Salt
By shimmercat
Author's Notes: Most of this is ancient. Hence the couple that I no longer much like. But I kinda like some of it, and that's why I bothered to finish it. Some yaoi, namely Koujyou, and major OOC. Yep, the characters are awful. *sigh* That is something I usually try to get right. Oh well.
This takes place in that extremely wide window of time that no one EVER seems to take advantage of: Tai's disappearance after fighting Etemon. Sora has already left to search for him. The rest... should be self-explanatory. I've given the poor Digidestined some basics they don't seem to have in the show: like CANTEENS, which I really can't see them surviving in the desert--even for as long as they are there in the show--without. Oh, and I'm going by Tokomon's version of what happened, not Matt's. If you are as obsessed as I am, then you might have noticed that their stories didn't completely coincide. Tokomon's made more sense, and considering I began this RIGHT after I first saw the episode, I hadn't yet seen Matt's version of things. And Tokomon's fits my plot better. I will just assume that the translators messed up yet again and get on with my fic.
It was rather disturbing when Izzy wasn't there the next morning. TK was found standing where Izzy had slept the night before, trying very hard not to cry. Matt comforted him, and then the four remaining Digidestined and their digimon searched for Izzy and Tentomon, holding onto the swiftly fading hope that the pair had simply gone off for a potty break.
After a thorough search left them all empty handed and sweaty, the group convened to discuss their findings. No note had been left, but Izzy was not exactly known for being as considerate as Sora. Palmon said that she had found tracks leading off to the west, and the significance of yesterday's argument suddenly became clear.
Izzy had wanted to go west; he had sworn that he had seen greenery on the horizon. No one else saw anything, except Tentomon who had flown up to get a better view and admitted that he might have seen a dark area. Izzy, worried about the meager supplies of water, had wanted to turn. Matt, TK, and Gabumon all had disagreed; they felt that finding Sora (whose tracks had lead south) was more important. Joe had found himself in the middle trying to mediate, and failing. The discussion had ended in chaos.
Everyone was too exhausted and thirsty to really notice or care when Izzy had slept away from the others and volunteered to take the last watch. His disappearance was sudden and disturbing, but not completely unexpected.
Izzy's trail led west, Sora's led south. Tai was still missing, although he had been gone so long that his absence was no longer discussed. The new council, called together to decide whom to follow, ended in chaos, a suspicious mirror of the one the night before.
Matt pulled Joe aside, letting the others prepare a pitiful breakfast of cactus fruit and the last three granola bars. Matt, as the self-appointed leader of the dwindling Digidestined, recognized that Joe was by far the most mature person left. Matt wanted to know what Joe thought he should do.
Joe told him to turn west.
Matt didn't agree.
The side council ended in a fistfight that continued until Joe pulled away and stated that he had made his decision. No matter what Matt was planning to do, Joe was going west. Gomamon reluctantly choose to follow Joe.
The rest of the day Matt spent trying to convince Joe to stay. Joe spent the time preparing, sleeping and ignoring Matt. His mind was made up; he would go west, traveling at night.
Mimi kept badgering Joe about his decision as well, although she seemed more hurt than angry. The fragmentation of the group had hit her hard. Joe looked at her with tragedy in his eyes, and took her aside. After their talk, Mimi stopped bothering him, and her eyes gained a glimmer of compassion whenever Joe was talking. She refused to tell Matt or TK what Joe had said. She had been sworn to secrecy, and Mimi's promises are sincere.
Joe and Gomamon left just before sunset, their silhouettes thrown in brilliant relief against the sun. Matt, TK, Mimi, Gabumon, Palmon, and Tokomon watched them go before lying down to sleep. Tomorrow they had to continue south; duty doesn't disappear just because you loose another friend.
~~~~~~~
Joe ran through the sand, the dry night air burning at his throat. He had to make up for the lost day. Gomamon made a struggling attempt to keep up, but Joe had long legs and was driven by desperation, and Gomamon simply wasn't built for running. He began to fall behind.
Joe didn't notice; he was too deep in thought. He knew why he had left the group, and he wasn't pleased with his reason. I wish I had left because of the possibility of finding water… that could be considered partially altruistic. He clenched his beating fists in self-anger. I can't believe I left all of them just so I could have what I want…
"Joe!"
