first lesson.

"Distracted, you say. Pray tell, Sahashi, what was this distraction?"

Ken glanced away briefly, thinking about how to word his statement. "I ran into another student by accident after school, and I stopped to help him pick up his stuff."

The sensei studied him for half a minute before a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. He stood up, stepping around the desk to place a hand on Ken's shoulder. "Then there is no concern here. So long as you truly stopped to help another, I have no qualms with your tardiness."

The young man blinked in surprise. This was new for him. "S- sensei? It's really okay?"

"Of course. I encourage punctuality, not because I want everyone here on time, but to give my students a sense of stability in their lives. It helps them learn that structuring their lives can have many benefits. However, that sense of stability also lends itself to other parts of their lives. That includes you, Mr. Sahashi. You stayed true to yourself, and ignored something as simple as kendo training to help another." He gave Ken a smile, nodding approvingly. "But… that aside, there's something you wish to ask me, correct?"

"Y-yes, sensei. That man you were speaking with-"

"A government agent, working with the local police. Apparently, there have been thefts around this area recently, and they've been asking local residents and owners if they've seen anything. Nothing to worry about, I'm certain."

Ken let out his breath, and it was only then that he realized he'd been holding it. "I was afraid it was something much worse…"

The sensei chuckled. "I noticed, you looked concerned when you walked in. But as I said, nothing to worry about." He sat back down at the desk, pulling out paperwork. "Is there anything else, Mr. Sahashi?"

"No, sensei. Thank you for your time, and the lesson today!" He gave a bow to the elderly teacher, and walked away. As he did, he could feel the older man's eyes watching him. When he pushed the door open, he hopped down the short steps onto the sidewalk. Ken took in the evening air, feeling himself relax. This was a strange day. He actually felt like there was something to do, other than the usual pointless homework. The young man started walking, orienting himself southward, towards home. For some reason, he was looking forward to dinner. Ken briefly wondered what-

Two gleaming red eyes opened wide, deep in a nearby alleyway. The young man wouldn't have noticed them if this was a normal day. Had it been, his gaze would surely have been focused down on the sidewalk. But today, his head was high, and the corner of his vision caught those two red eyes watching him. With a start, he stepped back, away from the entrance of the alley. With a flash, he pulled out his boken, and charged forth! There was no hesitation from the young man, no waiting to see what the strange eyes belonged to!

He yelled out a battle cry as he quickly closed the distance, bringing the wooden sword above his head. With a swift motion, the blade came down, slamming into the owner of the two glowing eyes! The wooden blade snapped, cracking under the sheer pressure of the attack, and the victim of the blow cried out in shock.

"OW! That hurt!"

Ken blinked in shock as something stepped out from the darkness. It rubbed its head, eyes still gleaming crimson. Its skin- no, scales, they were a strange teal color. Above the two red eyes were two blood-red horns, popping up like coral branches. The bizarre creature looked up at him. It was about the size of a large dog, maybe 3 feet tall. As Ken took in the monster's appearance, he admitted to himself that it looked like a dragon!

"That… that really hurt! Why'd you hit me!?" The fact that the dragon could talk was still processing within Ken's mind. He had yet to totally comprehend the dragon's strange appearance. The little dragon glared up at him, its eyes welling up with tears as it rubbed its head. Ken noticed that its claws were the same color as its horns and eyes, a bloody scarlet that clashed with the teal scales that coated the rest of it.

Finally, he shook his head, registering the words the dragon had spoken. "What… you can talk! Who and what are you?" The young man took a step back, holding up the broken sword as a defense.

"You answer me first, punk! Why'd you hit me?" The dragon looked up at him, anger and pain crossing its expression. Ken felt a twinge of guilt towards the creature, and his sword lowered slightly.

"I… I don't know… you were there, I saw two big red eyes, and I… I thought… I don't know." Not the most descriptive of explanations, but Ken was at a loss for words. He stumbled around the statement, trying to comprehend both what he had done, and what he'd done it to.

"I was just waking up! You didn't have to hit me with a sword!"

"I'm sorry!" The words spilled out suddenly as Ken dropped the broken sword. He knelt down, reaching out towards the dragon. It pulled back, looking hurt. "I'm really sorry, I panicked… My name is Ken. Do you need first aid? I've got a kit with me…"

The dragon rubbed its head again, seeming to accept the apology. "...Dracomon. I don't think I need help… should be okay." The dragon stepped back, leaning on a nearby dumpster, one claw still rubbing its head.

Ken sighed, sitting on the concrete. The cold stone sapped the heat from him, and he felt his heart slow down with both the cool rock and deep breath. "Dracomon… what are you?"

"I'm Dracomon. I'm a Digimon, and this is my little street."

"Your little street?" Ken stared incredulously at him.

"Yeah, I get food from this thing, and I sleep behind it!" He tapped the dumpster, and grinned. His teeth showed as he did, sharp fangs filling his maw. He looked so proud of the alleyway he called home, despite it being barren save for the dumpster and a few large trash bags.

"You get… food? You eat out of this thing?!" The concept disturbed Ken, and he could barely conceive of this little dragon crawling into it, chowing down on the leftovers.

"Well… yeah. Not much, but it's enough." Dracomon's face fell, his proud demeanor softening as Ken displayed his displeasure at the concept of dumpster diving.

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, you're not eating out of it anymore. You're coming home with me, and I'm cooking you a REAL meal."

Dracomon blinked in shock as Ken stood up, digging into his backpack. After a few seconds of searching, the young man pulled out a large hoodie. It was his, meant for colder weather, but he tossed it to the dragon. Dracomon caught it, looking at it in surprise, then looked back up to Ken. "What… huh!?"

"Put it on, I'll take you home. I'll make you some ramen, it'll be better for you than whatever you're eating out of this thing." He smiled at the dragon, offering him a hand. The dragon gazed up at him, awestruck at such a generous offer. His red eyes welled up with tears again as he realized what the human boy was offering, and he slid the hoodie over himself. With a grin, Dracomon took Ken's hand, and the two of them walked out of the alleyway, heading home together, towards a bowl of hot ramen.

-O-O-

Author's Note:

This story is based on a Digimon: Digital Adventures game that I'm running for my friends! Please, check out the system if you're a fan of tabletop gaming and Digimon, it's REALLY good!

In the meantime, here's the credits:
Author/GM: Hawk Johenson
Ken Sahashi: Will Meagher
David Carter: Remy Coupe