arnings: Swearing, (mild), violence, mention of hospitals and overbearing parents, asthma, spoilers from Japanese-only games

Chapter One - A Purple Shadow and Scar

The world crumbled around her, mold and age chewing at all of the constructs. All of humanity.

For the moment, Sayo was the only human soul around. And even that was suspect. She looked up at the eternally russet and sick-yellow sky and sighed. Compensation for something?

There was no one to ask, so she didn't. The lack of interaction was starting to grind, three hours after ending up in this hellhole like Earth.

Like Earth. Was this a place a mirror image, the future of the planet? Was this the thing her friends had fought so hard for?

Well if it was, it sure looked like crap.

She let out a soft exhale and rolled off her jacket, setting it in her bag as sweat rolled into her hair. With a grumble, she tied it up and cast her eyes about, returning her hat to where it belonged. If anyone saw what was there, then-

But no one would. Lucky her.

Then, meters and meters away, something hit the ground with a very loud crash. Sayo took after the noise, a grin on her face and a sword in one small hand.

From behind a building she had been standing near, a pair of eyes lingered on the dust she had kicked up. The owner smiled at nothing in particular and hobbled after them.

"A spanner in the works, and the game has not even begun." They chuckled. "I suppose I can appreciate the value of an early riser, just this once."

They hobbled towards the sounds of shattering concrete and heavy roars. The figure of the young woman shot up, dodging a swipe of claws. By the time the old man caught up, the creature fell with a heavy groan and Sayo had landed neatly on her feet. Blood oozed from a cut on her forehead as she breathed heavy puffs. Yet, he noted, the grin on her face was unmistakable. She looked up at him and her expression smoothed out to merely a giddy smile.

"I thought I was alone here." Her voice was breathy from exertion and yet she looked him nearly right in the eye. "You look like a smart man." She took a step. "What am I doing here?"

The old man watched her face, watched the way her eyes seemed to slit. "and you ask me expecting the truth?"

She bared sharp incisors. "I ask you expecting something interesting."

The old man lifted his red tinted glasses. "That is an answer I can expect. Walk with me, Sayo of Night Claw. I have a number of subjects to discuss with you… after we take care of this wretched creature."

The body flickered and sparked behind her and she turned to it. "How strange," she murmured. "Thought I gutted you right and proper." Her hat trembled on her head. "Don't supposed you've got an answer for that in your subjects of conversation?"

He held out something blank and white, with its green screen flickering silver.

Sayo's eyes went wide and then she looked to the monster. She licked her lips. "I love my job," she said and with a battle cry, she snatched it from his hand and took off once more.

The old Watchmaker smiled and replaced his glasses upon his face as the Xros Loader turned royal purple and pitch black.

"With Union playing about, we will need to find a better prize, won't we Clockmon?"

His Xros Loader cried like an alarm bell.

Meanwhile, on an entirely different battlefield, a young sports warrior had just clocked his head hard on the glass backboard. He hit the ground with an ungainly this and a pathetic squeak.

Amano Yuu, from his place grabbing the flying basketball, didn't need to guess where this was going. He let out a sigh. Why do we need three players?

"Medic!" He called, watching his other teammate wave down the rest of the players and go to check on the fallen person. Yuu scowled a bit. Typical Akashi Tagiru, had to try and snatch the spotlight every time. One of these days there would be a concussion and bam, that would be the last straw for his mother.

For the sake of his senior's blood pressure, and his own, he hoped it was soon.

Bouncing the ball lazily up and down, he went over. "How is he?"

Kudo Taiki smiled up at his from where he knelt, careful fingers examining the rest of the fallen teenager's out cold body. "Well, he's out for the rest of the game, at least. Bridge of his nose has taken way too many hits recently."

"Think we should take him to the hospital?" One of their opponents went to look Tagiru over. "I mean, that kills the game, but he keeps busting his face like that, we'll be the ones in trouble."

Taiki sighed, ruffling his own dark brown hair. "I figured this time he had it…" He looked to his left as one of Yuu's classmates came rushing over with the first aid kit. "Could you keep an eye on him for a second? We're going to go get an ambulance. Maybe he'll wake up before then, but."

"But he's going this time." Yuu kept his voice firm, if exasperated. The girl squeaked at him, a simpering smile on her face.

"S-sure, all right."

