Johnnymon
By: Aubrie1234
Dukey didn't like what was going on. Johnny hadn't been paying him much attention lately, but why? The boy always left every day to go somewhere, usually with food hidden in a backpack, but he never said where he was going. Dukey had never seen Johnny like this and it worried him. When he asked, his best friend always dodged the question. What was so important to Johnny that he couldn't even tell Dukey what was going on? It couldn't be another party because Susan and Mary would know what Johnny was doing, and it turned out they didn't when Dukey asked them. Either that or they were very convincing liars.
"He's been going somewhere?" Mary gave the dog a confused look.
"Well, that explains why we've seen him going down the side of the house while he's grounded." Susan muttered, "Any idea where he goes?"
"No, which is why I'm asking you!" Dukey laid down sadly, "He's not telling me something and I want to know why."
"Why don't you follow him, then?" Mary suggested.
"I could, but I don't think he'd like it."
"If you're so worried about him, then go do it!" Susan huffed, "We've got stuff to do."
"I'm going, I'm going! But if this ends badly, it's going go be your fault!" Dukey then left and the girls were once again left alone.
"Are you sure we shouldn't help Dukey? I mean, I want to know what Johnny is doing, too." Mary spoke.
"I'm sure it's not bad." Susan assured, "We're probably making a big fuss over nothing. Now, let's get on this project the General wants us to do." With a hesitant glance, Mary slowly nodded and began typing on the computer with her sister. However, her mind was on her little brother and wondering what was going on.
Johnny usually left around 4, enough time for him to be out of school but also enough for him not to get in trouble for being late for dinner, and came back by 5:30. Dukey peeked through a window into the garage and watched his best friend as he got ready to leave. Johnny had the black backpack slung over his shoulders (different from his school backpack and it always smelled of food) and was getting on his skateboard. Glancing around cautiously, the flame-headed boy skated out of the building and went down the street, heading to the city.
Dukey made sure he was a safe distance away before trying to follow his friend. But maybe he had stayed too far behind, because he soon lost sight of Johnny and was unable to find him again, even when he used his nose. It was like the trail had gone cold, but how could he have lost it so quickly? Especially with that food-filled backpack! Frustrated, the dog returned home and waited for Johnny. If every time he tried to follow his friend ended like this, then he would have to take drastic action.
He did take a notice of something at dinner, though, when the girls mentioned their new project.
"Weird electric pulses have been messing up the city's traffic system recently, so the General has asked us to create a program to track them to the source!" Susan proudly boasted.
"And why can't his scientists do that?" Johnny asked, "Aren't they supposed to be really smart?" The boy seemed to hold his fork in a leisurely grip, but there was a tightness to it Dukey could see.
"Of course they are, but this has been giving the General trouble, so he's asked us to take a shot at it." Mary answered. Johnny's grip on the fork tightened more at this response. Something about the project seemed to make Johnny unhappy, Dukey could see, but what was it? He was unable to learn more as dinner went on, but Johnny was still tense throughout it. And when they all separated to get ready for bed, Dukey decided to try asking again.
"Something wrong?"
"Nope." Johnny had his hands behind his head, relaxed and calm in image but anxious underneath (Dukey could literally smell the anxiety and even some fear from his friend), "Why?"
"You've been acting strange."
"How have I been acting strange?"
"Well, you don't pay as much attention to me and you've been leaving and coming back every day at certain times."
"Can't I just have time to myself?"
"Then do you go on a picnic alone? Because I can smell that the backpack you take has food in it!"
"I'm not the only one who goes on a picnic alone." Johnny was raising his walls, changing the subject, "Bling-Bling does too, even if he was trying to get Susan to have the picnic with him."
"Not the point!" Dukey stepped in front of Johnny, "I want to know what's going on with you. I'm your best bud, so why can't you tell me?" Johnny rolled his eyes.
"There aren't any secrets, Dukey." he walked past the dog, "Anyway, let's get to bed. You're worrying over nothing, fuzzy buddy." The dog wondered briefly about why Johnny was lying to him, why he couldn't tell him the truth, but left it be for now and followed the boy to bed.