He skidded to a stop, trying not to kick sand into his eyes, and turned around in frustration. He could just make out Gomamon's dark form lying prone on the sand in the dim light. "What?" he panted, sounding crankier than he really was. He was becoming tired.
Gomamon crawled a few feet, and then collapsed again. "Joe… I can't keep up…" His normally chipper voice was husky for want of water.
"Gomamon, if we run, we catch up to Izzy and Tentomon. If we don't, we don't. Simple. Come on."
The water digimon raised a flipper in a sign of farewell. "I can't do it. 'Bye."
Joe almost left him lying in the sand, but some part of him wouldn't allow it. Some intelligent part, not clouded by the strange mix of emotions, hormones, and exhaustion that controlled the rest of him. He had to find Izzy, but leaving Gomamon would be stupid and heartless. I love Gomamon, too… So he sighed and kneeled down next to the panting creature. "I'm sorry, Gomamon. I haven't been thinking, and I'm worried about Izzy…" Joe stroked the stiff orange mohawk; Gomamon closed his eyes in pleasure. "It's my fault. But we do need to get moving…"
"You're darned tootin' it's your fault! You're just lucky I love you so much or I would have left you ages ago."
"I love you too, but we need to keep going." Joe realized with surprise that this was the first time he had admitted to loving the strange little creature. He smiled.
Gomamon sighed. "Joe, for such a bright boy, you certainly get stupid sometimes. I can't keep up. I'm not built for this. I swim. If we were doing that, you would be the one begging for mercy. And anyways… look." A black-clawed flipper was held up for inspection.
Joe took the offered flipper delicately, and ran his fingers over the dusty purple and white fur. He checked each blunt claw, knowing what he would find on the bottom of the fin… and dreading it. He turned the flipper over, and winced at what he had done to his friend. "Gomamon… I'm so sorry…"
The fur had been worn away by the continued walking, leaving only skin and heavy calluses on the underside of the paw. It hadn't been enough to protect from that night's running. Dark blood covered the flipper and matted the short fur. Sand clotted on the blood and had worked its way into the abrasions.
Joe reached down and gathered the dust-covered digimon in his arms. "Gomamon," he said, his voice shaking slightly, "I should wash out those wounds, but we need the water to drink. I feel horrible…" He clutched the small warm body to his chest in an awkward hug.
"S'okay, Joe. I need to drink the water too. But you could carry me, and then we can find Izzy and Tentomon."
"Good idea." Joe smiled.
Clutching Gomamon to his breast, Joe made his way to the area where his own footprints ended and the other pair became visible. He muttered a little under his breath and began the tortuous process of moving one foot in front of the other. He still had a long way to go before dawn…
~~~~~~~
Joe first realized that the sun had risen when he noticed his shadow stretching out before him, making his tall, lean form reach in a dark line far out across the sand. Gomamon was asleep on the emergency bag, partially supported by Joe's steady left hand. The walk had been so methodical and monotonous that when Joe had run out of games to entertain himself, he had fallen asleep walking. His eyes stared unfocused at the footprints on the ground, so perfect before his own feet scattered the pattern. His shadow surprised him so much that he stumbled, and lost his balance.
Gomamon awoke when he hit the ground. He shook his head in a vain attempt to clear away the sleep, then teetered on injured fins to his fallen friend. Joe was trying to stand back up. "I think it's time to stop for the day," Gomamon yawned. Joe nodded dumbly. "There's a big rock a little further ahead. Just a few minutes walk. Let's go there so we're out of the sun and have a wall at out backs."
Joe staggered to his feet and stumbled to the miniature mesa, Gomamon limping behind. They went around it to the right, until they were in the long shadows under the western face. Joe had just enough energy to pull off his shoes and socks and drag out his canteen for a sip before pushing his bag under his head and falling immediately asleep. Gomamon also took a sip from the canteen, then carefully closed it, curling up next to Joe's stomach. With his last thought, he gazed out to the west, and noted a definite line of green stretching out towards the horizon.
