Okay, a little background. First thing to realize, this takes
place in an original universe. Second, yes, I know the Gateways sound
like Stargates in the description, it's been pointed out enough times.
Third, this is no kiddy story. I'll just leave it at that. (Don't
worry, it's still somewhere in the PG-13 range. I think). Fourth, I
don't care if a Digimon was a hero or villain in any of the previous
series. They're in my hands now. (Insert maniacal laughter here).
Fifth, I'm sorry if some of episode one seems like "beginning of the
RPG"-type newbie exposition, but I wanted to get some of that
establishment out of the way so I could concentrate on the story itself
from now on. Finally, I've made up a few original Digimon, especially for
some of the more powerful ones, so if you come across one you don't
know, chances are good that's the reason.
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DIGIMON EXPLORERS
Episode 01: The Journey Begins
by J Weekley
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Story copyright 2003 by J Weekley. Digimon is the property of Toei and Bandai. Used without permission.
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By the early part of the twenty-first century, much of the world could be considered to have been explored. True, modern man may not have gone everywhere on land, but it's safe to assume some ancient culture had visited there at one time or another. Then there were the ages before man, when the great prehistoric beasts wandered around the globe. With this taken into account, it could be said that all of the world's land and much of its oceans had been explored at some time. When thinking like this, one realizes that, besides the still-unknown depths of the oceans, there was nothing left to explore.
At least, until the Gateways came along.
The first Gateway appeared very suddenly, in the center of Tokyo, in the middle of rush hour. Needless to say, a panic quickly ensued. This was heightened when two large, dinosaur-like creatures emerged and started fighting throughout the city, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. While this didn't seem too unusual (at least to someone who's seen one too many monster flicks), it was quite inconvenient for local businesses and residents. After an hour, the two creatures had succeeded in vaporizing each other, but the Gateway remained.
The Gateway was a large stone object, about fifty feet tall. The main part was a large circle resting within a trapezoidal base. The circle was covered in several rows of strange symbols. There wasn't any kind of visual energy field within the circle, but instead a type of clear distortion which showed through to the other side of street, but gave no clue as to what the place the Gateway led to looked like. The only way to see it would be to actually go there.
The first expedition was assembled in two days. It consisted mainly of scientists, accompanied by a team of specially-trained police officers. Bravely, they stepped through. The world they encountered was very much like the one they had left, only with considerably less urban development. There were also no humans. Instead, the world was populated by several races of creatures that called themselves Digital Monsters. It was these first Japanese explorers who shortened the name into four simple katakana characters: de ji mo n: Digimon. The Digimon called their world the Digital World, and it existed in a pocket dimension that connected to the human world through computers and the Gateways. Soon, other Gateways began to appear throughout both worlds. Shortly after that, certain humans and Digimon began to form partnerships, as if supernaturally drawn together.
It wasn't long before travel between the human world and the Digital World was common place. There was the occasional tourist, but most visitors fell into four basic groups. The scientists who were trying to study how the Digimon and the Digital World worked. The merchants who would bring goods between the two worlds. The outlaws looking for an escape from their pursuers. Finally, there were the explorers, wanderers tied to no one. They had found in this new world a place where regions still remained undiscovered, some seemingly since the beginning of time. These were the most-seen figures in the Digital World. They would open up whole new areas to the other groups, often with little or no reward.
This is the way it has been for fifteen years.
*****
The life of an explorer was well known to be a hard one, but it offered freedom in a way that many other professions couldn't. That was what first attracted Yuusuke to the idea. Freedom anyplace would be better than the practical imprisonment he was forced to live in for the past eight years. Yuusuke wasn't sure on all the details, but his father, who he had lived with in Oregon, was a college professor who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up getting accused and convicted of a dean's murder. As he had no other living relatives, Yuusuke was sent across the country to live with a foster family in New York. If anyone deserved to go to jail, it was these people. They couldn't stand the Japanese, and treated Yuusuke like he was some kind of slave, barely taking care of his basic needs. He still wasn't sure how he ended up with them in the first place. However, none of that would soon matter.
The night before, Yuusuke had stolen about three hundred dollars from them while they slept, packed some spare clothes in his backpack, and ran away as fast as he could. He had convinced one of his friends at school to get him a copy of the Gateway rail schedule. One of the Gateways had appeared in a subway tunnel, and there were certain times of the month when the train would run through into a station in the Digital World. Tickets were a hundred dollars each--the most expensive price of Digital World travel on earth--but it was worth the price to Yuusuke. After wandering the streets of New York for a night, Yuusuke arrived at the subway station that ran the Digital Gateway Railway. Trying not to look too suspicious, he walked up to the counter and bought a one-way ticket. The salesperson, a kindly-looking old lady, gave him a sad look. Apparently, she had seen other runaways going to the Digital World before, but she didn't say anything, for which he was grateful. He waited in the station lobby until it was time to board the train.
The railcar he was in was spotlessly clean, and there were very few others in there with him. All of them were in business suits, two with sample cases--merchants trying to make deals with the Digimon. In fact, one of the merchants had a Digimon with him, his partner. Unfortunately, Yuusuke never had time to study the different Digimon races, so he wasn't sure what kind of a Digimon it was, and he didn't want to embarrass himself by asking. It was reptilian, and resembled something of a small Tyrannosaurus with yellow skin and a large flat nose. Before he had anymore time to think about it, though, the train jolted and started to move off. 'This is it; this is really happening,' Yuusuke thought. He was now free! He looked at his watch. By now, his "parents" would just be waking up, and wondering why he hasn't started making them breakfast yet. They would slam open the door to his room only to find it empty, save for a note with a lovely drawing Yuusuke made of himself giving them the middle finger and telling them in no uncertain terms to go screw themselves. He would have loved to see their faces at that moment, but some sacrifices had to be made. The moment that train started moving, it could not be stopped. He was free. He had no worries about police chasing after him; human police had no authority in the Digital World, except for a few specific cases. Runaways to the Digital World were too common to bother keeping track of them or trying to force them to come back. The life he chose from now on would be entirely up to him.
Without knowing it, Yuusuke had been continuing to stare at the Digimon, and his partner noticed. Yuusuke quickly looked away, but the guy just nudged the Digimon and pointed at Yuusuke. Together, they walked over to him. "Hi," the Digimon said.
Yuusuke was a bit nervous. "Hi," he answered quietly.
The guy sat down a few seats away from Yuusuke. "First time to the Digital World?" he asked.
Yuusuke just nodded.
"Runaway?"
Yuusuke looked away.
"Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," the guy said. "I started out the same way. Heck, I think most of us Second Geners did. Couldn't stand it at home, a new Gateway had just appeared, and I took advantage of it. Glad I did, too. If I hadn't, I probably would never have met Agumon." He patted the Digimon's back.
"Agumon, huh?" Yuusuke said.
The Digimon nodded.
"So, have any plans?" the guy asked.
"I'd like to be an explorer," Yuusuke answered, starting to get a little less nervous with the guy.
The guy just smiled, "Ah, yes. Everybody does when they first come. That was my plan until I ran into a businessman from London who wanted to set up shop in the Digital World. He ended up getting far more than he bargained for, as he's now got stores in the Digital World and in the US. I work between Upload City and New York. Heh, looks like I got more than I bargained for, too. Never saw myself ending up being a businessman."
"Neither did I," Agumon added.
"Life's just funny that way," the guy said.
Just then, some green lights flashed and a tone played over the train's loudspeakers, followed by a message. "Now approaching the Gateway. Those passengers with little experience passing through the dimensional shift may experience some slight dizziness. It is nothing serious and will pass by the time we arrive at Upload City Central Station. Thank you for riding the Digital Gateway Railway."
With a flash of light, the train entered the Gateway. The ride suddenly became very bumpy as the train passed through. Outside, streams of light in various colors flashed by. Yuusuke did feel a little bit dizzy, but it wasn't too bad. It felt like the train was quickly gaining speed, and it probably was. The vibrations of the train against the tracks continued to get faster and faster, until with another flash of light, they cleared the other side of the Gateway, and the train slowed down to its normal speed. Yuusuke was feeling better already. Within a minute, they had pulled up to Upload City Central. Yuusuke and the other man stood up to leave, Agumon following close behind.
"Well, good luck, kid," the guy said.
"Thanks," Yuusuke said.
"Oh, by the way, I never did get your name," the guy said. He held out his hand. "Alex Clearwater."
"Yuusuke. Yuusuke Toriyama," he answered, taking Alex's hand.
"See you around, then."
They started to walk off when Alex spoke up again. "Yuusuke!" Yuusuke turned around. "Just remember, the life of an explorer can be a hard one. But if you manage to find yourself a good partner, you never know how well you'll succeed."
"Thanks again," Yuusuke said, smiling, then walked off into the main lobby of the station.
Yuusuke had heard that Upload City Central was one of the busiest stations in the Digital World, as it took traffic from New York, Miami, London, and Paris, the top four human world trading cities, as well as being a hub for nearly two-thirds of the Digital World railways. However, he simply wasn't prepared for the scale of the station. Speckled stone tiles covered the floors all around. Marble columns rose as far as the eye could see to the glass ceiling. Tracks for different lines rose hundreds of feet in the air, and fell down to seemingly bottomless levels. The ground had a constant vibration of so many trains running on those tracks, stopping briefly before moving on. Hundreds of thousands of people--both human and Digimon--wandered through the main lobby, a room which was itself the size of a small town. Yuusuke couldn't help himself. He stopped in the middle of the lobby and stared at everything. The people moving about walked around him, paying no attention to the newcomer. Yuusuke's mouth bobbed up and down, speechless. The enormity of this new world was just beginning to reach him. He had never experienced anything this big before. It seemed overwhelming, but he was determined to make it. Taking a deep breath, he began to walk forward. He then stopped a Digimon that didn't look too busy and asked, "Excuse me, where's a currency conversion station?"
"There's one by every exit. Can't miss 'em," the Digimon said before walking off.
"Thanks," Yuusuke called out to him, but the Digimon didn't seem to hear. Shrugging, Yuusuke walked off towards one of the exits, slipping through the crowds.
After a few minutes, the exit was in sight. Yuusuke looked around, trying to find the conversion station. It was difficult with all the people around, but he soon spotted it off to his left. Surprisingly, there wasn't a line, and Yuusuke walked right up to the booth. A Digimon was inside. Or, at least Yuusuke thought it was a Digimon. It looked just like a big cracked egg with two eyes. However, it was wearing a name badge that said "Digitamamon," so Yuusuke decided it was worth a try.
"What can I do for ya, kid?" the Digitamamon asked.
Yuusuke held up the last two hundred dollars. "Conversion from dollars," he said.
"Put it in the bin," Digitamamon said unemotionally. Yuusuke did as he was told, and slipped the dollar bills in a small cabinet that slid back into the booth just as he pulled his hand out. "Current exchange rate is 1.25 Digis per dollar."
"Okay," Yuusuke said. A moment later, the cabinet slip open again, with about thirty coins of various sizes and colors having replaced the dollars he had come here with. Taking the money, Yuusuke said, "Thanks."
"Yeah, yeah, no problem," Digitamamon said, waving Yuusuke off.
Pocketing his money, Yuusuke started off again for the exit. When he reached the threshold, he paused. It was about to be his first true step into a new world and a new life. He knew it sounded crazy, but he wanted to cherish this moment. Once again taking a deep breath, Yuusuke stepped forward through the door.