Things started to change when the week began once again and the kids had to go to school. Before, during the school week, Johnny's strange routine hadn't changed, but now it was changing. As soon as he left school he took his bike and began pedaling home, leaving Dukey to catch up.
"What is it?" asked Dukey, panting a little.
"Homework from Mr. Teacherman, again." Johnny explained, "I want to get it done so I have time to do other things."
"But you hate doing homework! You always put it off to the last minute!"
"I did?" Johnny shrugged, "Well, I guess things can change." This left Dukey worried as he continued to run alongside Johnny. Was Johnny's homework interfering with whatever he did in the afternoon? Is that why he was being responsible and getting his homework done ASAP? Well, it was good Johnny was being responsible, but that also left Dukey feeling betrayed. Johnny was making time for whatever his escapades were about and he was leaving Dukey out of it! It wasn't fair and the dog vowed to get to the bottom of this, one way or another. He slowed down as he began to think of his plan and let Johnny go ahead, but to his surprise, the boy also slowed down to keep pace with Dukey.
"Getting tired already?" Johnny quipped, "You're getting old."
"No I'm not!" Dukey argued, "And shouldn't you be heading home so you can get your homework done and leave for wherever you go to in the afternoons?" He didn't mean to sound so bitter about it, but it came out that way. Johnny was quiet for a moment, then smiled and rubbed Dukey's head.
"Maybe, but you're my friend too. I'm sorry I've been ignoring you, buddy, but something's just come up and stuff."
"And you can't tell me about it?"
"...Not yet." Johnny let go, possibly to steady his bike, but it also felt to Dukey like he was trying to move away, "Maybe in a few days, but not right now. I never meant not to tell you, but things are kind of hectic right now."
"Is there something I can do?" If Dukey could help Johnny get past whatever was going on, then maybe the boy would reveal why he was leaving the dog behind each day. Johnny thought for a moment, then nodded.
"I do, but I don't think anyone's gonna like it, least of all my sisters."
"Is this about their project?" Johnny nodded.
"Yeah, the whole 'electric tracking' thing." Johnny sighed, "Do you think you could, I guess, sabotage it?"
"Why?"
"You trust me, don't you?"
"After the past few days, that's debatable."
"Please buddy." Johnny looked tired as he pleaded, "If you do that, then I'll tell you what's going on."
"You promise?"
"Pinky swear." Dukey was suspicious that Johnny gave in so easily, but agreed to the swear and they shook pinkies.
"So, what's going on?"
"...I've sort-of got a new pet." Johnny gave a sheepish grin, "He's not a regular pet, though. He's along the lines of Repto-Slicer, but less angry and more playful."
"And that's where you've been going every afternoon?" The flaming-haired boy nodded.
"Yep. I can't let anybody know about him, so he has to hide and I have to bring him food."
"After I sabotage things, will you bring me along to see him?" Dukey asked, "I bet I could visit him so he wouldn't have to be so lonely."
"I don't know." Johnny frowned, "He doesn't do well with anything new."
"Does he freak out or something?" The boy snorted.
"More like tries to eat it." The finally came to the Test house, where Johnny brought his bike with him into the garage, "Tomorrow, after you sabotage the project, you can come with me to see him."
"Does he have a name?"
"Uh, that's kind of hard to explain..." he shook his head, "You'll understand when you meet him." Dukey raised an eyebrow in question but shrugged.
"Alright..." He wasn't looking forward to sabotaging Susan's and Mary's project, but if he meant he got to learn more about Johnny and his new 'pet,' then he was willing to do it. He just wondered what the consequences would be.
The next day, after Susan and Mary were mad at their lost work and Johnny finished his homework, he began to raid the kitchen without his parents knowing. Dukey watched, curious about it all.
"Bread, bread, more bread, meatloaf, bread..." Dukey raised an eyebrow, "Are you trying to kill him?"
"As much as it seems like the meatloaf is a bad idea, he actually likes it. I found that out by accident. He also loves bread like nothing else." Johnny answered as he zipped the black backpack closed, "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, but where are we going?" They went to the garage to get the boy's skateboard. As Johnny grabbed it and put it on the ground, he smiled.