~~~~~~~
Warm sunlight woke Izzy. Blinking occupied his attention for a few moments as he tried to figure out where the others were. Have they left me? No, they wouldn't do that… The previous day suddenly returned to him. I left them… Guilt welled up inside of him, and Izzy was rather unfamiliar with that emotion. I wish we could have stayed together… But I swear that Matt must be suicidal, or at least incompetent! Humans and digimon die without water, and we were running precariously low. If no one else would go, then I at least had to save myself and Tentomon… Where was Tentomon, anyway?
Izzy stood up and stretched, working out all the kinks that formed from sleeping on the ground. He half-heartedly smoothed out his shirt (he never really cared about how he looked, even in the real world) and took a sip from his canteen before closing it tightly. Where was Tentomon? They should get going if they hoped to reach the green grassland by that night. Mmmmm… the thought of sleeping on grass instead of stone…
This was out of the ordinary. Where was Tentomon?
Izzy was just about to call for him when he heard the buzz of insectoid wings. "Izzy! Izzy, come here!"
Izzy ran towards Tentomon's voice, around the mesa. The chill air cleaned his mind, and he began to feel an excitement for the day. He vaulted over some low boulders as his guilt evaporating. There was a kind of freedom in not having to worry about the others; to not loose sleep over whether Matt is suicidal, to not have to listen to Joe's whining and knowing that all his words are true, to not have to watch Sora beat herself up over every single argument, to not deal with Mimi's frivolity and TK's childishness. To be able to stop and analyze something as soon as he finds it. Freedom… what a concept!
He rounded an outcropping of the mesa and stopped so quickly he almost fell over.
I can't be seeing this…
Tentomon was hovering over a human form.
Joe.
Joe had come after him.
Well, is this positive or negative?
A random mess of emotions fought for his attention. Relief, because he didn't have to be alone any more… Disappointment, because now he needed to think of someone besides himself… Pure joy, because Joe had come after him… A shiver of thrill, because Joe had chosen to come after him.Joe didn't appear to be moving.
"Joe?" Izzy said, shuffling over to the prone body. "Joe!"
Izzy could now tell that the lump at Joe's side was Gomamon, also not moving. He watched carefully to make sure that both boy and digimon were breathing. There, his side rose. He's alive. Izzy let out a sigh of nervous relief.
"Tentomon?" Izzy said, turning his attention to the giant beetle still hovering over Joe. "What should we do?"
"We can't leave them here!" Tentomon piped up in his obnoxious voice, reading Izzy's mind.
Izzy sighed. "I guess not. After all, they must be looking for me…" Well, there go all those plans. "Should we wake them up?"
Tentomon landed at Joe's feet, remaining silent.
"I'll take that as a no."
Izzy sighed again, and wandered back over to the southeast side of the mesa, where he had left his computer and supplies. Absentmindedly, he slung them over his shoulder. I'm happy to see him, really. I was already getting lonely, despite Tentomon… And I'm glad it's Joe who decided to show up, too. I've always understood him better than the others. He's similar to me, in some ways. Izzy returned to the Joe and Tentomon, and pulled out his computer. He might as well get some work done.
Tentomon drifted off at his side while Izzy pulled up the program he was working on: a long-range transmitter to find Tai. But Joe's steady breathing was surprisingly distracting. Izzy glanced over at him, and found himself watching the sleeping boy. I wonder what he looks like without his glasses. A gloved hand reached out and gently removed the frames. He is so peaceful, just lying there, with Gomamon curled up next to him like a kitten… Izzy smiled at the thought of Gomamon as a cat, abhorring water. But his eyes were continuously drawn back to the face framed by the shock of dark blue hair. Gently closed eyes, uncovered for the first time (at least while Izzy was paying attention), a long straight nose, and lips parted ever so slightly… Joe had a fine-boned face, and he was actually quite handsome. I wonder why I never noticed that before. A small movement caught the corner of Izzy's eye; Joe's hand was clutching at the sand in his sleep. He moaned softly, and rolled over. Izzy struggled to repress a giggle.
Why did I find that so funny? Everyone moves in their sleep.
Especially Matt, who tossed and turned wildly. Mimi talked; Tai and Joe sometimes snored. He had slept with the others long enough to be able to tell them apart by their breathing. He had lain awake at night and just listened a couple of times, wondering what they were dreaming about, and what he did when he slept. The thought of the others, still all together, even Tai, was unexpectedly painful. Izzy pushed the thought out of his mind and stared out at the muted rainbow of the digiworld night.With Joe facing the other direction, Izzy found it easier to work, and eventually returned to his program.
