Digimon - Bedeviled Rafflesia

Digimon is the property of Toei Animation and Bandai

Chapter 1 - From Nothing to Something

I leaned back in my seat sighing. Before my eyes were a monitor, my keyboard, mouse, a notepad, pencil, and a few stacked business cards. On the screen was a nifty little website for setting up deals and loans. But no, I'm not a loan shark or anything like that, but just a website support guy who performs various duties regarding the forums, FAQs, guidelines…nothing that interesting.

Traffic on the website was rather slow today which in a way made things boring since helping people is just something I like doing naturally. And I don't do it out of the goodness of my heart or anything like that but simply because I get excited from it.

Though, I will admit that help can only go so far especially when someone doesn't want it. But for those who are in absolute need of it…that makes me feel awesome, especially that time when those kids were with their "digimon" fighting that virus trying to prevent a guided missile from hitting their location in Japan.

I'm Luca Sogh, 24 years old, and I've developed a huge interest for this whole "digimon" thing ever since that day. To add to that, I enjoy making art…but I'm not particularly good at it when you compare the amount of views to someone else on . And you'd think with the whole "digimon" craze going on after those events that people would also come rushing to check my art but, I should probably advertise a little better honestly.

I got up from my seat and dropped to the carpet, catching myself frontward before starting the usual workout routine. Some reps of push-ups, some reps of ab workouts, then some cardio, and then trying to do some moves from fighting games in my small room. And admit it, you've had to at least tried to do one move from a fighting game before in private.

There are things that are embarrassing about me, I'll admit, but I also like these things quite much. My mask collection, my fashion, my tendency to act out my thoughts, my creative imagination…my fetishes…Pft, embarrassing but better than forcing myself to like things that I don't.

I stopped midway into a kick hearing my phone buzz on my bed, having pretty much three thoughts of what the message could be go through my mind at once. A friend of mine excited about a video game being released today, a calendar event, or hopefully someone contacting me about digimon. I prayed for the latter since I've been trying to speak to whoever I could on the internet to get me in touch with those "digimon guys."

I let myself lean over and used my arm to catch myself on the bed since it was close enough. Peeking over at the phone screen, I realized it was instead just a random number telling me about hot milfs in the area looking to give 8oo8 jobs.

I gritted my teeth and laid myself on my bed. "How hard could it be to just learn more about this digimon thing!? What do I have to be, a winner of the lottery?" I rolled my eyes at myself… "and who's gonna even listen to you speaking your thoughts out? This isn't anime…"

I looked back at my computer suddenly, this is usually one of those moments where I feel driven to find more answers. I pretty much become like a hunger driven animal when I start searching the internet non-stop for something…though, maybe it's just because I'm obsessed with digimon. Strange things have been happening everywhere, and I want to be involved in just that.

For a few hours, I kept searching for any images, or forums, or anything I could find on people spotting suspicious things, information, pictures, anything. I kept the search filter within a week, which would give me something to work with...or so I hoped. But still nothing would turn up, and I had also tried Japanese sites too.

Naturally, I'd call it quits here but I also give myself a last chance to try things that usually don't work. I took the search filter and set it to find anything in the past hour. Sighing, there was nothing on the first page…as if that would work. I started to get up as I clicked the next page, deciding I would take a shower.

As I walked to the only other room at the back, I looked back to the screen and scanned over the first results of the second page. "Hm…yeah totally nothing there." I was reading the very last bits of the screen before turning away till my eye suddenly stopped on the word at the very corner of my eye. I couldn't really tell what I was looking at this point but…my heart suddenly felt like it stopped for a good second or two.

"You're fucking kidding me…" I turned to the computer screen and reread the same line my eye stopped on over and over. '…is totally a digimon just like that one incident from….'

The smile that formed on my face had to have been the scariest thing ever before it followed with me laughing like a mad man while I walked up to the computer and clicked on the link, reading hungrily for that information I long desired all this time. "Yes yes yes yes yes! Oh my god I can't believe someone would actually say something like that. This has to be the strangest day of my life! Hahaha!"