"We had to get out of the way, where nobody could find him." the flaming-haired boy set out, "Where do you think it is?" Dukey contemplated his choices as he ran to keep up to his friend.
"That leaves out everything outside town, so maybe the park?"
"Wrong. Too many people."
"Definitely not Area 51.1... Maybe the woods?" Johnny made a 'wrong answer' sound, causing Dukey to frown, "The zoo is out of the question, as well as the museum. Underground?"
"With Zizrar and the Mole People? No way." Johnny shook his head, "Just follow me." The dog did so and they traveled for a while until they came to the edge of town, right to Mount Porkbelly.
"Here?" Dukey was incredulous, "I bet the poor guy freezes to death!"
"He actually puts off a lot of heat, so he's fine in the snow and cold."
"Anything that puts off enough heat to stay warm in this place but be made of fire." Dukey grumbled, "Didn't you bring anything warm to wear?"
"We won't be long." They both were shivering as they went of the mountain, Johnny carrying his skateboard under his arm so he wouldn't lose it, and they didn't go up too far until they came to a cave.
"Gigimon!" Johnny called, "Come out, I've brought a new friend!"
Gigimon? thought Dukey, I've never heard of anyone named that before. He didn't have much time to think about it, though, as out of the darkness hopped a small, red and black lizard-thing with golden eyes. The dog yelped and hit behind the human, both curious and frightened.
"Johnnymon!" it squealed as it jumped into his arms, causing him to drop the skateboard. The flaming-haired boy laughed as the rolley-polley licked his face, similar to a dog.
"Wait, it can talk?!" Dukey exclaimed. Johnny had to peel the creature away from his face so he could answer, holding it under his arm like he had with his skateboard.
"Yeah." Johnny nodded, then turned to the creature, "Gigimon, this is Dukey. He's my best friend."
"Hi Dukeymon!" It waved a stubby arm and smiled with its large, teeth-filled mouth.
"No, Gigimon, it's just Dukey, like how I'm just Johnny."
"Okay Johnnymon." Johnny gave an exasperated sigh and Dukey couldn't help but smile. He slowly approached and sniffed Gigimon, trying to figure out what it was, but was quickly met with pain as Gigimon opened its huge, sharp mouth and bit down on the dog's nose. Dukey yelped and struggled to move away as Johnny tried to pry Gigimon's mouth open.
"Gigimon let go! That's not nice!" The lizard did so and made a sad whine, wiggling its tiny legs and tail as its bat-wing ears drooped.
"I'm sorry, Johnnymon." Johnny shook his head and put Gigimon on the ground.
"I'm not the one you should apologize to." The boy nudged the lizard towards Dukey, who was rubbing his hurting nose.
"I'm sorry, Dukeymon." Dukey looked to Johnny, who nodded.
"It's okay, Gigimon." Dukey pat what he supposed was the creature's head and found Gigimon to be extremely warm, compared to the cold air and snow and stuff. He realized he had also felt the same type of warmth when Gigimon had bit his nose and wondered how the lizard could be so warm in such a cold place.
"Anyway, Gigimon," Johnny threw off the backpack and began to open it, "I've got your meal right here."
"Yay!" Gigimon hopped over to Johnny, "I'm really hungry, Johnnymon!"
"I know, little buddy." The boy upturned the backpack and allowed its contents to spill out, where Gigimon put its large mouth to good use and began gobbling up everything in sight. It even managed to get a rock stuck in its huge mouth and whined until Johnny removed it, then went back to eating.
"So you've been hiding this for weeks now?" Dukey gestured to Gigimon as they sat on the cave floor. Johnny nodded.
"He kind of appeared out of nowhere a few weeks ago as this huge egg, about the size of my head, and I originally hid him in the park when he hatched into an even smaller little red thing with bat-wing ears. Then, when I was feeding him one day, he started glowing and changed into that, and he got into a lot of trouble, so I had to hide him somewhere else."
"Has he been causing those electric pulses your sisters are researching?" Johnny shrugged.