~~~~~~~
When Joe woke up to the sound of typing, he thought that he was still dreaming. Mmmmmm… I don't want to wake up; I love these dreams…
He opened his eyes, reality penetrating his sleep-soaked mind. This is really happening? Where did Izzy come from? Was he trying to return to the others, but found me instead? Joe pushed himself up with his hands.
"Good, your awake," the blur that must be Izzy said, not looking up from the screen. "Are you going to the grasslands, too? We should travel together."
Joe blinked and shifted his weight so that he was sitting up. "I came to find you," he said.
That made Izzy turn to meet Joe's eyes. Joe turned red and concentrated on finding his glasses. He became redder when he realized that they weren't anywhere near him. Strange, I don't even remember taking them off…
"Oh, are you looking for these?" Izzy said. It was his turn to blush, but fortunately Joe couldn't see. Izzy handed the glasses to Joe, from where they had set by his leg.
"Yeah," Joe said, and decided not to ask. "Were you… trying to return to the others?"
"No." Izzy returned to his computer.
"Well, then why'd you turn back?"
"I didn't. I spent the night on the other side of the mesa," Izzy said.
Joe gaped. "You're kidding! What are the odds of that?"
"The probability is higher than you'd expect." Izzy shrugged. "We've had our speed standardized by the consistent hiking in a group, and the desert is a barren landscape, so something like this mesa stands out."
"Oh." Joe pushed up his glasses. An awkward moment passed between the two boys.
"So… do you want to come with me?" Izzy said.
"Yes, definitely… I mean… well…" Oh, man, do I sound too enthusiastic? If I scare Izzy, he may not want me around…
"Prodigious!" Izzy flashed a rare grin. "When should we depart?"
Joe rubbed his face, and glanced at the sky. If the sun rises at seven, and it must be around nine, then I slept for two hours… No wonder I'm still tired! But I could travel if I had too… He glanced at Izzy's expectant face. "I could use a couple of minutes," Joe said.
Izzy nodded, and yet again returned to his program.
Joe stood up and stretched. I wonder what Izzy has to eat? Joe was very low on supplies, having given a decent portion of his to TK. (Between Matt and Joe, TK was undoubtedly the best fed Digidestined.) He had some rather old and squishy cactus fruit, and half a canteen of water. Meager fare for two days, three if he and Gomamon really rationed, which Gomamon hated. Joe thought that Izzy might have some granola bars left; he always ate like a bird. Joe asked.
"I have two, and maybe… three-fourths of the canteen of water. Plus some of that appalling fruit, and some of TK's chips."
"TK's chips?" Joe's eyes grew wide. "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had salt?"
Izzy rummaged though the bottom off his pack. "Here," he said, and tossed Joe an orange bag. "But remember, they'll make you thirsty."
"I'll live."
Joe tore into the single-serving bag and began stuffing potato chips in his mouth. He closed his eyes in ecstasy. "You know, I never even liked barbecue flavor before coming to the Digital World…" he said through a mouthful of chips.
"We should wake up the digimon," Izzy said, gazing at the two sleeping forms. He poked at Tentomon until the giant bug groaned and stood up groggily.
"You stay away from Gomamon," Joe said, smiling. "He needs his sleep, and I can carry him…I guess." He tore the empty chip bag open and began licking the silver insides. Izzy laughed.
"Memo to self: never give Joe potato chips. He makes a fool out of himself."
Joe blushed. "I don't do this in the real world."
Tentomon got sick of listening to the boys tease each other, and told them that he was going to fly to the top of the mesa to see if he could estimate the time need to walk to the green place. Joe and Izzy took the time alone to swap stories and chat about nothing.
He's so cute when he tells a joke. He uses his hands to talk…
Joe found himself watching and listening to Izzy's voice rather than the story. The punch line came, and Joe barely noticed that the joke was over."Joe? I know that that one was not particularly intellectual, but you could have laughed a little."
