All seemed normal in the city of Aster, Florida for a good while. Nothing new and exciting had come their way in so long, that the teenagers had settled with actually doing their schooling so they could just get out of the place. That is, until the new Bandai Corporation building was built in the very center of the city. No one was ever seen entering or exiting the place, except for shipping trucks that went out to the various markets and stations. Most chose to ignore this, however. The workers could live there for all the citizens knew, and rumor had it that various apartments were within.
A new toy was marketed by them soon after the business arrived. Labeled, "Digimon: V-PET Double M", many children flocked to the stores to buy them. Finally, something to help pass time! Of course, the kids that purchased these handheld pets soon found themselves in something much more than a fad. Unbeknownst to the parents, something outrageous had occurred shortly after their Digimon went past the egg stage. The creatures all appeared in the real world.
While most children were excited to find that their virtual companion had come to life, each and every one hid this fact from their families. Some chose to care for their new pets in total secrecy, while others used them for what the packaging had told them to do: "Battle with your friends!"
Of course, as battles grew more and more popular, all of the Digimon began to grow. Not just in power, but, just as the instruction manual had phrased, they began to "evolve". It took quite a while before a process of "de-evolution" was found, but it finally was. Even so, little-to-no mention of these creatures was made in public. It was as if the entire world was oblivious to the existence of these Digimon, the only exception being the children who actually had bought the virtual pets.
This is where our story begins.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - V-TAMER 02 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The old, beat up Ford Bronco made its way down the nearly empty streets, sputtering as it moved along. Struggling to shift the gear, the teen driver took a deep breath, and finally sighed as he heard the loud click confirming the shift's placement.
"You should really get a new ride, man." His passenger, a slim teen with long, black hair, wearing a wife beater and jeans, said, leaning out the window a bit. Christopher "Topher" Howell, age sixteen.
"But dude… it's blue." The driver replied, adjusting his mirror, and flipping his chestnut-colored hair away from his glasses. He was wearing his favorite black t-shirt, as well as a pair of black jeans. Steven "Steve" Connor, age seventeen.
This was an average morning for the two. Flipping through the radio stations, nothing on, Topher complaining about the 70's model Bronco, Steve defending it in some obscure way while also trying to keep it on the road. Yet, no matter how much the guys argued, they were always together. Most didn't see it, but they shared a tight bond, almost like brothers.
"So, what's up with everyone and these V-Pet things now?" Topher asked, poking around in his backpack.
"Hmm?" That was all the other managed to get out, trying his best to focus on the road. While Steve was usually more than likely to space out when compared to others, he did have a knack for safe driving.
"You gotta be kidding me. You haven't heard all the idiots at school blabbering on about them?" Given no response, Topher continued. "These V-Pet things have pretty much been the only thing on everyone's minds lately."
Steve just nodded, continuing to eye the road as if it would suddenly change from the day before. It never did, but he could never be too sure about things like that. The universe had a way of throwing him curve balls every now and then, and he wouldn't take any risks, even with simple things.
His companioned just sighed, leaning his head back on the seat. He tried to take his mind off of how dull this was, but then he noticed that they had missed the turn off towards the high school. Topher didn't speak up at first, thinking his friend would realize and turn around, but he never gave any sign of being wrong.
"You know, you missed the…"
"I didn't miss anything. We're going to Global Tech. I want to ask Freddie about V-Pets."
"Freddie? You know he only sells cheap crap at that place."
"Keyword: Cheap."
Pulling over at the small shop-strip, Steve pulled his parking break back and smiled as he looked into the window of their pal's store. Freddie had graduated from their high school two years before, when the two of them were Freshmen, and he already ran his own business. A small business with an even smaller amount of customers, yes, but a business all the same.
Just as the spectacled lad had guessed, there was a small sign in the window advertising the new V-Pet Double M's. An anthropomorphic lion punching a blast of energy in the shape of its own head was emblazoned behind the walls of text. The artwork was impressive, to say the least, and caught the attention of the two rather quickly.
"I smell Diabolus Ex Machina." Steve said, with a rather serious undertone in his voice, as he got out of the truck.
"What?" Topher asked, trying his hardest to push his own door open. "Piece of shit, open already!" With one last shove, the rusting passenger door flung open, and the teen toppled out, quickly regaining his composure and patting his shirt as if nothing had happened.
"The sign." Steve said, looking toward his friend, jutting his thumb toward the window.
"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Topher then walked around the Ford, getting a better look at the art and ignoring the text completely.
"You're telling me you don't smell an aura of impending doom on that lion?" He added, opening the glass door, a little bell dinging as he did so.
"Steve. It's just a poster."
The friends then made their way to the front desk, Topher looking all around for a sign of their tech-buddy. Steve, skipping all the irrelevancy of a patient routine, began banging on the desk bell. It seemed like he was just doing it for fun, but a hand quickly reached from below the desk, grabbing his ankle.
"Stop that, it's naptime." A gruff voice lingered out, before fading, the whole ordeal leaving Topher more than a bit shocked.
"Oh, hey Freddie. Think you could scratch just a bit above there? I've got an itch."
"That'll cost you extra."
Topher then slid next to Steve, tapping the fingers with his shoe, responding with, "Steve doesn't have enough for a happy ending, we're here on business, man."
On this note, the young man slid out from under the desk, and coughed, his eyebrow ring jingling all the while. Slicking his punkish hair to the side, Freddie straightened his tie and laid his hands down flat on the desk, leaning in close.
"Business is it? What can I do you boys for?"
"We're here about the V-Pets." Topher said, grimacing, while pushing Freddie's face back. "You got any in stock or what?"
Freddie looked up for a bit, tapping his fingers on his scruffy chin all the while. He then pointed his index finger upwards, as if a bolt of genius had struck him. Running into the back, he could be heard rummaging through boxes.
"What? All out up front?" Steve asked, leaning a bit to try and see what was going on.
"Actually, I'm completely out of the newer models…" Freddie then stumbled back in, carrying two packages in his arms. "They usually go for around fifteen bucks each."
The two boys were awestruck by this, as they trifled around in their pockets. After counting out how much they had altogether, they then turned back to their entrepreneur companion, discouraged. They were so short on cash right now, they couldn't even afford one of them together.
"But! You're in luck! I couldn't even get a bid on these on e-bay!" He then blew the dust off of the packaging for dramatic effect. Coughing, the two waved the dirt cloud away from them.
"What the hell are they?" Topher asked, trying to see through the blinding, brown mist.
"Older models; they weren't even sold in this town. I got hold of them because a buddy of mine used to collect stuff like this." He then looked them over and nodded, laying them out in front of the two, almost as if he had guessed which they would have decided on themselves.
"D-Pendulum? You sure these are V-Pets?" Topher enquired, scanning the packaging over. The words "Destiny of Progress" stretched across the top. "Look more like cheap knockoffs to me."
"Oh, no no no! These are top of the line, the real deal! You can look it up on the net if you want!"
"Hmm… How much?" Steve asked, scratching his chin while he looked his own model over, repeating the title in his mind over and over. "Way To Light…""Well, considering nobody else wants them, I guess I could dump them onto you two for free. Just don't tell anyone I'm getting nice!" Freddie then winked at the two, before sliding back under the desk. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Dr. Reed isn't coming in for his computer repair until 10:00. Like I said before, naptime!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ADVENT NEXUS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
This is where our story begins. What will become of these two boys? Young, naïve, and quick to jump into the unknown, will their travels bear positive fruit? Only time will tell…