"I honestly don't know for sure, but I think so." the boy tapped his watch, "This thing has been going on the fritz whenever I get near Gigimon, so I think there's something about him that messes up electronic devices." Dukey nodded.
"And if his name is Gigimon, then why did you not tell me his name?"
"That's because it's really not. Gigimon is his species, not his name. I'm still trying to come up with a name for him, but he doesn't like anything cool, like Rathgar or Ripper."
"'Species?'"
"I'm a digimon!" Gigimon spoke up, now done eating, where nothing was left, "I come from a place called the Digital World! Other digimon like me live there, but it's a really tough and dangerous place! To survive, we grow up and get stronger by digivolving, where we change forms! When I hatched, I was Jyarimon, and then I digivolved into Gigimon!" he wagged his tail, "I've still got a lot of growing to do, but I'm glad you and Johnnymon are here with me, Dukeymon!" Dukey blushed.
"No problem, Gigimon." he said, "Do you know how digivolving works?"
"A little." The digimon walked over to them and hopped into Johnny's lap, settling himself, "If I have enough energy, then I can digivolve into a stronger form. It can also happen if I really want it to happen, like if my friends are in danger and I want to protect them!"
"How do you know all this? I mean, you aren't just born with it, are you?" Dukey asked. Gigimon shook his head.
"Nope!" he chirped, "If we get defeated, we turn back into DigiEggs, where we hatch again and have to start over. Most of the time we remember what happened before, but sometimes we forget."
"Any idea how your DigiEgg got here?"
"No." Gigimon's ears lowered, "I don't really remember much except the basics."
"I asked him about all of this before." Johnny added, "But it's okay because he's awesome!" He rubbed Gigimon's head with a smile and the little creature growled happily.
"Well, why couldn't you tell me about this little guy before? You know I would have kept the secret!"
"I know, but I just don't want to lose him if something happened. You know how the military can be sometimes." Dukey had to admit, Johnny had a point.
"Well, now Gigimon doesn't have to be so lonely." Dukey smiled as the digimon perked up.
"I don't?" Gigimon's tail began to wag.
"Yeah, because I can come see you every day."
"Yay!" Gigimon leapt out of Johnny's lap and onto Dukey's head.
"Dukey's a dog, so he doesn't have to go to school like I do." Johnny explained, standing up, "So he can keep you company until I get home."
"YAY!" Gigimon was now wiggling so much Dukey was afraid the digimon was going to fall off his head. To his relief, Johnny grabbed Gigimon and put the lizard on the floor, where the digimon ran around in circles happily.
"You're one big ball of energy." the dog commented as he also stood up while Johnny grabbed the empty backpack and his skateboard.
"We've gotta leave, little buddy." Johnny announced, "Sorry we couldn't stay long."
"But you'll be back tomorrow, right?!"
"Of course!"
"YAYYAYYAYYAY!"
"You're sure he's not gonna explode from excitement?" Dukey whispered to Johnny.
"He was worse as a Jyarimon." the flaming-haired boy whispered back, then spoke aloud, "Stay quiet, stay here, and don't talk to strangers!"
"I won't!" Gigimon watched them leave, his tail wagging so fast it was a blur, and then the boy and his dog were once again met with the cold climate of Mount Porkbelly.
"He's cute." Dukey mused as they went down the mountain, "I wish you could take him home."
"I know, but you know how Mom and Dad can be, especially since he can talk."
"Yeah, you know how they acted when they knew I could talk."
"My point exactly." They were quiet until they reached the bottom of the mountain, where Johnny then boarded his skateboard and they began heading home, "Just make sure Gigimon stays put, okay? I don't want him running into bears or anything and getting himself mauled or worse."
"I won't. I promise to keep him a secret for as long as you want." Dukey turned slightly to look at Johnny, "How long do you want to keep him a secret, anyway?"
"I don't know, but I hope it won't be long." The two left it at that as they headed home, both silently thinking about little Gigimon.
Okay, so, I've had this idea in my head a while and this chapter has been finished for who knows how long, and I've decided to post it. I don't know when I'll work on it again, but I assure you, this is not a oneshot and has a big story behind it. So, please read & review!