He was there.
He was in the Digital World.
*****
Yuusuke could hardly keep his jaw up as he wandered through the streets of Upload City. All around him, buildings of brick, marble, glass, and steel rose into the sky. There was the normal morning hustle of people going to work, with pedestrians and bicycles roaming on the wide walkways, as cars weren't allowed to be imported from the human world. Occasionally a moped would scoot by, but that was the extent of human motor vehicles in this world. Some high-pitched squealing was Yuusuke's only warning as a group of children ran past him, followed by some baby Digimon. All were on the way to school.
Yuusuke couldn't help but smile. He couldn't remember being that carefree, but he knew he had to have been, back in Oregon when he lived with his father. He sighed at the memory. If he ever went back to human world, he would have to check on his father. His foster parents never told Yuusuke what had become of him, and he couldn't find anything about the case in the library's records.
He shook his head. 'No,' he thought. They were issues that he would have to resolve someday, but not now. Now, he would just concentrate on living in this new world and enjoying his new-found freedom. Clutching the paper bag that held the blanket he had just bought, Yuusuke held his head up high and walked down the streets of Upload City.
He was passing through a cluster of relatively short stone buildings when a voice called out from an alley. "Hey, kid! In here."
Yuusuke stopped and looked down the alley. Out of the shadows fluttered a small Digimon. It looked like some kind of black fuzz ball with clawed feet and a mask that covered most of its body. "You're new here, aren't you?" it asked.
"You could say that," Yuusuke answered.
"Well, then," the Digimon performed a mock bow, "allow me to offer my services. This world can get quite dangerous, and it would bad if you went forth without *protection*. Protection which I can offer you."
Yuusuke's face was blank. "The only danger I see around here is you."
"Oh, come on, now. I only make this sort of offer to my friends. You *do* want to be my friend, right?"
"No," Yuusuke answered. "And I don't think he does, either."
The Digimon's eyes popped up. "Huh?"
From the shadows of the alley, an arm swung down, chopping the little Digimon and knocking him to the ground. A leg appeared and pinned him there. The body of a man followed the appendages, crouching low the to Digimon. He was tall and strong, dressed in a loose-fitting cotton sweater and khaki pants. From under a top of spiky brown hair, two dark blue eyes peered suspiciously at the Digimon. "Pico Devimon," the man said, in mock cordiality.
Pico Devimon sweatdropped. "Heh. Hi, Ryan. Long time no see."
"What have I told you about hustling the newcomers?"
"Aw, come on. Ever since you humans came along, this town's been nothing but money, money, money. A guy's gotta make a living, y'know."
"Oh," the man said, standing up. "But there are other things you can do." He smiled. "Professional sports, perhaps." Pico Devimon shrieked and tried frantically to get out from under the man's boot. Unmoving, the man continued. "Ever hear of something called American Football?"
Pico Devimon screamed. "Nononononono! Not the punt! Not the punt!"
Too late. Faster than Yuusuke could see, the man swept up Pico Devimon, taping his wings and feet together in one move. He tossed the little Digimon into the air, and let him drop for a second before kicking out. Pico Devimon screamed at the impact, and was sent flying up, spinning in the air towards the roof of the building across the street. The Digimon flew right between twin antennae, and right past a pink bird Digimon that held up its arms and said, "It's good!"
The man smirked as he watched the Digimon fly off, then looked down at Yuusuke. "You okay, kid?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuusuke answered.
"Good. That guy never learns. Always goes after the new people. He's probably been following you since you left the station. And you probably won't be the last one he bugs today. At least it'll take him a while to get out of the duct tape. He's not too strong, but you probably don't want to be around when he breaks out."
"Okay."
The man looked at Yuusuke curiously. "So, you what brings you to the Digital World?"
"Well, I'd like to be an explorer, but I don't really know that much about this place," Yuusuke admitted.
"Hm. Well, I suppose that someone could show you the basics." The man held out his hand. "What's your name, kid?"
Yuusuke took the man's hand. "Yuusuke Toriyama."
"Ryan Cohen."
Yuusuke gasped. "*The* Ryan Cohen?!"
Ryan sighed, "Yep, that's me."
"Wow! I don't know much about the Digital World, but I *have* heard about you! You're pretty famous in the human world."
Ryan looked away, "Yeah, I know. That's why I tend to go back as little as possible."
Releasing Ryan's hand, Yuusuke said, "Ah. Don't like the fame, huh?"
"Never have. I make one big discovery ten years ago, and suddenly I'm known the worlds over. It's not for me." He looked back at Yuusuke. "Still, there's something about you. Can't quite place it..." He shrugged. "Ah, what the hell. I'm on my way to an offer, want to join me? Consider it some... on the job training."
Yuusuke couldn't believe it. "Really?!"
"Sure, why not?" Ryan answered.
"Thanks so much!"
"No problem," Ryan said. He then looked at Yuusuke's bag. "Whatcha got there?"
"Hm?" Yuusuke said, then realized what Ryan was talking about. "Oh, this? I bought a blanket. Figured it'd be useful. Can't afford hotel rooms all the time, right?"
Ryan stroked his unshaven chin thoughtfully. "Good thinking. Though I would've also bought a towel. Well, we'll be passing through a market on the way to the job, so you can pick one up there. And a D-Cell."
"D-Cell?" Yuusuke asked.
Ryan reached into a pocket and pulled out a gold and black rectangular device. It had a small antenna and a display screen on the front. "D-Cell," he explained. "Really, it's nothing more than a glorified cell phone. Each one looks different. It's a one-time purchase, so the number's good forever, and since there're no phone companies here, they can't control it, so you can use it for free. Aside from communications, there's also a built-in GPS with an encyclopedia feature. However, the guide's incomplete. Explorers, like myself, help the D-Cell makers by providing updates of any new information we find. If you get a Digimon partner, it'll also be the link between you two." He looked at his watch. "Oh. Better get going. Come on," he beckoned to Yuusuke as he walked off down the street.
Yuusuke stared after him for a moment. 'Towels? Updating electronic guide books?' He sighed, then thought, 'Lead the way, Ford,' before running after him.
Ryan led Yuusuke down several winding streets, whistling all the way. He would wave to people he knew as they passed. As they passed across from a school, a young teacher watching the gates winked and waved her hand rather enthusiastically. Ryan ducked his head into his chest and hurried past. Yuusuke struggled to keep up. "Old girlfriend?" he was tempted to ask, but thought it better to just mind his own business.
Ryan turned down another side street. Even before he reached it, Yuusuke could hear the noise from around the corner. It sounded like hundreds--thousands of voices were all speaking at once. Yuusuke turned the corner. Ryan was standing there waiting for him. "Impressive?" he asked.
All Yuusuke could do was nod. Before him, dozens of covered pavilions stretched far back into the street. Humans and Digimon all wandered around under them, choosing goods and haggling over the prices. Parents buying food and other necessities were struggling to keep their children from running off to the toy stands. Different food carts were being pushed around, trying to navigate through the crowd. At least two bands were playing somewhere in the distance.
"Welcome to the Upload City Marketplace, but most of us know it as the Documents Folder."
Yuusuke was still speechless, but made a note to expect several more computer refences as time went on. "Come on," Ryan said, starting to walk toward the market. "The shop we're looking for is over here."
Yuusuke walked behind him, trying to not get pushed around in the crowd. He held his backback tightly over his chest; he wasn't taking any chances that that Pico Devimon guy had some friends who might try to steal something from him. He was so concerned with looking around nervously that he hadn't noticed Ryan had stopped until he bumped into him.
"Sorry," Yuusuke said.
"Don't worry about it."
Yuusuke looked at the table that he was standing next to. Its entire surface was covered with hundreds of D-Cells, and every single one of them was different in some way, whether it was the colors or markings. "Pick one out," Ryan said.
"Um, how much are they?"
"Ten Digis," answered a cat-like Digimon on the other side of the table. Its paws were covered by striped gloves that ended in three pointed claws. Somehow, Yuusuke felt a bit safer around this Digimon. He also didn't want to think about what those claws could do to any shoplifter.
He looked down at the table and started to scan over the D-Cells. He couldn't seem to find one that he really liked. What would happen if he couldn't choose one? Were there other D-Cell shops with bigger selections? He had almost looked over the entire table when one of them caught his eye. He picked it up. It was blue with a white cross design that went over the front and back. In the center of the cross under the display screen was a blue star. Just as he brought it closer to get a better look, the screen suddenly activated. Yuusuke jumped back and nearly dropped the D-Cell. Ryan and the Digimon just smiled.
"Wow, a perfect match on the first try," Ryan said. "Not bad, kid."
The Digimon held out its paw. Yuusuke just stared at it for a second while his brain caught up with what was going on. Blinking, he came back to his senses. He reached in his pocket and pulled out ten Digis.
The Digimon smiled. "Thanks for coming. Hope you don't have to stop by again anytime soon."
As they were walking away, Yuusuke said, "What was that all about?"
"She means she hopes you never break or lose it and have to get a new one. I've heard that finding a second match is pretty difficult."
"Ah."
With that, Yuusuke and Ryan left the market and headed further into the center of town. Along the way, Yuusuke told his new mentor about his life, how his father was wrongly convicted of murder, how his foster parents abused him, and how he had been planning to run away for three years. Ryan listened to it all sympathetically, but could not relate as his childhood had been relatively gentle, until his own parents died in a car crash while on vacation in Tokyo. Alone and scared, Ryan had wandered through the Gateway and became one of the first explorers. Over the years, he had gained many friends both human and Digimon, but he had never found a partner. "I'm one of the twenty-five percent, I guess," he said. "There's a population proportion of about seventy-five percent Digimon to humans. That means that twenty-five percent of the humans who come to the Digital World will never have a partner. They were never meant to. It's nothing to be ashamed of, but sometimes having a partner does help. You lend each other your strengths and grow together."
"Think I'll have a partner?" Yuusuke asked.
Ryan shrugged. "Never know until it happens."
They came to a stop in front of a tall glass-covered building. A bronze sign on the wall read "Lamarc Enterprises."
Ryan smiled. "We're here."
*****
Yuusuke could think of only two words to describe Maxwell Lamarc: "Big," and "Friendly." Lamarc was a tall, round man who looked to be in his early fifties. He was balding, had a big nose, and two small patches of hair on either side of his upper lip that must have passed for a mustache. His face was deeply creased with wrinkles from years of happiness. When he spoke, it was with a loud, slightly grainy voice. "Never thought I'd see the day when Ryan Cohen takes on an apprentice," he said as he waddled across his gloriously decorated office to a mini bar on the far wall. "I guess times *do* change," he said, pouring some drinks and putting them on a tray.
Carrying the tray, he waddled back to where Yuusuke and Ryan were sitting on a plush, red velvet-covered couch. Lamarc handed them each a glass before putting the tray on a coffee table and plopping into an equally-plush chair across from them. "You're how old, son?" Lamarc asked Yuusuke.
"Fifteen," Yuusuke answered, a little nervously.
Lamarc waved his hand in dismissal, "Ah, you're old enough. Keep the brandy." He took a sip from his own glass while Yuusuke just smiled, this time *quite* nervously.
Ryan noticed the smile and leaned over, whispering in Yuusuke's ear, "Never drank?"
Yuusuke shook his head.
"It'll burn," Ryan said, sitting up straight again.