There was even an image to accompany that evidence of there being a digimon somewhere in our world. To think they were living among us was to me, something to celebrate over. The creature in the camera shot was a bit blurred but it definitely had some big ears and green markings. What's even better was that the picture was somewhere I recognized.

"This is too good to be true…Maybe someone is playing a joke on me, but who cares!? I don't care! This is more exciting even if it comes out to be a disappointment anyway!" Quickly, I hurried to take a shower and began preparing myself for a little drive down to this neighborhood.

I decided to wear a black jacket over my purple and black striped shirt, jeans, a black hoodie over my dark brownish black hair, and a black surgical mask. It was mildly cold out so I'd at least have to make sure I would at least be a bit warm. Before I left the apartment, I looked at the mirror in my bathroom to make sure I looked alright. My brown eyes checking out my average build before I exited the room, locking the door behind me, and hurrying down the stairs of the apartment. I quickly found my car in the parking lot and drove off quickly.

The fact that a digimon appeared in the past hour, or rather 23 minutes ago meant there was still time to find whatever I could. The neighborhood where the sighting occurred was somewhere I'd pass through to go grocery shopping so I had an idea of where a little guy could hide around there…at least it seemed like a little guy.

I didn't see any cars on the sidewalk so that meant that whoever lived in this area were all out working elsewhere…and around this time at 2pm, no one is out of school just yet. I had no need to worry about someone spotting me as a suspicious individual...and most kids played video games rather than play outside nowadays.

I parked my car next to the sidewalk and go out, already letting my eyes dart around to spot any movement. Though, I then realized something. Digimon talk, but since it's rare enough there's hardly any talk about them, they mostly likely avoid contact with humans…that would mean that they have to find a place to hide out where no one could find them.

I walked about thinking that maybe this digimon would have already left the neighborhood by the time I got here…but there was no harm in looking for any signs that it was definitely in the area. But still…if that digimon sees me before I see it, I doubt I'd have a chance to actually find it, and I don't want to try calling out to it or it may already run off.

I went from walking to jogging already feeling desperate with that thought. I really was just going up and down the streets and searching around trees and whatever areas that people wouldn't usually go but…nothing.

*Clitter clatter*

The noise made me turn quickly only to hear a cat mewling as it ran off a trash can. I had nearly opened my mouth to say a digimon like a complete idiot. But…as I stared at the trash bins nearby, I began considering…'what if they didn't really care about living inside one? No one would dare check it.'

I approached the large green trash bin and stood before it. "Hm…as if…" I retracted my foot to turn the other way before I heard a small noise. '…it must be just some rat or something…has to be.' My hand reached toward the lid regardless and as slowly and quietly as I could, I lifted the lid.

I could see white bird feet where I opened the lid, but not the rest of it as the second other lid was still covering it. "oh, it's just a bird…" I stared at it more curiously though, since for a crow…having large red talons was not something a crow would have let alone a large foot.

Suddenly it stopped moving, not the foot but the body inside that was probably searching for something…or was it sleeping…I never really considered, I had no time to since it probably noticed my stupid outward thinking. Before I could lift the other lid, a black object popped it open shouting at me.

"The hell you calling a bird!?"

My first reaction was not to hug or cuddle the digimon, but instead to slam the lid back down on him and into the trash, holding both lids down. "S-sorry! I didn't mean to do that!...…and call you that…" I already thought to myself, 'great way to make a first impression…'

He called out from under the lid. "You bastard! You're definitely gonna pay for that!"

"Woah! Let's not resort to violence! I made a mistake, I was just looking for a digimon and I've had no luck for a long time already and…well…I made a mistake." I said back hoping he'd try to understand.

"Oh yeah!? Well you found one! And you smacked it right on the noggin like a total jerk!" He sounded like he was more angered by the act rather than in pain.

"Yes…yes I did do that because I was very scared. Can you blame me?" I sighed and opened the lid slightly, looking at his feral, yellow eyes. "If you saw something jump out right at you, you'd probably do something out of instinct. I mean, you are a digimon after all, you should know this better than I do having powers and all that."