Yuu smiled at her and turned away, following his senior as fast as he could. Taiki was smiling a bit too much for someone who had to call an ambulance. "Taiki-san," he warned and the other's laughter broke loose, quick and carefree.

"Sorry." They stopped by the road and Taiki pulled out his cell phone. "It's just kind of funny, Yuu-sama." The last word was layered with amusement. Yuu blushed.

"It was a phase!" He looked away, face burning. "Didn't you have weird phases like that?"

"As far as everyone is concerned, I haven't left my weird phase." They both sobered long enough to make their separate calls. Then Yuu made a face and tossed the ball to his good friend. Taiki caught it and tossed it back.

Yuu watched the way he stood and smiled, like it really wasn't a big deal that a teammate just casually knocked himself out again. "You knew he was going to do that."

Taiki blinked, pausing to dribble. Then he shook his head. "He was less covered than you. I hoped he wouldn't."

Yuu let out a fond exhale. "Hope springs eternal."

Taiki flashed him a knowing smile. "He'll get better. He's a bit like Shoutmon. Loud, fussy, lots of growing pains."

Yuu choked and missed the catch. Coughing, he took a moment to find the ball. "That was dirty, Taiki-san."

Taiki only gave him a puzzled smile in return and looked at the sky.

Yuu righted himself and stepped to look for the ambulance. "It's okay to project a little, Taiki-san. Just… he's not Shoutmon. Or any of the others." He certainly isn't Damemon. "I think he gets into more trouble that we have to clean up."

Taiki laughed, and the sparkle returned to his eyes. "Your words hurt, Yuu."

Yuu flushed. "I'm just being realistic here!"

"Then be optimistic." Taiki gave him a gentle shoulder nudge. "We have to help you first."

Yuu wanted to answer but the ambulance arrived at that moment, shortly followed by a call from Tagiru's mother.

Yuu did not envy him, that was for sure.

A pair of eyes followed them as they went. The creature in the bushes darted away with a satisfied smile on their face. Unfortunately for said pair of eyes, they did not go unnoticed.

Tagiru woke up with a shout and the red streak of hair on his head half in his mouth. He spat it out with disgust and opened his eyes. At the sight of the blank hospital walls, his shoulders sagged.

"Damn it." He looked around quickly to make sure the words had not reached his mother's ears, only to find Amano Yuu sitting in the chair where she usually was. He put his phone in his lap and looked over. Tagiru tried not to cringe. Yuu was slightly younger than him but the way his periwinkle eyes turned when he got annoyed made Tagiru feel about seven years old.

"You're up."

Tagiru made a face. "Did we win?"

Yuu shrugged. "Game canceled. Everyone was all worried about you." He smiled a bit, a slight lip turn that Tagiru simultaneously hated and appreciated. "Your mom had to get a call. Sorry."

Tagiru let out a small, well small for him, sigh. "Crud. I figured!" He smiled big. "How mad is she?" Smiling would take the edge off, he decided, at least for him. Yuu would be honest and burst the bubble, but he could hope.

Yuu looked back at his phone, then up at him. "She's not too mad. She's more mad you left your inhaler on your desk."

Tagiru's eyes went wide and then he buried his head in his hands. "She wasn't supposed to come in my room!" He tore at his hair. "How am I supposed to become a superstar if I have an inhaler, huh?"

This was always how it went. He got a little sick, he was stuck resting. He got better and couldn't keep it going. His parents worried and mom restricted him more. Tagiru stopped counting how many times he smelled antiseptic on a daily basis. He drove his hands into the thin sheets.

"I'm not even sick," he muttered venomously. "I can go to school and play games and I get good grades, what does she want?"

"For you to be safe." Yuu was back at his phone, toying with something on screen that he couldn't see. "She means well. You push her buttons too much."

Tagiru glowered at him. "I didn't ask you!" Yuu let out a sigh and Tagiru twitched. "Why are you even in here, anyway?!"

It was always like this with Yuu too. Yuu, who struck around their respective mentor like a barnacle, who had transferred into his class right after summer break and broke the monotony and won over everyone with a smile and some big words. Tagiru didn't consider himself a like super popular guy (yet), but Yuu made it literally impossible.

If only the girls knew. Amano Yuu was an elitist jerk.