Lamarc put his half-emptied glass on the tray, then leaned forward towards them. "Now, gentlemen, to business. We may have found it." As he spoke, a small twinkle in his eye began to glow more profoundly. "Three days ago, COMSAT picked up an unusual energy spike about a thousand miles south of us."
Lamarc gave a moment for those words to sink in. To Yuusuke, they meant nothing, but Ryan's jaw suddenly slackened and his eyes went wide. "Zhuqiao...?" he asked silently.
"Precisely," Lamarc answered with a grin.
"Um..." Yuusuke started to ask. Lamarc and Ryan looked at him. "He doesn't know?" Lamarc asked.
"He's been... sheltered," Ryan answered.
"Understatement," Yuusuke added.
Lamarc's grin returned. "Kid, you've come to the Digital World in time to become a part of history! After years of searching, we may have finally found the greatest Digimon artifacts of all time!"
Ryan was in shock. "I can't believe this. If it really is... God, we'll finally have the proper energy signature. The others will show up immediately."
"Believe it, Mr. Cohen," Lamarc said, picking up his glass. "We'll possess them all before the Dark Lords have a chance to get their filthy claws on them. The Five Crystals are as good as found!"
"Hear, hear!" Ryan said, leaping to his feet and bringing his own glass up. "Hear, hear," Yuusuke cluelessly agreed, and the three clanked their glasses together and drained them.
Ryan and Lamarc looked at each other with burning pride.
Yuusuke was trying to hide that the only thing burning in him was his throat.
*****
Two hours later, Yuusuke found himself back in Upload City Central waiting for a southbound express. He sat at a table in one of the station's numerous cafes while Ryan got their tickets and food. Lamarc had given them two thousand Digis to fund the trip, and as part of their payment. Ryan had taken Yuusuke to a bank to set up an account on the way back. The remaining reward of seven thousand Digis would be deposited as soon as they got back from wherever it was they were going. Yuusuke looked at his new bank card one more time before putting it back in his wallet and slipping the wallet into one of the velcro pockets of his pants. He kept his backpack close to him at all times, as the station was as crowded as ever, and Yuusuke could've sworn he saw Pico Devimon fluttering about a couple times.
He was relieved when Ryan sat back down, placing two tickets and a tray of hot dogs and drinks down on the table. Yuusuke took one of the tickets and stuffed it in his backpack, then grabbed a hot dog and started to eat, saying thanks to Ryan at the same time. "Don't mention it," Ryan said.
Yuusuke finished the hot dog in two gulps. He downed some juice then turned to Ryan. "So, what're we going after, anyway?"
Ryan held up his hand. "Not now. We've got a private compartment on the train. It leaves in an hour. We'll talk about that when we're on board." He smiled. "For now, school's in session. Take out your D-Cell."
Yuusuke pulled the blue and white D-Cell from one of his other pockets while Ryan retrieved his gold and black one. "Turn it on," Ryan instructed.
Yuusuke pressed the power button and the screen glowed to life. Ryan began to explain. "This first screen is the basic menu. There are three choices: COMM, SCAN, and MAP." Ryan flipped open a flap on the front of the D-Cell. "This small alphanumeric keypad works mostly with the communication system. You can enter a number or look up a name on the directory. The directory itself is only good for people and businesses with a permanent address, so if you don't know the number of another explorer, you're gonna have a hell of a time trying to find them. Communication is done through video. The screen projects a small holographic image of the person on the other end. There's a little flip stand on the back so you can stand it up straight on something when you talk."
He pointed to a small crystalline bubble on the top of the D-Cell. "This is the scanner. Choosing the SCAN function activates this scanner, which works through the encyclopedia. You can also manually input commands through the keypad. The encyclopedia will be able to tell you the species and some of the basic characteristics of every Digimon in the database, which is basically every Digimon in the world. Hell, it's even got the *Dark Lords* listed."
"I heard Lamarc mention them," Yuusuke said. "Who are they?"
"Compartment," Ryan said quickly, then got back to the lesson. "The final choice is the MAP function, which can give you info on the various parts of the Digital World, as well as access the GPS feature. The SCAN and MAP functions can be used together, and those are also the functions that we as explorers provide updates for. With me so far?"
"Yep."
"Good. What's next is stuff you'll need to know if you get a partner. See that small covered slot on the bottom on the D-Cell? That will open to allow you to insert Evolution Chips. There are four basic levels that a Digimon spends most of its life as: Child, Adult, Perfect, and Ultimate. After it gets old enough and strong enough, a Digimon will evolve on it own. However, a temporary evolution can be achieved by using these chips. There are three kinds, each allowing for a different type of evolution.
"Basic Evolution Chips can be used to upgrade your partner one level at a time. Occasionally, a Digimon can use its own power to temporarily evolve one level or 'warp evolve' several levels at once, but the effect never lasts for more than half an hour before they're too tired to maintain the level. Evolution through the chip can last up to two days.
"The second type is the Jogress Evolution Chip. This will allow your Digimon to temporarily combine with another Digimon. A non-chip Jogress hasn't been recorded in history.
"The final type, and the most rare, is the Matrix Evolution Chip. Using this chip, you yourself can combine with your partner to form an Ultimate. The Ultimate form that results from a Matrix Evolution isn't necessarily the same form that the Digimon would have through normal evolution.
"Aside from those three, there's one more type of evolution you may encounter. It's a natural type. Some of the more powerful Digimon have more than one form. Switching between forms is known as 'Slide evolution.' Got all that?"
Yuusuke counted off on his fingers. "Basic, Jogress, Matrix, Slide. Got it." He grabbed another hot dog and wolfed it down.
Ryan took a swig of juice then said, "That's about it for the basics. Just refer to the D-Cell whenever you encounter something new. The answers are usually there."
He grabbed a hot dog off the tray and started eating it when an announcement sounded through the cafe. "The fifteen-hundred Comdi Express has arrived at platform 471 and will begin boarding in ten minutes. All passengers please make their way to platform 471 at this time."
"That's our train," Ryan said. He and Yuusuke finished off the remaining hot dogs and drinks in two minutes and then started to make their way up to platform 471.
The platform was one of those on the upper stories of the station. It took them twelve minutes to get there, but they made it with plenty of time to spare. They found their compartment and sat down. Yuusuke looked out the window at the activity out in the station. Suddenly he spotted Pico Devimon, fluttering behind some Digimon that was shaped like a bear. The small Digimon had several long naked streaks were the fuzz appeared to have been ripped out. "The duct tape." Yuusuke looked over to see Ryan looking out at the fuzzball, too.
"What if he sees us?" Yuusuke asked.
"If he sees us, he sees us," Ryan answered. "The little hairball's got an attack, but you can stop it pretty easily. Besides, that Bearmon's starting to get a little ticked. I don't think we're gonna have to worry about him for a while. Just sit back and relax. They call this an express, but it's still six hours 'til Comdi."
With that, Ryan stretched, adjusted himself in the seat, then leaned his head down. Yuusuke still had his questions, but he thought it might be best to wait until the train left the station.
A bell tone sounded through the compartment, and with a slight jerk, the train began to roll away from the platform. Yuusuke was just leaning back when he heard a scream from outside. He looked out the window in time to see Pico Devimon fly through the air and slam into the station's outer wall. When Yuusuke sat back down, he noticed that Ryan had a particularly large grin on his face.
*****
Within a few minutes, the train had cleared the station and was heading south out of Upload City. Yuusuke kept looking out the window, trying to take in everything he could of this new world. As they left the city limits, the conductor came by and stamped their tickets. Except for that, Ryan remained silently leaning back in his seat. For half an hour more, he stayed this way, until he suddenly opened his eyes and leaned forward. "Okay, first thing's first," he said. Yuusuke turned away from the window and sat down on the bench facing Ryan. "The Dark Lords. The Digital World's a tough place to live in, but up until five years ago, it was a hell of a lot tougher. Six of the more powerful Digimon consolidated their power. Led by Vamdemon and Mephismon, they chose generals, assembled armies, and began a reign of terror across the Digital World. But five years ago, Vamdemon was killed in battle, and the Dark Lords dispersed. Mephismon disappeared completely shortly after that. The rest are still around, with their generals, and they show up from time to time, but they're nowhere near as powerful apart as they were together."
"So," Yuusuke began, "what Lamarc was talking about... the Five Crystals...?"
"The Five Elemental Crystals which call upon the five most powerful Digimon of all time, the four Holy Beasts and Yinyangmon. The trouble is, while the Holy Beasts themselves are bound to not interfere in the workings of the Digital World, their power can be used for good or evil through the Crystals."
"And Yinyangmon?"
"He's neutral. The Spirit Crystal summons not just his power, but Yinyangmon himself. He's bound by the Crystal to fight for whichever side possesses it. That's why the Dark Lords cannot be allowed to have even one. Even without Vamdemon and Mephismon, they would be able take over the Digital World and lead it into a new age of darkness."
The words sank into Yuusuke as he tried to comprehend them. It was still just his first day in this new world, and already he found himself having to deal with a situation that could alter its very fate. It was a little overwhelming, but for some reason, he didn't seem too daunted by it. As he sat in silence, a question suddenly came into his mind. "Ryan, what was it like when they were still around?"
Ryan looked at him for a moment before answering. "Kid, those are years I'd rather forget." He stretched and closed his eyes again. "Get some rest while you can. Lamarc's people only have an energy spike around Comdi, not an exact location. I want to start looking for the Crystal as soon as possible."
Yuusuke reached to the rack above the bench and pulled down a blanket and pillow. Laying down, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. His dream was strange, containing a blazingly white giant, staring at him with glowing purple eyes and with its mouth moving in a silent verse.
*****
Several hours later, two figures watched from the shadows as the express pulled into the Comdi station. One of the figures, a human smaller than the Digimon that stood concealed behind him, watched the flow of passengers intently. "There he is," he said as Ryan and Yuusuke stepped off the train. "She was right. This is the train he was on."
"Who's that with him?" the Digimon asked.
"Probably the apprentice the report mentioned. The kid looks a little nervous."
"Kid? He doesn't look much younger than you."
"He's still a kid. Besides, the report also said this was his first day in the Digital World. Having all this happen in a few hours must be a little overwhelming." The human smiled. "If not, it certainly will be by this time tomorrow." He turned toward his partner. "Let's go. I don't want to be seen here."
"Right," the Digimon agreed, and they crept off back into the shadows.
*****
Yuusuke and Ryan stepped away from the platform into the main terminal of the station. The night air coming in from the track tunnel was cool, but humid. "Where to first?" Yuusuke asked.
"First we secure some lodgings," Ryan said. "Next, we get some dinner." He had been watching a weather report for the region on a nearby screen. The Digimon standing in front of the map pointed to some animated storm clouds moving toward Comdi. Ryan swore under his breath. "Damn. We aren't going to get much done with the rain coming. We can at least ask around for information while we get dinner."
"How are we gonna do that?" Yuusuke asked.
Ryan just smiled.
*****
Yuusuke was finding this situation more and more confusing. An hour ago, he was getting off the express. Now, he was sitting with Ryan in a seedy pub near the center of town. Ryan, for his part, seemed perfectly comfortable, nursing a cold pint of beer and laughing with the people around him. Yuusuke took another swallow of water and looked around.