Even though this was my first meeting with a digimon…I, actually wasn't excited anymore. I still want this, really badly but…I felt like I was looking at the eyes of a dangerous animal, as if it knew it could kill me at any moment. My life is at stake here if I don't try to find a way onto it's good side. I need information.

"Oh, I do…I do indeed. I actually might have stuck you with a good ol dart of mine if you kept standing there like an idiot. And that would have been out of… 'instinct'…" He smirked at me, evilly, and I had no clue what was on his mind.

I sighed hoping that I'd be able to do what I originally came for. I then asked "Can you…stop the whole being angry with me thing already. I know that probably sounds very odd to you but, I'd really like to get to know you?"

His smirk just went away as he looked at me very curiously. "I'm sorry…what?" He asked, the confusion sounding quite real from the tone of his voice.

"Well, for one. I really am not sure if you intended on any humans finding you but, there's going to be plenty coming this way and if you don't come with me, the whole world will end up knowing about you, then government agencies will capture you, and you will go through very painful experimentation." I had to get that out quick enough to make sure he didn't even think of trying anything…even if half of that was a lie since I still had a good half an hour.

"Uhh…well…" He looked away for a moment, thinking, or at least I think that's what he was doing. Regardless, I wasn't going to have any of it.

"There's no time! Just come already!" I lifted the lid and grabbed the digimon's ball of a body bringing him under my arm and running straight for my car.

"Hey! Unhand me, stupid human!" His wings, which I was finally able to get a better look at, began to flutter around as he used his talons to try and push away from me.

"Shh! Just trust me for a bit will ya. I'm trying to help you." I said as I opened the car door and tossed him in before closing it. On closer inspection, it looked more like an odd bat almost.

As I got in from the driver side, he was about to attempt another escape as he tried to fly by me. I luckily managed to grabbed him again and then spoke in a quieter tone to him. "Look…I'll make it worth your time. I'm just trying to learn about digimon, the digital world, and how to get there." I was not about to miss out on this chance, this was my only chance.

As I let him go, he perched himself on the passenger seat while I got inside the car and closed the door. The digimon spoke "Heh…that's rather cute of you. But do you really think I wouldn't notice your little lie back there?"

I gulped having stopped in my tracks when I was about to put the keys in the ignition. I looked at him to see him smirking with that kind of 'got ya' look.

"I've been around the block so I know that the people here won't be back for a little longer, enough so I could just kill you and leave without a trace." He then hopped over and perched himself onto my lap, his claws felt like they could just rip into my thighs at any moment.

"So what…? Y-you prefer to play with your food first or something?" I asked him, only to realize that was probably the stupidest thing I'd ever said today. I'm practically playing with fire right now.

"Oh, I love doing that. But that's not the case here, heh." He then further explained himself. "You came here expecting to find someone else didn't you? Another digimon perhaps?"

I then suddenly remembered the one from the picture which clearly looked nothing like the one before me. "Ah! Th-that's right! Wait, how do you know that!?"

He snickered and told me his story. "Like I said, I've been around here a bit." The digimon began to detail the story for me.

"Another digimon happened to come around here, trying to find a place to rest until we bumped into each other and, had a little disagreement. A human was coming around the corner curious of the fuss we were making and we hid. He had to deal with the human chasing after him and I just simply got to rest around."

"Ah…so I won't get to meet him huh? I hope he's okay." I put my elbow against the bottom of the car window sill and rested my cheek against my hand sighing behind my mask. I was concerned for that other digimon…seeing how this one acts, I hope their disagreement didn't involve any fighting.

I could have sworn I heard the digimon make a little noise before saying. "Well, he's lame anyway. Who cares about him. You should feel honored to have met me."

I smirked behind my mask and looked back at him. My turn to jab him back. "Oh really? I don't know…I bet he's a pretty cool digimon. I'm sure he wouldn't have threatened or tried to scare me."

The digimon frowned a bit which made me realize he had a sort of mask on himself too…though considering how this navy blue material wrapped around his wings also, it seemed to be skin tight or something.