He beat almost everyone like it didn't mean anything. Like it was easy. And he wasn't even putting one hundred percent in, like Taiki-san didn't. Tagiru couldn't beat Taiki-san without getting Yuu out of the way first. And he would. Even if it was just at basketball.

Yuu yawned at his glare and Tagiru felt his temper flame. "You are my teammate," he said as calmly as ever. But with a curdle of satisfaction, Tagiru saw the twitch of thin fingers. "But, if you'd rather deal with your mom instead of Taiki-san, then I'll get out of the way. Before Tagiru could even counter this, Yuu rose to his feet and left. There was a rush of noise outside, voices getting closer. Then it shut again, leaving things quiet once more.

Tagiru threw himself back on the hospital bed with a scowl, arms crossed. Then the anger drained out of him, replaced with the mild pain in his face.

"Taiki-san can do anything," he said to the empty room. "Why the hell can't I?"

The noise outside filled his thoughts. Then with a smirk, he tossed them away.

"Nope, not yet," he told himself. "I still got a shot! I'll still surpass him! I'll be the best there is! And I'll show mom and dad!"

"You? Please. You can't even make a shot in that game without breaking your face."

Tagiru looked around wildly, wincing at the agony that brought to his neck. "Oi Yuu! That you?"

A snort. "You think that guy sounds like me? Get your ears checked, chicken-for-brains!"

Tagiru scowled. He didn't even care if it was Yuu anymore. "You gonna say that to my face, tough guy?!"

"Please. You're not even worth the time."

Tagiru hopped from the bed, pain forgotten. "Yeah?! Big talk from a voice with no body! What do you know? I bet you can't even get a shot in, you puff of hot air!"

"What'd you say, punk?!"

Tagiru grinned. Now that was more like it. "You heard me! I bet you can't even throw!"

"That a challenge you bag of limp noodles?"

Tagiru let out a mocking chicken's caw. "You scared?"

There was a ragged shout of rage and then the world warped. Mold began to grow on the walls and floor, the bed behind him decaying and rusting red. Tagiru rubbed his eyes as the ground shifted beneath his feet. Then the door opened, glass shattering as it moved.

"Tagiru!" His mentor's shout was garbled in a swimming brain, at least until sweaty fingers grabbed his wrist. Taiki's face appeared, concerned, before him.

"Tagiru," the other repeated, gripping his wrist. "Grab on. Hurry."

"What's happening?!" Tagiru had expected a door opening not the world to just die around him. Though it did look kinda cool.

"No idea," Taiki was looking around as the world flickered into the familiar pristine white walls and them back to the red and yellow. "We heard you shouting. What happened?"

As the world swam into view, Tagiru rubbed his eyes. "We?" Oh right, his mother was still outside. Man he was so grounded.

"Yeah." Yuu stepped closer, pale eyes as closed off as a submarine window. "We."

Tagiru's face colored and he looked away. "There was this voice talking to me. It was mocking me… so I locked it back and then this happened." He groaned and jumped up and down. "Are we like, having one of those mass hallucination things?"

"You wish!" The voice from before was back, higher and clearer now. "This world's real you chump! And it's time to put up or shut up!"

Tagiru whirled around until Yuu pointed to what was basically a dark blur on the roof of the building. It leaned until its purple, sharp face was in the light, blue eyes in a squint. "Hey!" It yelled, indignant. "I only called one chump here! What are you weirdos doing in this place?"

"Who you callin a chump, you ugly rubber band?!"

Yuu made a noise like he was trying not to cry from laughter Then he looked up at the weirdo and shouted. "You're a digimon, aren't you? Can you explain what's going on?"

Digimon? The creature let out a snort.

"Not a chance Blondie." His hammer tail struck the area. "I've got a date with slamming your buddy there in the face again! I don't gotta tell you anything!"

Yuu made a noise of discontent. Taiki stepped in front of them. "If you want a challenge," he said in a voice Tagiru had never heard before. "Then we're owed an explanation. I think that's only fair ."

The thing bristled. "I'm not gonna stand here and gab after that guy made fun of me! And if you keep getting in the way then-" he hopped off the roof of the building, flying towards their open windowpane. "You're getting the first shot!" His hammer swung and Taiki shoved Tagiru and Yuu back before hopping to the side of the hammer. It splintered and shattered the floor, leaving a hole in its wake. Tagiru gaped and then fury overtook his fear. "What do ya think you're doing?! You could have killed us! You could have killed Taiki-san, you jerk!"