The air in the pub was dense and hot, despite the open windows that allowed a breeze in from outside. The bartender, another Digitamamon, spoke quickly with the customers as they came up, keeping the business flowing. There was one Digimon sitting at the bar that Yuusuke couldn't take his eyes off of. It stood upright like a human, but its body and head were unmistakably a lion's. Rather than interrupt Ryan asking for the Digimon's identity, Yuusuke held up his D-Cell and scanned the Digimon. The entry that came up read, "LEOMON."
Leomon's head suddenly snapped up, as if he was aware of the scan. Quickly, Yuusuke put the D-Cell away as Leomon's eyes turned in his direction. For the briefest moment, his gaze locked with Yuusuke's, and the boy's throat tightened in fear. But then Leomon looked on, and Yuusuke relaxed, but he dared not breath again until Leomon's attention was back on his glass at the bar.
Suddenly, the door burst open and a black-furred Digimon strutted inside. This one, too, was humanoid, with a great wolf's head and penetrating yellow eyes. He got two feet into the pub when the Digitamamon behind the bar yelled out, "Oh, no! Not you! Get out! NOW!" The whole pub was silenced.
The Digimon glared around the room, his gaze lingering on the corner where Yuusuke, Ryan, and many other humans were gathered. "Maybe I will go," he said. "Too many humans here. It reeks. The beer's probably no good anymore."
"Why don't you just keep your opinions of the humans to yourself?" Leomon grumbled.
The Digimon was taken aback, and said mockingly, "Whoa, what's this? Leomon standing up for the humans? Coming to the aid of the inferior invaders of our world? Have you really become so *weak*?"
Leomon leapt to his feet. He spoke through clenched teeth. "I believe you were asked to leave, Black Were Garurumon."
"Think you can make me?" Black Were Garurumon challenged. "Bring it on, weakling!" He drew back his clawed hand and ran toward Leomon with a snarl.
Yuusuke wasn't sure what had gotten into him. A moment before, he had been watching the Digimon arguing, but then he suddenly leapt to his feet and ran in front of Leomon, as if he could block Black Were Garurumon's attack. "Leave him alone!" Yuusuke yelled.
Black Were Garurumon suddenly halted his attack and looked blankly at Yuusuke for a few seconds. Then he looked back up to Leomon. "Ooh. Has the Lost Warrior finally gotten a partner? Or are you just so weak you have to hide behind a human--a child, no less?"
Before Leomon could answer, Yuusuke spoke up. "He's not hiding. Given the chance, he'd skin you where you stand. But I've had to live with close-minded bigots like you for too long! That's why I left the human world, and I'll be *damned* if I'm going to put up with it here!" He glared right into Black Were Garurumon's yellow eyes. "Now go!"
No one in the pub dared to breath. Black Were Garurumon considered Yuusuke for a moment, then spat at the boy's feet. Turning around, he stormed out of the pub, slamming the door behind him. There was another moment of silence, then the whole pub burst into applause. Yuusuke quietly went back to his seat, trying not to think about how terrified he really was.
Leomon stood rooted to his spot, but turned his head and watched as the boy sat back down.
After a moment, the applause faded back into the chatter of the pub, and a waiter brought some food to the table. Ryan came over and sat down next to Yuusuke, and without saying a word, began to eat. Yuusuke picked up his fork, and only then did he realize his hand was trembling. "Perhaps is was not bravery, after all."
Yuusuke looked up and saw that Leomon had walked over and was standing in front of the table. He looked away. "I just can't stand bigots," he said.
"Still," Leomon continued, "it would have been a difficult fight, and I would have hated to see the pub get damaged. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Yuusuke said quietly.
"Is there anything I can do in return?" Leomon asked.
"There may be," Ryan answered. "Please, have a seat." Leomon pulled up a chair and all three leaned in close. Ryan continued. "I've never really been around this area before. Do you know of any places of... ancient importance? Ruins or temples?"
"There're some ruins about two kilometers outside of town to the east. I believe some archeologists have given them a cursory look before, but never documented their existence. I can lead you to them."
"Tomorrow morning, then? We meet here around eight?"
Leomon nodded his head. "Agreed."
"Thank you," Ryan said.
"My pleasure."
With that, Leomon stood up and walked off, leaving some money on the bar as he made his way out the door. Ryan leaned back in his seat and glanced at Yuusuke. "Well. Bravery, foolishness, or luck, you've managed to get us a guide. Did you really think you could take on Black Were Garurumon?"
"I don't care. I just wanted him to stop." He paused, then added, "And I think... I didn't want him to attack Leomon. It was like, deep down, I felt I had to protect him."
Ryan looked at Yuusuke for a moment longer, then silently finished his meal.
Ryan and Yuusuke paid their bills then walked out of the pub, heading back to their inn. Lights glowed in the windows around them, and the sound of music and many voices floated through the air. It was warm, and the breeze had a slightly moist smell, signaling the approach of rain clouds before they could be seen. Yuusuke looked up and saw that the full moon was just slightly covered.
They walked into a small area of shadow, where one of the inns had closed down and no one new had moved in. Neither of them sensed the attack until it was almost too late. With a snarl, Black Were Garurumon pounced at Yuusuke, slashing at him. With a scream, Yuusuke ducked and rolled out of the way just in time. The Digimon landed and spun around, dragging his claws on the ground where Yuusuke sat. The boy shuffled out of the way. Ryan drew a knife and leapt at Black Were Garurumon, but the Digimon saw the attack and swung around, catching Ryan on the chin and tossing him to the ground. He then turned back to Yuusuke and raised his claws again.
"Fist of the Beast King!"
A golden light charged at Black Were Garurumon and blasted him in the chest. Leomon jumped in front of Yuusuke and drove his massive fist into the other Digimon's stomach, sending him flying back several feet. Leomon growled as Black Were Garurumon struggled to his feet, gasping for breath. "Seems the Lost Warrior's still got some fight in him, after all," he said.
He made to leap forward again, but by then, Ryan had gotten back to his feet and jumped on the Digimon's back, bringing the knife up his neck. Black Were Garurumon stopped dead in his tracks. Ryan smiled menacingly. "Don't move. I slip off, you know what happens to your neck."
"Damned human," Black Were Garurumon growled, then he relaxed a bit. "Fine."
Ryan slowly slipped off the Digimon's back, keeping his knife at the ready all the time. He got to the ground then walked around to join Leomon. Yuusuke stood up and moved to Leomon's other side. All four stared at each other for several moments. Then Black Were Garurumon spat. "This isn't over," he said, then turned and walked away.
When Black Were Garurumon was out of sight, Yuusuke looked up at Leomon. "Thanks. I guess now we're even."
"'Even' has nothing to do with it," Leomon said. He looked down at Yuusuke and smiled. "I just felt like I had to protect you."
Suddenly, Ryan started chuckling. They looked at him curiously. Smirking, he said, "I knew it."
"Knew what?" Yuusuke asked.
"Take out your D-Cell." Yuusuke did so. "Scan him."
"But I already--"
"Just do it."
Yuusuke held the D-Cell up to Leomon and scanned him. This time, however, the screen just flashed white, then faded, leaving a glowing symbol in its center. "That's an ancient Digimon character," Ryan said. "It means, 'Partner.'"
Yuusuke and Leomon both looked at each other. "But, why didn't it happen back in the pub?"
"You hadn't met yet. The connection wasn't established until you got up to stop Black Were Garurumon from fighting him. A sense of mutual protection is one of the signs of a partnership."
Yuusuke smiled and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Leomon."
Leomon took Yuusuke's hand. "Nice to meet you... Yuusuke."
Yuusuke looked puzzled. "But... I never told you..."
"I just... knew."
Ryan was laughing harder now. "You'll get used to it," he was finally able to say. "Partners can tell things about each other." He chuckled again. "Heh. Here I am, the old expert on partners and I've never had one. Guess I've just gathered a lot of knowledge in all my long years."
The three laughed together and started walking down towards the inn.
*****
Yuusuke and Leomon stayed up half the night exchanging stories. It was mostly Leomon talking, since Yuusuke didn't have much to say about his life in the human world. He learned that Leomon had hatched from his Digiegg four years ago, and had spent all of his life trying to be as strong as he could. He evolved faster than the other kids around him, and excelled at school. He seemed to have some memories left over from a previous life, but when Yuusuke asked about it, Leomon just said they weren't all that clear and changed the subject. Ryan got the feeling Leomon was holding something back, and he knew Yuusuke did, too, but neither one brought the subject up again. Around two, they finally went to sleep.
The next morning, they woke up early, had breakfast down in the inn's small cafe, and set out for the ruins east of Comdi. The journey was pleasant, and surprisingly cool. The rain clouds from the night before had passed without so much as a drop, and the morning sun warmed their faces as it rose. After a short while, they came up to the first sign of the ruins, the remnants of a wall.
They stopped to look. Pieces of rock were scattered along the ground, marking where buildings used to stand. Columns rose up to the sky, some complete, some split. Once-underground passageways had been opened by years of erosion. Ryan pulled out his D-Cell and scanned the ruins. A holographic display of them was projected from the screen, along with the energy spike data he had gotten from Lamarc. "There's no doubt. It's definitely here somewhere." He panned the D-Cell over the ruins. Suddenly, it started beeping, and a display with the energy spike overlaid the one of the ruins. "That's it!" he yelled.
They ran in the direction of some ruins that looked like they may have once been a large building of some kind. When they got there, Ryan scanned them, stopping when he got to a small tunnel. "Down here."
Yuusuke pulled a flashlight from his backpack and crawled down the tunnel. After a few minutes, it opened up on a large chamber. He pulled himself out of the tunnel and looked around. Most of the inside walls had collapsed, and a small amount of water covered the floor. Yuusuke swung the beam around and stopped on a small box covered by a few rocks. "I've found something!" he called up the tunnel. "It's some kind of box."
"Can you open it?" Ryan called down.
"I think so," Yuusuke answered.
He knelt down by the box and set the flashlight on a nearby stone. He cleared the rocks off the box then examined it. It seemed simple enough, made of stone and painted red. A lock on the front had long since rusted over, and gave with just one whack of a rock. Yuusuke pulled off the lid. Inside was a small, red, crystalline ring. On one side was a small pointed protrusion going up, and another, smaller, pointed impression was a quarter way around. It didn't seem to have any special attributes, but Yuusuke shrugged and put it in his backpack all the same, along with his flashlight.
He took one last look around the chamber, then went back to the tunnel. Jumping, he grabbed the edge and pulled himself up. Slowly, he made his way back to the surface. A few feet from the exit, Leomon reached in and pulled Yuusuke up the rest of the way. Setting the boy down, he asked, "What'd you find?"
Yuusuke unzipped his backpack and pulled out the crystalline ring. Ryan looked at it. "I've read about the Crystals. They were made to fit into each other. This notch is for the Crystal that goes under it, and the point fits into the notch of the Crystal above it. They all fit over a point on the Spirit Crystal, hence the ring shape."
"So it's one of them?" Yuusuke asked excitedly.
"No doubt," Ryan said. "Red. Southern area. It's the Fire Crystal."
"Then we'll take it!"
Out of nowhere, a massive brown shape slammed into the three explorers, snatching the Crystal out of Yuusuke's hand and leaping away. "Matrix split!" it called out. They watched as the brown shape suddenly glowed white, then split in two. A human and a Digimon landed on a small hill. The human held the Fire Crystal. "Thanks," he said. "Saved us the trouble of finding it ourselves!"
To be continued...
