Chapter 1
The six rock figures stopped moving towards the humans. Veemon's stance also lightened. He recognized them as Gotsumon. They were among one of the friendlier Digimon species. One of the Gotsumon approached Veemon and asked, "Is Minotaurumon still up there?"
"He was when we fell down here and he sealed us in here," Veemon answered.
The Gotsumon nodded, "He thinks he's killed you. He will be gone for a while. Follow us."
"Why should we follow a tiny rock man?" asked Val.
"Because these are Gotsumon. They won't harm us," Veemon replied.
"I don't even know who you are. The point also applies to you. How can we trust you?" Val asked.
"He can be trusted," John replied, turning to face Val.
"And how do you know?" Val shot.
"How do you know that you can trust your red dinosaur?" John shot back.
"Guilmon can be trusted. I just know deep down that he can," Val replied.
"I feel the same way about Veemon," John told him. John turned back to the Digimon, "Where are we going?"
"Back to our village," the Gotsumon said, "We will be safe there for now. The Minotaurumon doesn't go into the village."
The six rock creatures led the Chosen down the darkened corridor. Val was at the back of the group. He still didn't trust anyone. That included both the Digimon and the humans. The only one that he knew he could trust was Guilmon and he was nowhere around him at the time. For all he knew, Guilmon could have been killed when Minotaurumon hit him. That upset Val greatly and he didn't understand why. He just knew that he was uncomfortable with the whole situation.
John on the other was not. He didn't feel like he had to worry about anything. He had never been here before yet he felt like he had lived in this world his entire life. The encounter with Minotaurumon was terrifying yet fulfilling at the same time. He couldn't figure out why. He nearly died during that encounter and less than half an hour before that he met a small dinosaur dragon man who he now put his full trust into. He knew the others had the same trust in the Digimon that they were partnered with. Fortunately for him, John's partner was still with him. He couldn't imagine being one of the others not knowing where your Digimon was. As for the Gotsumon leading them, John trusted them for the sole reason that Veemon trusted them. He knew that they were leading them somewhere that was safer than where they had been. There was something that he felt the Gotsumon weren't telling them though. He was going to have to find that out when they reached the village.
"What was this place?" asked Colt, his ever questioning mind wondered aloud.
"This is one of the places that the Agents used before they disappeared," the lead Gotsumon told him.
"Who are the Agents?" Colt asked.
"We don't really know. What we do know is that they looked exactly human but they were not human. And they were not Digimon. Stories say that the agents were the ones who formed the Digital World to their design. As well as keeping this world and the Human World balanced out."
"Where did they go?" Karin joined into the conversation.
"No Digimon knows," Veemon took over, "They had been here since the very beginning of the Digital World but vanished centuries ago without a trace."
"That doesn't sound strange at all," Karin replied.
"How does it not? It is very strange," one of the Gotsumon told her.
"That's also called sarcasm. I take it you guys don't understand that kind of humor," John smirked from behind Karin.
"We have never heard of sarcasm," the Gotsumon replied.
"Oh, we are going to have so much fun in this world," John said.
"Yes, we are," Karin joined John's side.
"That's all sorts of fun, but I think I do see an exit up there," Val chimed in from the rear.
"Our village is right outside of the entrance to the corridor," the lead Gotsumon replied.
"Then you will tell us what you have been hiding from us so far then," Val commented to the Gotsumon.
"What was that about?" asked Karin.
"Val thinks that the Gotsumon aren't telling us something. Probably about Minotaurumon. That I happen to agree with Val on; the Gotsumon are hiding something from us," John answered.
The Gotsumon didn't jump around the subject. The one that had done the most of the talking responded, "We are not hiding something from you. We chose to wait until you were reunited with your partners so all of you could hear what we have to say about Minotaurumon, but since you want to know I believe it will fine to tell you know. Minotaurumon never used to be as violent as he is right now. He has changed."
"Changed how?" asked Karin.
"He used to be a kind and gentle Digimon who protected the Gotsumon village."
"So why did he go and join the dark side?" asked John.
"What do you mean dark side?" asked another Gotsumon.
"It's a movie reference," John explained.
"What is a movie?" asked the Gotsumon.
John's face went blank, "Never mind. Why did he go evil on you?"
"We don't know for sure. He was just like normal one day, but by the end of that day he started to blast away at the village. It took all we had to turn him around. It pained us greatly to cause harm to one of our own."
"One of your own?" Karin asked.
"The Minotaurumon was once one of us Gotsumon."
"How in the world can a small rock man turn into a minotaur with a cannon hand?" asked John.
"Digivolution."
That word perked up Colt's interest so he came and joined into the conversation, "What is digivolution?"
"Digivolution is how we Digimon change from one form to another. It is our process of evolution."
"How does digivolution work?" asked Colt.
"No one truly knows. What we do know is that rookies and champions are the most common Digimon. Ultimates are rarer. Megas are the stuff of legend," Veemon explained.
"Are those levels?" asked Colt.
"Yes. I believe humans would call rookies children and call champions adults. Ultimates are the adults that become the dominant member. As for Megas, there is no human comparison. Megas are far more powerful than the others combined," Veemon answered.
"So have you met a mega?" asked John.
"No. None of us here have. To be honest there are some who believe megas are just stories that are told to rookies and the levels below rookie to make them behave or keep them in check. It's like behave or a mega will come. That's what megas are. They are mere stories and nothing else."
"Is that what you believe, Veemon?" asked John.
"I never thought about it. I just hope to one day become a champion and then an ultimate. The goal of mega is really not on my mind," Veemon told John.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but we have arrived at the village," a Gotsumon said.