"Ohhh, well excuuuuse me for not being all cutsie and timid like Terriermon. I can be nice too you know? And besides, I've already told you I wasn't going to kill you." He claimed.

"No you didn't. You said you love playing with your food but that wasn't the case here. Hm…I'm really starting to wonder if you really can be nice at all…?" I chuckled at him. In my experience with helping customers during work, remembering what they tell you was important to make sure they didn't twist there story.

He flew up in front of my face becoming more flustered. "W-well alright, you have a good memory, woopty doo. Yet you can't even remember the original purpose you came here for? You just took whatever you could get didn't you? I bet you were talking right out of your ass when you said you'd make this worth my time, Mask boy!"

I felt my eyebrow twitch out of annoyance at the word boy...he certainly got me there though. "Mask boy!? Well that makes two of us, and I'll have you know I'm an adult and my name is Luca, you… you…." I stopped for a moment, this was going to get us nowhere. I decided to be the better man. "You know what. Your right. I did take whatever I could get, and I'm damn well happy about it."

He stopped fluttering around in front of me and sat back down on the passenger seat, giving me a chance to say whatever it was I had to say.

"I didn't come here just to find that digimon. I was hoping I'd find anything related to digimon, whether it be existence of it in the area, or…anything. I've been waiting too long for this moment and I just can't lose it." I leaned forward on the steering wheel sighing at what I was about to admit to someone else.

"I'm jealous of those digimon guys who saved the day over in Japan. They got to meet those digimon, talk to them, fight together…I'm not looking to be a hero like them at all. I'm just became so obsessed after that day with the thought of meeting a living, breathing digimon." I then looked to the digimon next to me empathetically. "If there's anything I desire in the world right now. It's…to be able to befriend a digimon and access that digital world."

He simply smiled at me…or was it a smirk? I couldn't tell. I couldn't figure him out at all at the moment. Was he even listening? Is he gonna laugh? Is he scheming something?...

"Hmm…Alright. I guess it can't hurt to have a little human pet to entertain me a little." He said as if everything was suddenly okay.

I was about to skip and hop and in joy but…that didn't necessarily sound right. "I-I'm sorry, did you say pet?"

Instantly, my thoughts went to a boy's love game I played with a master slave theme to it where a love struck man fell prey to the hands of another, who was looking to turn him into his personal love pet of humiliation and embarrassment. Then my imagination cut in to the thought of this little bat digimon using its talons to pull me on a leash…that seemed very silly…and embarrassing.

"Oh pardon me. It's just that you humans are so frail and helpless before me that I can't help but almost feel sorry for you like I would for a pet." He said now sounding sickly sweet.

Though, that kinda thought still really bothered me. Just what or who was he? "I…uh. I don't…can't we be like, on an equal ground or something? What do I even call you?"

"Oh, yes… Right. You can call me Demidevimon. However, if you really want me to treat you better than a mere human…this is the best you will get for now. I'm not used to having…human friends." He then perched onto my lap again.

"Well, I'm not asking you to become my friend just like that, demi…devimon. I just thought we could be-"

As I was trying to explain, Demidevimon hopped up onto the steering wheel looking down the street before going back down. "Time to go, little pet Luca. The humans are coming back."

I looked down the street and surely enough, there were cars driving near and people walking down the sidewalk. "Crap. Alright fine." I started my car and began to leave the neighborhood, heading back home. "I just believe…-"

Demidevimon interrupted me once more before I could explain myself. "Luca…you are asking to go to the digital world, to know more about digimon, to befriend me. But for all that, I'd at least like a little back in return and I don't feel I'm asking for much at the moment. And let's not forget that this is your one, greatest desire…right?"

Somehow, I almost felt like I was messing with the devil…hell, I'd even bet that the word devi was just short for devil. But this sudden change of demeanor almost felt like I was talking to someone with a lot of power or something, like he could just crush the life out of me or any other human. I'm feel really stupid now for what happened today…maybe I said too much…just for the sake of knowing about these guys.

"Y-yeah…right…" It felt hard to swallow as I drove back, feeling like he was just waiting till we'd be alone to reveal something to me. Something worse.

End of chapter 1