Joe realized that he was staring into Izzy's eyes, and broke the gaze. "I'm… I'm sorry. I guess I'm pretty tired…"
Izzy smiled. "That's okay."
Joe looked downs at his hands and fiddled with his useless watch. "Izzy… I-I have something to say to y-"
"IZZY! JOE! GOMAMON!"
Two heads jerked skyward, searching for Tentomon. He appeared suddenly from behind a rock behind and above them. "We've got to move! I was buzzing around at the top of the mesa when I saw the sand begin to spin. Only one thing does that: a Ikainumon! And I bet he knows that we're here! Ikainumon are evil digimon; I've never heard of a nice one!" Tentomon wheezed.
"Oh, great," Joe muttered.
"Again?" Izzy rolled his eyes.
"Huh?" mumbled Gomamon, jerked out of his nap.
"We need to do something!" squealed Tentomon, hovering over everyone's heads.
Izzy pulled up the bio on his laptop.
"Ikainumon, an underground digimon. He lives in deserts, swimming through the sand. His attack is Terra Whirlpool, which sucks down anything on the surface."
"Oh, great," Joe repeated.
"Could we fight it?"
"I can't. I don't have the energy to digivolve." Gomamon had been shocked into wakefulness.
"Me neither," Tentomon whined.
"Oh, great!"
The ground began to vibrate. Joe swooped up Gomamon and began to run, "If he sucks down anything on the surface, then we need to get up!" he shouted to Izzy.
Up, up… I don't know if a boulder would be large enough… but the mesa is!
Joe skidded to a halt, and found himself staring at a steep rock face with a weak digimon in his arms and a friend behind him. I can make it… but… can the others? Tentomon, understanding, had flown to the top and was shrieking something. Joe's breath caught in his throat as he looked up. We really have no other choice...Izzy's gaze followed Joe's up the mesa. A faint roar began out in the desert behind them, going slowly louder. Joe threw Gomamon on his back, letting the digimon cling to his shoulders, and hunted for his first handhold.
Joe felt his instinct for climbing take over as he found crevices for his fingers and feet, pulling himself and the weight of his digimon ever upward. Despite the knowledge that a dangerous monster was below him, he concentrated on finding a way up and sought out a path to the top.
Only then did he turn around to be sure that Izzy was behind him. The other boy was nowhere to be found.
Joe crouched down to let Gomamon slide off his back. "Izzy!" he yelled over the growing roar, peering over the edge of stone.
A small red head appeared from underneath an outcropping of rock. "Joe!"
Movement on the plain of sand caught Joe's attention; a furrow was forming, racing towards the mesa and the two boys. Joe swallowed hard.
"Izzy, do you need help?"
"No!"
"I'm coming down."
Joe turned to Gomamon and Tentomon, who was hovering behind, watching. "You guys stay here, all right?" The digimon nodded.
The boy licked the salt off his lips, and began to climb down.
Izzy had gotten stuck very close to the bottom. The small boy didn't have the height, strength, or instinct for climbing that Joe did, and he simply couldn't reach some of the handholds Joe had used. Joe threw himself flat on a shelf of rock and reached down to his friend. Fingers brushed, but not nearly close enough for a grip. Joe swore, and peered over the edge. "I'll have to find another way!" Izzy yelled. "Go on ahead."
"And leave you here? I don't think so. You're coming wi-"
Joe stopped suddenly. He was staring out at a spot in the desert where the sand was moving slowly, swirling in a hypnotically smooth pattern. As Joe's eyes widened, the surface began to boil, puffs of dust floating away like steam. Then a head appeared. Or at least Joe assumed that it was a head, even though it had no visible eyes or recognizable face. The only feature was a jagged-toothed hole for a mouth, set on the tip of a sickly purple body segmented like a worm. Ikainumon swung its "head" around, smelling the air. It turned and focused on the two boys. Then it disappeared under the sand.
"Oh.... great...." Joe whispered under his breath. He looked down at Izzy. "I'm going to come down there and give you a boost up. Okay? Move in close to the side."
Izzy nodded and pressed against the stone wall.
Cursing the day he was born, Joe prepared to jump the three meters to the shelf Izzy was standing on. The space to land on the slab looked infinitesimally tiny, but he lowered his feet as far as he could and dropped the rest of the way. Centimeters behind him there was only open space. I'm glad I 'm not afraid of heights, Joe thought, and shuddered.