The dragon thing scowled. "He was in the way! If you'd just come by yourself, this wouldn'ta happened!"

"Like I have control over that!" Tagiru put up his fists, heedless of the headache now starting to throb in his skull. "You come down here and apologize!"

The thing sneered. "Or what? What are you gonna do to make the great Gumdramon-sama apologize, huh?"

Tagiru paused. Then he guffawed. "Gumdramon? What kind of dumb name is that?"

Gumdramon squawked rage. "Better than yours you-" he let out a high pitched shriek as Taiki swung a piece of a pipe, knocking him down into the next floor. Then, frowning, Tagiru watched his mentor jump down after him.

Yuu groaned. "Taiki-san, wait!" He made to follow and Tagiru got up. Yuu glared at him. "You stay. You caused this mess." Tagiru made a face as Yuu added. "You also need to take more painkillers. Don't make it worse."

Then he was gone, leaving Tagiru to watch with a scowl.

Taiki held the pipe with practiced kendo ease, staring down at Gumdramon with narrowed eyes. The dragon rubbed his head, scowling up at him.

"Would not recommend trying that again," Taiki said in a soft voice. "Could get hurt."

The dragon huffed. "That didn't hurt." He bunched his legs. "Now, get outta my way. I got business with that punk up there."

"I'm obligated not to let you go hit him." Taiki kept the pipe level. "So."

Gumdramon glowered and lunged for Yuu himself. Yuu, however, was ready, and dodged. Gumdramon kept flying, body starting to smoke with flame, towards Tagiru. Tagiru made to move but his legs went still, unwilling to budge.

Before he could make contact however, something wrapped around his torso and pulled him out of the line of fire, leaving Gumdramon practically skidding in mid-air.

Tagiru opened his eyes to see a slender arm around his waist as they touched down to the ground. A weapon was in their other hand, held with care so it didn't gut Tagiru himself.

"Taiki, you've gotten careless," they said, voice barely above Tagiru's ears. "This yours?"

Taiki blinked slowly and then recognition flickered into his face. "Sayo? What are you doing here?"

She released Tagiru and moved between him and the fluttering monster. "By request of the king. I should be asking you that. Ah well. Details later I guess." She grinned, purple hair aflutter as she moved. "Soldier Gumdramon, assistant to King Shoutmon, today is an unlucky coincidence. You are under arrest."

The dragon scooted back in the air, scowl turning to fear. "I, I did my time! That lady let me out! She put that ring on me!" Said tail ring shone in the sun, or the red ball that made up the sun.

"You did." The girl, she looked no older than Tagiru, smiled. "However, you cannot be free yet. Please return the fragment you stole."

Sweat dripped down rubber. "Wh-what if I don't?"

Sayo tilted her head. "Then I'm obligated to cut it out of you."

"Fragment?" Tagiru had no idea what was going on, but anything solid he could cling to at this point he would. "What fragment?"

"A transition code fragment." Well that told him nothing. Thanks. She sidestepped the hole with barely a twitch. "It's one of the pieces of a Xros Loader. One of the easiest ways to get to Earth. He took one to get here, apparently to run wild on humans. Use them."

"I did not!" The Digimon or whatever sounded terrified, eyes nearly bulging out of his sockets. "The lady gave it to me! She got me out! I promise!"

Sayo watched him. "So why are you here?"

He scowled. "None of your business!" At that he fled, ducking through the hole he made and out of sight.

Sayo watched him go, then lowered her weapon. "Cute." She looked at Tagiru. "Are you all right?"

Tagiru just stared at her. "You're cute," he blurted before he could stop himself.

Yuu, unable to control himself, laughed until Tagiru's ears turned red.

A/N: I'd say stop me but it won't work. This fic's going to go slow and steady, not Children of the World Tree slow, but slow as I get some more work done. I have original stuff in the works, and other things in progress, so I can't put it all first. But things will happen, and your reviews will encourage it. So please review!

There are a lot of headcanons and fan theories and random ideas going into this AU. All sorts, good bad, right or wrong, we'll see where it goes!

Challenges: Manga-Verse boot camp prompt icicle, game verse boot camp prompt join, chapter set boot camp prompt 85, season rewrite prompt boot camp prompt develop, interseason boot camp prompt - minute, Valentine Advent 2016 day 9, for a Shadow's Liight