(End Episode 01)
place in an original universe. Second, yes, I know the Gateways sound
like Stargates in the description, it's been pointed out enough times.
Third, this is no kiddy story. I'll just leave it at that. (Don't
worry, it's still somewhere in the PG-13 range. I think). Fourth, I
don't care if a Digimon was a hero or villain in any of the previous
series. They're in my hands now. (Insert maniacal laughter here).
Fifth, I'm sorry if some of episode one seems like "beginning of the
RPG"-type newbie exposition, but I wanted to get some of that
establishment out of the way so I could concentrate on the story itself
from now on. Finally, I've made up a few original Digimon, especially for
some of the more powerful ones, so if you come across one you don't
know, chances are good that's the reason.
-----
DIGIMON EXPLORERS
Episode 01: The Journey Begins
by J Weekley
-----
Story copyright 2003 by J Weekley. Digimon is the property of Toei and Bandai. Used without permission.
-----
By the early part of the twenty-first century, much of the world could be considered to have been explored. True, modern man may not have gone everywhere on land, but it's safe to assume some ancient culture had visited there at one time or another. Then there were the ages before man, when the great prehistoric beasts wandered around the globe. With this taken into account, it could be said that all of the world's land and much of its oceans had been explored at some time. When thinking like this, one realizes that, besides the still-unknown depths of the oceans, there was nothing left to explore.
At least, until the Gateways came along.
The first Gateway appeared very suddenly, in the center of Tokyo, in the middle of rush hour. Needless to say, a panic quickly ensued. This was heightened when two large, dinosaur-like creatures emerged and started fighting throughout the city, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. While this didn't seem too unusual (at least to someone who's seen one too many monster flicks), it was quite inconvenient for local businesses and residents. After an hour, the two creatures had succeeded in vaporizing each other, but the Gateway remained.
The Gateway was a large stone object, about fifty feet tall. The main part was a large circle resting within a trapezoidal base. The circle was covered in several rows of strange symbols. There wasn't any kind of visual energy field within the circle, but instead a type of clear distortion which showed through to the other side of street, but gave no clue as to what the place the Gateway led to looked like. The only way to see it would be to actually go there.
The first expedition was assembled in two days. It consisted mainly of scientists, accompanied by a team of specially-trained police officers. Bravely, they stepped through. The world they encountered was very much like the one they had left, only with considerably less urban development. There were also no humans. Instead, the world was populated by several races of creatures that called themselves Digital Monsters. It was these first Japanese explorers who shortened the name into four simple katakana characters: de ji mo n: Digimon. The Digimon called their world the Digital World, and it existed in a pocket dimension that connected to the human world through computers and the Gateways. Soon, other Gateways began to appear throughout both worlds. Shortly after that, certain humans and Digimon began to form partnerships, as if supernaturally drawn together.
It wasn't long before travel between the human world and the Digital World was common place. There was the occasional tourist, but most visitors fell into four basic groups. The scientists who were trying to study how the Digimon and the Digital World worked. The merchants who would bring goods between the two worlds. The outlaws looking for an escape from their pursuers. Finally, there were the explorers, wanderers tied to no one. They had found in this new world a place where regions still remained undiscovered, some seemingly since the beginning of time. These were the most-seen figures in the Digital World. They would open up whole new areas to the other groups, often with little or no reward.
This is the way it has been for fifteen years.
*****
The life of an explorer was well known to be a hard one, but it offered freedom in a way that many other professions couldn't. That was what first attracted Yuusuke to the idea. Freedom anyplace would be better than the practical imprisonment he was forced to live in for the past eight years. Yuusuke wasn't sure on all the details, but his father, who he had lived with in Oregon, was a college professor who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up getting accused and convicted of a dean's murder. As he had no other living relatives, Yuusuke was sent across the country to live with a foster family in New York. If anyone deserved to go to jail, it was these people. They couldn't stand the Japanese, and treated Yuusuke like he was some kind of slave, barely taking care of his basic needs. He still wasn't sure how he ended up with them in the first place. However, none of that would soon matter.
The night before, Yuusuke had stolen about three hundred dollars from them while they slept, packed some spare clothes in his backpack, and ran away as fast as he could. He had convinced one of his friends at school to get him a copy of the Gateway rail schedule. One of the Gateways had appeared in a subway tunnel, and there were certain times of the month when the train would run through into a station in the Digital World. Tickets were a hundred dollars each--the most expensive price of Digital World travel on earth--but it was worth the price to Yuusuke. After wandering the streets of New York for a night, Yuusuke arrived at the subway station that ran the Digital Gateway Railway. Trying not to look too suspicious, he walked up to the counter and bought a one-way ticket. The salesperson, a kindly-looking old lady, gave him a sad look. Apparently, she had seen other runaways going to the Digital World before, but she didn't say anything, for which he was grateful. He waited in the station lobby until it was time to board the train.
The railcar he was in was spotlessly clean, and there were very few others in there with him. All of them were in business suits, two with sample cases--merchants trying to make deals with the Digimon. In fact, one of the merchants had a Digimon with him, his partner. Unfortunately, Yuusuke never had time to study the different Digimon races, so he wasn't sure what kind of a Digimon it was, and he didn't want to embarrass himself by asking. It was reptilian, and resembled something of a small Tyrannosaurus with yellow skin and a large flat nose. Before he had anymore time to think about it, though, the train jolted and started to move off. 'This is it; this is really happening,' Yuusuke thought. He was now free! He looked at his watch. By now, his "parents" would just be waking up, and wondering why he hasn't started making them breakfast yet. They would slam open the door to his room only to find it empty, save for a note with a lovely drawing Yuusuke made of himself giving them the middle finger and telling them in no uncertain terms to go screw themselves. He would have loved to see their faces at that moment, but some sacrifices had to be made. The moment that train started moving, it could not be stopped. He was free. He had no worries about police chasing after him; human police had no authority in the Digital World, except for a few specific cases. Runaways to the Digital World were too common to bother keeping track of them or trying to force them to come back. The life he chose from now on would be entirely up to him.
Without knowing it, Yuusuke had been continuing to stare at the Digimon, and his partner noticed. Yuusuke quickly looked away, but the guy just nudged the Digimon and pointed at Yuusuke. Together, they walked over to him. "Hi," the Digimon said.
Yuusuke was a bit nervous. "Hi," he answered quietly.
The guy sat down a few seats away from Yuusuke. "First time to the Digital World?" he asked.
Yuusuke just nodded.
"Runaway?"
Yuusuke looked away.
"Hey, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," the guy said. "I started out the same way. Heck, I think most of us Second Geners did. Couldn't stand it at home, a new Gateway had just appeared, and I took advantage of it. Glad I did, too. If I hadn't, I probably would never have met Agumon." He patted the Digimon's back.
"Agumon, huh?" Yuusuke said.
The Digimon nodded.
"So, have any plans?" the guy asked.
"I'd like to be an explorer," Yuusuke answered, starting to get a little less nervous with the guy.
The guy just smiled, "Ah, yes. Everybody does when they first come. That was my plan until I ran into a businessman from London who wanted to set up shop in the Digital World. He ended up getting far more than he bargained for, as he's now got stores in the Digital World and in the US. I work between Upload City and New York. Heh, looks like I got more than I bargained for, too. Never saw myself ending up being a businessman."
"Neither did I," Agumon added.
"Life's just funny that way," the guy said.
Just then, some green lights flashed and a tone played over the train's loudspeakers, followed by a message. "Now approaching the Gateway. Those passengers with little experience passing through the dimensional shift may experience some slight dizziness. It is nothing serious and will pass by the time we arrive at Upload City Central Station. Thank you for riding the Digital Gateway Railway."
With a flash of light, the train entered the Gateway. The ride suddenly became very bumpy as the train passed through. Outside, streams of light in various colors flashed by. Yuusuke did feel a little bit dizzy, but it wasn't too bad. It felt like the train was quickly gaining speed, and it probably was. The vibrations of the train against the tracks continued to get faster and faster, until with another flash of light, they cleared the other side of the Gateway, and the train slowed down to its normal speed. Yuusuke was feeling better already. Within a minute, they had pulled up to Upload City Central. Yuusuke and the other man stood up to leave, Agumon following close behind.
"Well, good luck, kid," the guy said.
"Thanks," Yuusuke said.
"Oh, by the way, I never did get your name," the guy said. He held out his hand. "Alex Clearwater."
"Yuusuke. Yuusuke Toriyama," he answered, taking Alex's hand.
"See you around, then."
They started to walk off when Alex spoke up again. "Yuusuke!" Yuusuke turned around. "Just remember, the life of an explorer can be a hard one. But if you manage to find yourself a good partner, you never know how well you'll succeed."
"Thanks again," Yuusuke said, smiling, then walked off into the main lobby of the station.
Yuusuke had heard that Upload City Central was one of the busiest stations in the Digital World, as it took traffic from New York, Miami, London, and Paris, the top four human world trading cities, as well as being a hub for nearly two-thirds of the Digital World railways. However, he simply wasn't prepared for the scale of the station. Speckled stone tiles covered the floors all around. Marble columns rose as far as the eye could see to the glass ceiling. Tracks for different lines rose hundreds of feet in the air, and fell down to seemingly bottomless levels. The ground had a constant vibration of so many trains running on those tracks, stopping briefly before moving on. Hundreds of thousands of people--both human and Digimon--wandered through the main lobby, a room which was itself the size of a small town. Yuusuke couldn't help himself. He stopped in the middle of the lobby and stared at everything. The people moving about walked around him, paying no attention to the newcomer. Yuusuke's mouth bobbed up and down, speechless. The enormity of this new world was just beginning to reach him. He had never experienced anything this big before. It seemed overwhelming, but he was determined to make it. Taking a deep breath, he began to walk forward. He then stopped a Digimon that didn't look too busy and asked, "Excuse me, where's a currency conversion station?"
"There's one by every exit. Can't miss 'em," the Digimon said before walking off.
"Thanks," Yuusuke called out to him, but the Digimon didn't seem to hear. Shrugging, Yuusuke walked off towards one of the exits, slipping through the crowds.
After a few minutes, the exit was in sight. Yuusuke looked around, trying to find the conversion station. It was difficult with all the people around, but he soon spotted it off to his left. Surprisingly, there wasn't a line, and Yuusuke walked right up to the booth. A Digimon was inside. Or, at least Yuusuke thought it was a Digimon. It looked just like a big cracked egg with two eyes. However, it was wearing a name badge that said "Digitamamon," so Yuusuke decided it was worth a try.
"What can I do for ya, kid?" the Digitamamon asked.
Yuusuke held up the last two hundred dollars. "Conversion from dollars," he said.
"Put it in the bin," Digitamamon said unemotionally. Yuusuke did as he was told, and slipped the dollar bills in a small cabinet that slid back into the booth just as he pulled his hand out. "Current exchange rate is 1.25 Digis per dollar."
"Okay," Yuusuke said. A moment later, the cabinet slip open again, with about thirty coins of various sizes and colors having replaced the dollars he had come here with. Taking the money, Yuusuke said, "Thanks."
"Yeah, yeah, no problem," Digitamamon said, waving Yuusuke off.
Pocketing his money, Yuusuke started off again for the exit. When he reached the threshold, he paused. It was about to be his first true step into a new world and a new life. He knew it sounded crazy, but he wanted to cherish this moment. Once again taking a deep breath, Yuusuke stepped forward through the door.
