Jaeger Lowëmon: New name, all new story. New themes and writing style. This is my newest story since my first. It's set in a completely fictional land and terrain (May I say that I don't own Digimon but if I did it wouldn't be bombing out in the ratings like it is.) Anyway, read on and review please. Flames welcomed but discouraged, because I don't like them. No dub names this time.

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Izumi lounged against a tall tree, dressed in her traveling gear; a tight- fitting red cotton tunic and a light brass breastplate, along with a large crossbow which hung at her side and a quiver of arrows that hung from her back. She also wore a half-length leather skirt which went to her knees, and a pair of soft black leather traveling boots. She slowly sank to the ground in a sitting position, contemplating the events of the day before.

*The day before*

"What is it you want from me father?" she had asked.

"I want you to stop going on these dangerous. excursions into the wastelands beyond the city" he'd replied.

"But Father!"

"Izumi, why must I always go through this with you? Your mother and I want you to settle down and marry one of the young nobles"

"But I don't want to! They are all so pompous and overconfident, like Junpei Shibayama, And Kouji Minamoto is too dark and brooding for me. All I want to do is destroy the beasts which wander the countryside and mountains killing innocent people. That, and to find my own path to love is all I wish"

"Sleep on my words for one night Izumi, and I hope your mind sees differently in the morning"

After that she retired to her room for the night. Later on that night she heard her parents talking from the next room.

"Izumi refuses to settle down and marry a young man" said her father

"Well I think that she should at least consider it" her mother replied

"It matters not. Kouji Minamoto has asked for her hand, and I intend to make sure that this marriage comes to pass"

After hearing this discussion of her future which, seemingly was being decided without her consent, she had resolved to run away before it could be forced upon her. She put on her traveling clothes, which were hidden in a chest at the foot of her bed, and her crossbow and bolts. She then crept out through the back door, carefully closing it so as not to awaken a single soul.

* * * *

So these were the events of the day before, the events that had driven her to journey deep into the mountain foothills, and far from her homeland in search of beasts to destroy. She got up from her seat on the large root of the tree, and began walking along the forest path. A short while later she heard rustling in the bushes off of the path side on her right. Suddenly a young man burst out, wrestling with a large animal while struggling to unsheathe a large long-sword. He succeeded at last in removing the sword from its scabbard and beheading the beast, whose head rolled off and disappeared into the underbrush of the forest. He cleaned his sword of the yellowish green blood, and stood up, dusting himself off. Through all this Izumi had stood, watching this young swordsman, and making small comments to herself. When at last he saw her standing some ways off looking at him, he gave a little jump.

"Hi, I didn't see you there" he said, more than a little startled.

"Well you were doing so well I didn't want to butt in" she said with a small laugh.

"Okay I get it, so what's a girl like you doing this deep in the Foredragan Woods alone?" he asked.

"What are you saying? That because I'm a girl I can't handle myself without a man to protect me?" she snapped.

"No, no, not at all, I uh, I don't know" he floundered, not knowing what to say in the face of her anger.

"It's alright I forgive you. I'm traveling to the Dragrenir Mountains, and my goal is to destroy as many monsters as I can before I get there and." she added mentally, 'to find my own path to love'.

"My name is Takuya, and yours?"

"Izumi is my name. Nice meeting you Takuya" she said and began walking down the path, leaving Takuya standing in the middle of it.

"Wait, wait. May I travel with you?" he asked.

She hesitated, then answered "Sure, why not"

"Okay great, let me grab my pack, I left it at my camp off the path"

"Okay no problem" she said, and he disappeared into the undergrowth of the forest, soon returning with a small pack.

"Ready to go then?" he asked her when he returned, finding her leaning against a large oak tree.

"Yeah let's go" and with that she resumed her journey, now with a new companion.