There was barely enough room for both boys to stand. Joe crouched down and offered his knee to Izzy, who solemnly stepped onto it and reached for the handhold. "Wait," Joe said. "I'm going to lift you on to the ledge up there."
Grabbing Izzy's foot, Joe slowly straightened his body, using his other hand to support the other boy's back. "Do you... have it?" he gasped. Geez, he's heavier than I thought he would be...
"Almost," came Izzy's voice. "Just a little farther..."
Joe raised his hands, his muscles straining. He looked up just in time to see a yellow-gloved hand reach out and grasp the ledge, feeling around for a secure hold. He pushed harder, until Izzy was almost over his head and could wrap his elbows around the stone. Joe's hands began to slip.
"Are you up, Izzy?" he said through his teeth.
"Yes. I can proceed from here."
Joe released the boy's foot and took a step back in relief--into thin air.
He clawed at the stone face but missed the ledge, he was tumbling backwards through space to the sand and the monster waiting below...
He hit the sand with a bone-jarring thump. Gasping to bring air into his shocked lungs, his eyes closed in pain. Is anything broken? I think I'm okay...
"Joe! Get up!"
The sand began to move around him.
A glittering whirlpool was forming, with Joe at the center. Suddenly he was on his feet, and trying desperately to run, crawl, or drag his way to the base of the mesa. Cuts covered his arms and legs, but he barely noticed them. I will die unless I can climb the mesa! His fingers brushed against an outcropping of stone. He snatched at the outcropping, attempting to extract his feet from the sand that sucked at them. His shoes pulled out from the attack and he clawed onto a low, flat boulder at the foot of the mesa.
Panting from the exertion and fear, he dragged himself up on hands and knees. His head hung between his heaving shoulders, blue hair falling into his face.
"Joe, behind you! Please Joe! Get up!" Izzy screamed in desperation from the top of the mesa.
"C'mon!" Gomamon added.
Joe pushed himself back until he was siting on his knees, and swung his head behind him. His eyes widened in terror.
The Ikainumon was arching over him, its bloated purple flesh inches from his face. The gaping, sucking hole at the tip of the last segment was hovering over him. Joe froze. Move, move, damn you!
An oddly pitched, raspy voice came from the hole of the Ikainumon. "Do not run any more... you smell tasty..."
"Please, please Joe!" Izzy pleaded.
"Electro-shocker!"
Tentomon's attack hit the thing in the back of it's "head," knocking it forward into Joe. One irregular tooth scraped his side before the digimon recovered and swung around in anger to face Tentomon. "Pesky insect!" it rasped.
Tentomon whizzed away from a badly-aimed flail. "Joe, why aren't you running? Electro-shocker!"
Joe crawled to his feet, and began running. He passed the place where he had climbed the first time, attempting to find an easier slope. His side burned, but the tooth hadn't penetrated too far and he wasn't bleeding much. Even if he had been seriously wounded, he had to find a place to climb. Tentomon wouldn't be able to keep the Ikainumon busy forever.
Behind him, the giant worm gave up on the quick flying digimon and turned back to its slower, land-bound prey--only to find Joe missing. It turned sluggishly, still stupefied by its prey's sudden disappearance. Gradually the monster settled on the direction Joe had gone, and dove into the sand.
Tentomon zipped up to Joe. "The Ikainumon dove again. I'd advise you get up that mesa, and fast!"
"I know, I know," Joe gasped. "I hate running..."
He was circling the giant rock. Somewhere, there had to be a place to climb. It appeared suddenly, an area of wall with a gentle slope and many handholds. Joe nodded to Tentomon, and began to climb.
His fingers already hurt; his grip was very weak. His whole body cried out for rest and oxygen, but all he had to do was reach the top… Below, the Ikainumon tried its Terra Whirlpool attack, only to find no one on the sand. It surfaced and roared in fury.
Joe agonizingly dragged his legs up onto one last ledge, and discovered a pair of yellow-gloved hands helping him. The stone wall no longer rose in front of his face. He looked up at a boy's concerned face, framed in spiky red hair... The world dipped and swirled, then plummeted to darkness.