He was there.
He was in the Digital World.
*****
Yuusuke could hardly keep his jaw up as he wandered through the streets of Upload City. All around him, buildings of brick, marble, glass, and steel rose into the sky. There was the normal morning hustle of people going to work, with pedestrians and bicycles roaming on the wide walkways, as cars weren't allowed to be imported from the human world. Occasionally a moped would scoot by, but that was the extent of human motor vehicles in this world. Some high-pitched squealing was Yuusuke's only warning as a group of children ran past him, followed by some baby Digimon. All were on the way to school.
Yuusuke couldn't help but smile. He couldn't remember being that carefree, but he knew he had to have been, back in Oregon when he lived with his father. He sighed at the memory. If he ever went back to human world, he would have to check on his father. His foster parents never told Yuusuke what had become of him, and he couldn't find anything about the case in the library's records.
He shook his head. 'No,' he thought. They were issues that he would have to resolve someday, but not now. Now, he would just concentrate on living in this new world and enjoying his new-found freedom. Clutching the paper bag that held the blanket he had just bought, Yuusuke held his head up high and walked down the streets of Upload City.
He was passing through a cluster of relatively short stone buildings when a voice called out from an alley. "Hey, kid! In here."
Yuusuke stopped and looked down the alley. Out of the shadows fluttered a small Digimon. It looked like some kind of black fuzz ball with clawed feet and a mask that covered most of its body. "You're new here, aren't you?" it asked.
"You could say that," Yuusuke answered.
"Well, then," the Digimon performed a mock bow, "allow me to offer my services. This world can get quite dangerous, and it would bad if you went forth without *protection*. Protection which I can offer you."
Yuusuke's face was blank. "The only danger I see around here is you."
"Oh, come on, now. I only make this sort of offer to my friends. You *do* want to be my friend, right?"
"No," Yuusuke answered. "And I don't think he does, either."
The Digimon's eyes popped up. "Huh?"
From the shadows of the alley, an arm swung down, chopping the little Digimon and knocking him to the ground. A leg appeared and pinned him there. The body of a man followed the appendages, crouching low the to Digimon. He was tall and strong, dressed in a loose-fitting cotton sweater and khaki pants. From under a top of spiky brown hair, two dark blue eyes peered suspiciously at the Digimon. "Pico Devimon," the man said, in mock cordiality.
Pico Devimon sweatdropped. "Heh. Hi, Ryan. Long time no see."
"What have I told you about hustling the newcomers?"
"Aw, come on. Ever since you humans came along, this town's been nothing but money, money, money. A guy's gotta make a living, y'know."
"Oh," the man said, standing up. "But there are other things you can do." He smiled. "Professional sports, perhaps." Pico Devimon shrieked and tried frantically to get out from under the man's boot. Unmoving, the man continued. "Ever hear of something called American Football?"
Pico Devimon screamed. "Nononononono! Not the punt! Not the punt!"
Too late. Faster than Yuusuke could see, the man swept up Pico Devimon, taping his wings and feet together in one move. He tossed the little Digimon into the air, and let him drop for a second before kicking out. Pico Devimon screamed at the impact, and was sent flying up, spinning in the air towards the roof of the building across the street. The Digimon flew right between twin antennae, and right past a pink bird Digimon that held up its arms and said, "It's good!"
The man smirked as he watched the Digimon fly off, then looked down at Yuusuke. "You okay, kid?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuusuke answered.
"Good. That guy never learns. Always goes after the new people. He's probably been following you since you left the station. And you probably won't be the last one he bugs today. At least it'll take him a while to get out of the duct tape. He's not too strong, but you probably don't want to be around when he breaks out."
"Okay."
The man looked at Yuusuke curiously. "So, you what brings you to the Digital World?"
"Well, I'd like to be an explorer, but I don't really know that much about this place," Yuusuke admitted.
"Hm. Well, I suppose that someone could show you the basics." The man held out his hand. "What's your name, kid?"
Yuusuke took the man's hand. "Yuusuke Toriyama."
"Ryan Cohen."
Yuusuke gasped. "*The* Ryan Cohen?!"
Ryan sighed, "Yep, that's me."
"Wow! I don't know much about the Digital World, but I *have* heard about you! You're pretty famous in the human world."
Ryan looked away, "Yeah, I know. That's why I tend to go back as little as possible."
Releasing Ryan's hand, Yuusuke said, "Ah. Don't like the fame, huh?"
"Never have. I make one big discovery ten years ago, and suddenly I'm known the worlds over. It's not for me." He looked back at Yuusuke. "Still, there's something about you. Can't quite place it..." He shrugged. "Ah, what the hell. I'm on my way to an offer, want to join me? Consider it some... on the job training."
Yuusuke couldn't believe it. "Really?!"
"Sure, why not?" Ryan answered.
"Thanks so much!"
"No problem," Ryan said. He then looked at Yuusuke's bag. "Whatcha got there?"
"Hm?" Yuusuke said, then realized what Ryan was talking about. "Oh, this? I bought a blanket. Figured it'd be useful. Can't afford hotel rooms all the time, right?"
Ryan stroked his unshaven chin thoughtfully. "Good thinking. Though I would've also bought a towel. Well, we'll be passing through a market on the way to the job, so you can pick one up there. And a D-Cell."
"D-Cell?" Yuusuke asked.
Ryan reached into a pocket and pulled out a gold and black rectangular device. It had a small antenna and a display screen on the front. "D-Cell," he explained. "Really, it's nothing more than a glorified cell phone. Each one looks different. It's a one-time purchase, so the number's good forever, and since there're no phone companies here, they can't control it, so you can use it for free. Aside from communications, there's also a built-in GPS with an encyclopedia feature. However, the guide's incomplete. Explorers, like myself, help the D-Cell makers by providing updates of any new information we find. If you get a Digimon partner, it'll also be the link between you two." He looked at his watch. "Oh. Better get going. Come on," he beckoned to Yuusuke as he walked off down the street.
Yuusuke stared after him for a moment. 'Towels? Updating electronic guide books?' He sighed, then thought, 'Lead the way, Ford,' before running after him.
Ryan led Yuusuke down several winding streets, whistling all the way. He would wave to people he knew as they passed. As they passed across from a school, a young teacher watching the gates winked and waved her hand rather enthusiastically. Ryan ducked his head into his chest and hurried past. Yuusuke struggled to keep up. "Old girlfriend?" he was tempted to ask, but thought it better to just mind his own business.
Ryan turned down another side street. Even before he reached it, Yuusuke could hear the noise from around the corner. It sounded like hundreds--thousands of voices were all speaking at once. Yuusuke turned the corner. Ryan was standing there waiting for him. "Impressive?" he asked.
All Yuusuke could do was nod. Before him, dozens of covered pavilions stretched far back into the street. Humans and Digimon all wandered around under them, choosing goods and haggling over the prices. Parents buying food and other necessities were struggling to keep their children from running off to the toy stands. Different food carts were being pushed around, trying to navigate through the crowd. At least two bands were playing somewhere in the distance.
"Welcome to the Upload City Marketplace, but most of us know it as the Documents Folder."
Yuusuke was still speechless, but made a note to expect several more computer refences as time went on. "Come on," Ryan said, starting to walk toward the market. "The shop we're looking for is over here."
Yuusuke walked behind him, trying to not get pushed around in the crowd. He held his backback tightly over his chest; he wasn't taking any chances that that Pico Devimon guy had some friends who might try to steal something from him. He was so concerned with looking around nervously that he hadn't noticed Ryan had stopped until he bumped into him.
"Sorry," Yuusuke said.
"Don't worry about it."
Yuusuke looked at the table that he was standing next to. Its entire surface was covered with hundreds of D-Cells, and every single one of them was different in some way, whether it was the colors or markings. "Pick one out," Ryan said.
"Um, how much are they?"
"Ten Digis," answered a cat-like Digimon on the other side of the table. Its paws were covered by striped gloves that ended in three pointed claws. Somehow, Yuusuke felt a bit safer around this Digimon. He also didn't want to think about what those claws could do to any shoplifter.
He looked down at the table and started to scan over the D-Cells. He couldn't seem to find one that he really liked. What would happen if he couldn't choose one? Were there other D-Cell shops with bigger selections? He had almost looked over the entire table when one of them caught his eye. He picked it up. It was blue with a white cross design that went over the front and back. In the center of the cross under the display screen was a blue star. Just as he brought it closer to get a better look, the screen suddenly activated. Yuusuke jumped back and nearly dropped the D-Cell. Ryan and the Digimon just smiled.
"Wow, a perfect match on the first try," Ryan said. "Not bad, kid."
The Digimon held out its paw. Yuusuke just stared at it for a second while his brain caught up with what was going on. Blinking, he came back to his senses. He reached in his pocket and pulled out ten Digis.
The Digimon smiled. "Thanks for coming. Hope you don't have to stop by again anytime soon."
As they were walking away, Yuusuke said, "What was that all about?"
"She means she hopes you never break or lose it and have to get a new one. I've heard that finding a second match is pretty difficult."
"Ah."
With that, Yuusuke and Ryan left the market and headed further into the center of town. Along the way, Yuusuke told his new mentor about his life, how his father was wrongly convicted of murder, how his foster parents abused him, and how he had been planning to run away for three years. Ryan listened to it all sympathetically, but could not relate as his childhood had been relatively gentle, until his own parents died in a car crash while on vacation in Tokyo. Alone and scared, Ryan had wandered through the Gateway and became one of the first explorers. Over the years, he had gained many friends both human and Digimon, but he had never found a partner. "I'm one of the twenty-five percent, I guess," he said. "There's a population proportion of about seventy-five percent Digimon to humans. That means that twenty-five percent of the humans who come to the Digital World will never have a partner. They were never meant to. It's nothing to be ashamed of, but sometimes having a partner does help. You lend each other your strengths and grow together."
"Think I'll have a partner?" Yuusuke asked.
Ryan shrugged. "Never know until it happens."
They came to a stop in front of a tall glass-covered building. A bronze sign on the wall read "Lamarc Enterprises."
Ryan smiled. "We're here."
*****
Yuusuke could think of only two words to describe Maxwell Lamarc: "Big," and "Friendly." Lamarc was a tall, round man who looked to be in his early fifties. He was balding, had a big nose, and two small patches of hair on either side of his upper lip that must have passed for a mustache. His face was deeply creased with wrinkles from years of happiness. When he spoke, it was with a loud, slightly grainy voice. "Never thought I'd see the day when Ryan Cohen takes on an apprentice," he said as he waddled across his gloriously decorated office to a mini bar on the far wall. "I guess times *do* change," he said, pouring some drinks and putting them on a tray.
Carrying the tray, he waddled back to where Yuusuke and Ryan were sitting on a plush, red velvet-covered couch. Lamarc handed them each a glass before putting the tray on a coffee table and plopping into an equally-plush chair across from them. "You're how old, son?" Lamarc asked Yuusuke.
"Fifteen," Yuusuke answered, a little nervously.
Lamarc waved his hand in dismissal, "Ah, you're old enough. Keep the brandy." He took a sip from his own glass while Yuusuke just smiled, this time *quite* nervously.
Ryan noticed the smile and leaned over, whispering in Yuusuke's ear, "Never drank?"
Yuusuke shook his head.
"It'll burn," Ryan said, sitting up straight again.
Lamarc put his half-emptied glass on the tray, then leaned forward towards them. "Now, gentlemen, to business. We may have found it." As he spoke, a small twinkle in his eye began to glow more profoundly. "Three days ago, COMSAT picked up an unusual energy spike about a thousand miles south of us."
Lamarc gave a moment for those words to sink in. To Yuusuke, they meant nothing, but Ryan's jaw suddenly slackened and his eyes went wide. "Zhuqiao...?" he asked silently.
"Precisely," Lamarc answered with a grin.
"Um..." Yuusuke started to ask. Lamarc and Ryan looked at him. "He doesn't know?" Lamarc asked.
"He's been... sheltered," Ryan answered.
"Understatement," Yuusuke added.
Lamarc's grin returned. "Kid, you've come to the Digital World in time to become a part of history! After years of searching, we may have finally found the greatest Digimon artifacts of all time!"
Ryan was in shock. "I can't believe this. If it really is... God, we'll finally have the proper energy signature. The others will show up immediately."
"Believe it, Mr. Cohen," Lamarc said, picking up his glass. "We'll possess them all before the Dark Lords have a chance to get their filthy claws on them. The Five Crystals are as good as found!"
"Hear, hear!" Ryan said, leaping to his feet and bringing his own glass up. "Hear, hear," Yuusuke cluelessly agreed, and the three clanked their glasses together and drained them.
Ryan and Lamarc looked at each other with burning pride.
Yuusuke was trying to hide that the only thing burning in him was his throat.
*****
Two hours later, Yuusuke found himself back in Upload City Central waiting for a southbound express. He sat at a table in one of the station's numerous cafes while Ryan got their tickets and food. Lamarc had given them two thousand Digis to fund the trip, and as part of their payment. Ryan had taken Yuusuke to a bank to set up an account on the way back. The remaining reward of seven thousand Digis would be deposited as soon as they got back from wherever it was they were going. Yuusuke looked at his new bank card one more time before putting it back in his wallet and slipping the wallet into one of the velcro pockets of his pants. He kept his backpack close to him at all times, as the station was as crowded as ever, and Yuusuke could've sworn he saw Pico Devimon fluttering about a couple times.
He was relieved when Ryan sat back down, placing two tickets and a tray of hot dogs and drinks down on the table. Yuusuke took one of the tickets and stuffed it in his backpack, then grabbed a hot dog and started to eat, saying thanks to Ryan at the same time. "Don't mention it," Ryan said.
Yuusuke finished the hot dog in two gulps. He downed some juice then turned to Ryan. "So, what're we going after, anyway?"
Ryan held up his hand. "Not now. We've got a private compartment on the train. It leaves in an hour. We'll talk about that when we're on board." He smiled. "For now, school's in session. Take out your D-Cell."
Yuusuke pulled the blue and white D-Cell from one of his other pockets while Ryan retrieved his gold and black one. "Turn it on," Ryan instructed.
Yuusuke pressed the power button and the screen glowed to life. Ryan began to explain. "This first screen is the basic menu. There are three choices: COMM, SCAN, and MAP." Ryan flipped open a flap on the front of the D-Cell. "This small alphanumeric keypad works mostly with the communication system. You can enter a number or look up a name on the directory. The directory itself is only good for people and businesses with a permanent address, so if you don't know the number of another explorer, you're gonna have a hell of a time trying to find them. Communication is done through video. The screen projects a small holographic image of the person on the other end. There's a little flip stand on the back so you can stand it up straight on something when you talk."
He pointed to a small crystalline bubble on the top of the D-Cell. "This is the scanner. Choosing the SCAN function activates this scanner, which works through the encyclopedia. You can also manually input commands through the keypad. The encyclopedia will be able to tell you the species and some of the basic characteristics of every Digimon in the database, which is basically every Digimon in the world. Hell, it's even got the *Dark Lords* listed."
"I heard Lamarc mention them," Yuusuke said. "Who are they?"
"Compartment," Ryan said quickly, then got back to the lesson. "The final choice is the MAP function, which can give you info on the various parts of the Digital World, as well as access the GPS feature. The SCAN and MAP functions can be used together, and those are also the functions that we as explorers provide updates for. With me so far?"
"Yep."
"Good. What's next is stuff you'll need to know if you get a partner. See that small covered slot on the bottom on the D-Cell? That will open to allow you to insert Evolution Chips. There are four basic levels that a Digimon spends most of its life as: Child, Adult, Perfect, and Ultimate. After it gets old enough and strong enough, a Digimon will evolve on it own. However, a temporary evolution can be achieved by using these chips. There are three kinds, each allowing for a different type of evolution.
"Basic Evolution Chips can be used to upgrade your partner one level at a time. Occasionally, a Digimon can use its own power to temporarily evolve one level or 'warp evolve' several levels at once, but the effect never lasts for more than half an hour before they're too tired to maintain the level. Evolution through the chip can last up to two days.
"The second type is the Jogress Evolution Chip. This will allow your Digimon to temporarily combine with another Digimon. A non-chip Jogress hasn't been recorded in history.
"The final type, and the most rare, is the Matrix Evolution Chip. Using this chip, you yourself can combine with your partner to form an Ultimate. The Ultimate form that results from a Matrix Evolution isn't necessarily the same form that the Digimon would have through normal evolution.
"Aside from those three, there's one more type of evolution you may encounter. It's a natural type. Some of the more powerful Digimon have more than one form. Switching between forms is known as 'Slide evolution.' Got all that?"
Yuusuke counted off on his fingers. "Basic, Jogress, Matrix, Slide. Got it." He grabbed another hot dog and wolfed it down.
Ryan took a swig of juice then said, "That's about it for the basics. Just refer to the D-Cell whenever you encounter something new. The answers are usually there."
He grabbed a hot dog off the tray and started eating it when an announcement sounded through the cafe. "The fifteen-hundred Comdi Express has arrived at platform 471 and will begin boarding in ten minutes. All passengers please make their way to platform 471 at this time."
"That's our train," Ryan said. He and Yuusuke finished off the remaining hot dogs and drinks in two minutes and then started to make their way up to platform 471.
The platform was one of those on the upper stories of the station. It took them twelve minutes to get there, but they made it with plenty of time to spare. They found their compartment and sat down. Yuusuke looked out the window at the activity out in the station. Suddenly he spotted Pico Devimon, fluttering behind some Digimon that was shaped like a bear. The small Digimon had several long naked streaks were the fuzz appeared to have been ripped out. "The duct tape." Yuusuke looked over to see Ryan looking out at the fuzzball, too.
"What if he sees us?" Yuusuke asked.
"If he sees us, he sees us," Ryan answered. "The little hairball's got an attack, but you can stop it pretty easily. Besides, that Bearmon's starting to get a little ticked. I don't think we're gonna have to worry about him for a while. Just sit back and relax. They call this an express, but it's still six hours 'til Comdi."
With that, Ryan stretched, adjusted himself in the seat, then leaned his head down. Yuusuke still had his questions, but he thought it might be best to wait until the train left the station.
A bell tone sounded through the compartment, and with a slight jerk, the train began to roll away from the platform. Yuusuke was just leaning back when he heard a scream from outside. He looked out the window in time to see Pico Devimon fly through the air and slam into the station's outer wall. When Yuusuke sat back down, he noticed that Ryan had a particularly large grin on his face.
*****
Within a few minutes, the train had cleared the station and was heading south out of Upload City. Yuusuke kept looking out the window, trying to take in everything he could of this new world. As they left the city limits, the conductor came by and stamped their tickets. Except for that, Ryan remained silently leaning back in his seat. For half an hour more, he stayed this way, until he suddenly opened his eyes and leaned forward. "Okay, first thing's first," he said. Yuusuke turned away from the window and sat down on the bench facing Ryan. "The Dark Lords. The Digital World's a tough place to live in, but up until five years ago, it was a hell of a lot tougher. Six of the more powerful Digimon consolidated their power. Led by Vamdemon and Mephismon, they chose generals, assembled armies, and began a reign of terror across the Digital World. But five years ago, Vamdemon was killed in battle, and the Dark Lords dispersed. Mephismon disappeared completely shortly after that. The rest are still around, with their generals, and they show up from time to time, but they're nowhere near as powerful apart as they were together."
"So," Yuusuke began, "what Lamarc was talking about... the Five Crystals...?"
"The Five Elemental Crystals which call upon the five most powerful Digimon of all time, the four Holy Beasts and Yinyangmon. The trouble is, while the Holy Beasts themselves are bound to not interfere in the workings of the Digital World, their power can be used for good or evil through the Crystals."
"And Yinyangmon?"
"He's neutral. The Spirit Crystal summons not just his power, but Yinyangmon himself. He's bound by the Crystal to fight for whichever side possesses it. That's why the Dark Lords cannot be allowed to have even one. Even without Vamdemon and Mephismon, they would be able take over the Digital World and lead it into a new age of darkness."
The words sank into Yuusuke as he tried to comprehend them. It was still just his first day in this new world, and already he found himself having to deal with a situation that could alter its very fate. It was a little overwhelming, but for some reason, he didn't seem too daunted by it. As he sat in silence, a question suddenly came into his mind. "Ryan, what was it like when they were still around?"
Ryan looked at him for a moment before answering. "Kid, those are years I'd rather forget." He stretched and closed his eyes again. "Get some rest while you can. Lamarc's people only have an energy spike around Comdi, not an exact location. I want to start looking for the Crystal as soon as possible."
Yuusuke reached to the rack above the bench and pulled down a blanket and pillow. Laying down, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. His dream was strange, containing a blazingly white giant, staring at him with glowing purple eyes and with its mouth moving in a silent verse.
*****
Several hours later, two figures watched from the shadows as the express pulled into the Comdi station. One of the figures, a human smaller than the Digimon that stood concealed behind him, watched the flow of passengers intently. "There he is," he said as Ryan and Yuusuke stepped off the train. "She was right. This is the train he was on."
"Who's that with him?" the Digimon asked.
"Probably the apprentice the report mentioned. The kid looks a little nervous."
"Kid? He doesn't look much younger than you."
"He's still a kid. Besides, the report also said this was his first day in the Digital World. Having all this happen in a few hours must be a little overwhelming." The human smiled. "If not, it certainly will be by this time tomorrow." He turned toward his partner. "Let's go. I don't want to be seen here."
"Right," the Digimon agreed, and they crept off back into the shadows.
*****
Yuusuke and Ryan stepped away from the platform into the main terminal of the station. The night air coming in from the track tunnel was cool, but humid. "Where to first?" Yuusuke asked.
"First we secure some lodgings," Ryan said. "Next, we get some dinner." He had been watching a weather report for the region on a nearby screen. The Digimon standing in front of the map pointed to some animated storm clouds moving toward Comdi. Ryan swore under his breath. "Damn. We aren't going to get much done with the rain coming. We can at least ask around for information while we get dinner."
"How are we gonna do that?" Yuusuke asked.
Ryan just smiled.
*****
Yuusuke was finding this situation more and more confusing. An hour ago, he was getting off the express. Now, he was sitting with Ryan in a seedy pub near the center of town. Ryan, for his part, seemed perfectly comfortable, nursing a cold pint of beer and laughing with the people around him. Yuusuke took another swallow of water and looked around.
The air in the pub was dense and hot, despite the open windows that allowed a breeze in from outside. The bartender, another Digitamamon, spoke quickly with the customers as they came up, keeping the business flowing. There was one Digimon sitting at the bar that Yuusuke couldn't take his eyes off of. It stood upright like a human, but its body and head were unmistakably a lion's. Rather than interrupt Ryan asking for the Digimon's identity, Yuusuke held up his D-Cell and scanned the Digimon. The entry that came up read, "LEOMON."
Leomon's head suddenly snapped up, as if he was aware of the scan. Quickly, Yuusuke put the D-Cell away as Leomon's eyes turned in his direction. For the briefest moment, his gaze locked with Yuusuke's, and the boy's throat tightened in fear. But then Leomon looked on, and Yuusuke relaxed, but he dared not breath again until Leomon's attention was back on his glass at the bar.
Suddenly, the door burst open and a black-furred Digimon strutted inside. This one, too, was humanoid, with a great wolf's head and penetrating yellow eyes. He got two feet into the pub when the Digitamamon behind the bar yelled out, "Oh, no! Not you! Get out! NOW!" The whole pub was silenced.
The Digimon glared around the room, his gaze lingering on the corner where Yuusuke, Ryan, and many other humans were gathered. "Maybe I will go," he said. "Too many humans here. It reeks. The beer's probably no good anymore."
"Why don't you just keep your opinions of the humans to yourself?" Leomon grumbled.
The Digimon was taken aback, and said mockingly, "Whoa, what's this? Leomon standing up for the humans? Coming to the aid of the inferior invaders of our world? Have you really become so *weak*?"
Leomon leapt to his feet. He spoke through clenched teeth. "I believe you were asked to leave, Black Were Garurumon."
"Think you can make me?" Black Were Garurumon challenged. "Bring it on, weakling!" He drew back his clawed hand and ran toward Leomon with a snarl.
Yuusuke wasn't sure what had gotten into him. A moment before, he had been watching the Digimon arguing, but then he suddenly leapt to his feet and ran in front of Leomon, as if he could block Black Were Garurumon's attack. "Leave him alone!" Yuusuke yelled.
Black Were Garurumon suddenly halted his attack and looked blankly at Yuusuke for a few seconds. Then he looked back up to Leomon. "Ooh. Has the Lost Warrior finally gotten a partner? Or are you just so weak you have to hide behind a human--a child, no less?"
Before Leomon could answer, Yuusuke spoke up. "He's not hiding. Given the chance, he'd skin you where you stand. But I've had to live with close-minded bigots like you for too long! That's why I left the human world, and I'll be *damned* if I'm going to put up with it here!" He glared right into Black Were Garurumon's yellow eyes. "Now go!"
No one in the pub dared to breath. Black Were Garurumon considered Yuusuke for a moment, then spat at the boy's feet. Turning around, he stormed out of the pub, slamming the door behind him. There was another moment of silence, then the whole pub burst into applause. Yuusuke quietly went back to his seat, trying not to think about how terrified he really was.
Leomon stood rooted to his spot, but turned his head and watched as the boy sat back down.
After a moment, the applause faded back into the chatter of the pub, and a waiter brought some food to the table. Ryan came over and sat down next to Yuusuke, and without saying a word, began to eat. Yuusuke picked up his fork, and only then did he realize his hand was trembling. "Perhaps is was not bravery, after all."
Yuusuke looked up and saw that Leomon had walked over and was standing in front of the table. He looked away. "I just can't stand bigots," he said.
"Still," Leomon continued, "it would have been a difficult fight, and I would have hated to see the pub get damaged. Thank you."
"You're welcome," Yuusuke said quietly.
"Is there anything I can do in return?" Leomon asked.
"There may be," Ryan answered. "Please, have a seat." Leomon pulled up a chair and all three leaned in close. Ryan continued. "I've never really been around this area before. Do you know of any places of... ancient importance? Ruins or temples?"
"There're some ruins about two kilometers outside of town to the east. I believe some archeologists have given them a cursory look before, but never documented their existence. I can lead you to them."
"Tomorrow morning, then? We meet here around eight?"
Leomon nodded his head. "Agreed."
"Thank you," Ryan said.
"My pleasure."
With that, Leomon stood up and walked off, leaving some money on the bar as he made his way out the door. Ryan leaned back in his seat and glanced at Yuusuke. "Well. Bravery, foolishness, or luck, you've managed to get us a guide. Did you really think you could take on Black Were Garurumon?"
"I don't care. I just wanted him to stop." He paused, then added, "And I think... I didn't want him to attack Leomon. It was like, deep down, I felt I had to protect him."
Ryan looked at Yuusuke for a moment longer, then silently finished his meal.
Ryan and Yuusuke paid their bills then walked out of the pub, heading back to their inn. Lights glowed in the windows around them, and the sound of music and many voices floated through the air. It was warm, and the breeze had a slightly moist smell, signaling the approach of rain clouds before they could be seen. Yuusuke looked up and saw that the full moon was just slightly covered.
They walked into a small area of shadow, where one of the inns had closed down and no one new had moved in. Neither of them sensed the attack until it was almost too late. With a snarl, Black Were Garurumon pounced at Yuusuke, slashing at him. With a scream, Yuusuke ducked and rolled out of the way just in time. The Digimon landed and spun around, dragging his claws on the ground where Yuusuke sat. The boy shuffled out of the way. Ryan drew a knife and leapt at Black Were Garurumon, but the Digimon saw the attack and swung around, catching Ryan on the chin and tossing him to the ground. He then turned back to Yuusuke and raised his claws again.
"Fist of the Beast King!"
A golden light charged at Black Were Garurumon and blasted him in the chest. Leomon jumped in front of Yuusuke and drove his massive fist into the other Digimon's stomach, sending him flying back several feet. Leomon growled as Black Were Garurumon struggled to his feet, gasping for breath. "Seems the Lost Warrior's still got some fight in him, after all," he said.
He made to leap forward again, but by then, Ryan had gotten back to his feet and jumped on the Digimon's back, bringing the knife up his neck. Black Were Garurumon stopped dead in his tracks. Ryan smiled menacingly. "Don't move. I slip off, you know what happens to your neck."
"Damned human," Black Were Garurumon growled, then he relaxed a bit. "Fine."
Ryan slowly slipped off the Digimon's back, keeping his knife at the ready all the time. He got to the ground then walked around to join Leomon. Yuusuke stood up and moved to Leomon's other side. All four stared at each other for several moments. Then Black Were Garurumon spat. "This isn't over," he said, then turned and walked away.
When Black Were Garurumon was out of sight, Yuusuke looked up at Leomon. "Thanks. I guess now we're even."
"'Even' has nothing to do with it," Leomon said. He looked down at Yuusuke and smiled. "I just felt like I had to protect you."
Suddenly, Ryan started chuckling. They looked at him curiously. Smirking, he said, "I knew it."
"Knew what?" Yuusuke asked.
"Take out your D-Cell." Yuusuke did so. "Scan him."
"But I already--"
"Just do it."
Yuusuke held the D-Cell up to Leomon and scanned him. This time, however, the screen just flashed white, then faded, leaving a glowing symbol in its center. "That's an ancient Digimon character," Ryan said. "It means, 'Partner.'"
Yuusuke and Leomon both looked at each other. "But, why didn't it happen back in the pub?"
"You hadn't met yet. The connection wasn't established until you got up to stop Black Were Garurumon from fighting him. A sense of mutual protection is one of the signs of a partnership."
Yuusuke smiled and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Leomon."
Leomon took Yuusuke's hand. "Nice to meet you... Yuusuke."
Yuusuke looked puzzled. "But... I never told you..."
"I just... knew."
Ryan was laughing harder now. "You'll get used to it," he was finally able to say. "Partners can tell things about each other." He chuckled again. "Heh. Here I am, the old expert on partners and I've never had one. Guess I've just gathered a lot of knowledge in all my long years."
The three laughed together and started walking down towards the inn.
*****
Yuusuke and Leomon stayed up half the night exchanging stories. It was mostly Leomon talking, since Yuusuke didn't have much to say about his life in the human world. He learned that Leomon had hatched from his Digiegg four years ago, and had spent all of his life trying to be as strong as he could. He evolved faster than the other kids around him, and excelled at school. He seemed to have some memories left over from a previous life, but when Yuusuke asked about it, Leomon just said they weren't all that clear and changed the subject. Ryan got the feeling Leomon was holding something back, and he knew Yuusuke did, too, but neither one brought the subject up again. Around two, they finally went to sleep.
The next morning, they woke up early, had breakfast down in the inn's small cafe, and set out for the ruins east of Comdi. The journey was pleasant, and surprisingly cool. The rain clouds from the night before had passed without so much as a drop, and the morning sun warmed their faces as it rose. After a short while, they came up to the first sign of the ruins, the remnants of a wall.
They stopped to look. Pieces of rock were scattered along the ground, marking where buildings used to stand. Columns rose up to the sky, some complete, some split. Once-underground passageways had been opened by years of erosion. Ryan pulled out his D-Cell and scanned the ruins. A holographic display of them was projected from the screen, along with the energy spike data he had gotten from Lamarc. "There's no doubt. It's definitely here somewhere." He panned the D-Cell over the ruins. Suddenly, it started beeping, and a display with the energy spike overlaid the one of the ruins. "That's it!" he yelled.
They ran in the direction of some ruins that looked like they may have once been a large building of some kind. When they got there, Ryan scanned them, stopping when he got to a small tunnel. "Down here."
Yuusuke pulled a flashlight from his backpack and crawled down the tunnel. After a few minutes, it opened up on a large chamber. He pulled himself out of the tunnel and looked around. Most of the inside walls had collapsed, and a small amount of water covered the floor. Yuusuke swung the beam around and stopped on a small box covered by a few rocks. "I've found something!" he called up the tunnel. "It's some kind of box."
"Can you open it?" Ryan called down.
"I think so," Yuusuke answered.
He knelt down by the box and set the flashlight on a nearby stone. He cleared the rocks off the box then examined it. It seemed simple enough, made of stone and painted red. A lock on the front had long since rusted over, and gave with just one whack of a rock. Yuusuke pulled off the lid. Inside was a small, red, crystalline ring. On one side was a small pointed protrusion going up, and another, smaller, pointed impression was a quarter way around. It didn't seem to have any special attributes, but Yuusuke shrugged and put it in his backpack all the same, along with his flashlight.
He took one last look around the chamber, then went back to the tunnel. Jumping, he grabbed the edge and pulled himself up. Slowly, he made his way back to the surface. A few feet from the exit, Leomon reached in and pulled Yuusuke up the rest of the way. Setting the boy down, he asked, "What'd you find?"
Yuusuke unzipped his backpack and pulled out the crystalline ring. Ryan looked at it. "I've read about the Crystals. They were made to fit into each other. This notch is for the Crystal that goes under it, and the point fits into the notch of the Crystal above it. They all fit over a point on the Spirit Crystal, hence the ring shape."
"So it's one of them?" Yuusuke asked excitedly.
"No doubt," Ryan said. "Red. Southern area. It's the Fire Crystal."
"Then we'll take it!"
Out of nowhere, a massive brown shape slammed into the three explorers, snatching the Crystal out of Yuusuke's hand and leaping away. "Matrix split!" it called out. They watched as the brown shape suddenly glowed white, then split in two. A human and a Digimon landed on a small hill. The human held the Fire Crystal. "Thanks," he said. "Saved us the trouble of finding it ourselves!"
To be continued...
(End Episode 01)