Ken couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd felt more useless than he did right then.
It was the last day of school. Exams were finally over. The final bell that Ken and his classmates would have to hear for a long time had just rung. Months of summer freedom awaited them. So, it should have been a happy moment.
But instead, Ken had to take in the horrid sight of his best friend's lip being split as a fist forced it against teeth. Watch; unable to do anything. And no, he wasn't being held back by anyone. It was fear that kept him where he was. He wanted to help, but couldn't. He wanted to walk away, but he couldn't leave his friend.
Brad was scary: tall, strong... His arms were thick with teenage muscle. That crooked smile told of the many battles he'd been through in the past. And Ken was sure he'd won a great deal of them. Both Ken and his friend Dominick were eleven-year-old pipsqueaks.
Why'd you do it...? Ken thought.
He could still hear Nick's words: "No. You're not bugging me today, Brad. Go away."
You should have just let it go. Now, you're hurt...
"Next time, you'll know better, right?" A misshapened grin spread across Brad's round face. He and his friends walked away, laughing smugly. There was soon a shuffling of khaki and blue all around them as students walked away, some seeming almost disappointed that there was no real fight.
As the small circle around them dispersed, Ken took the two steps toward where Nick lay on the floor. The front of his khaki shirt was marred with a few drops of blood.
"Nick... You okay?" He knelt beside his friend, reaching out his hand.
"No."
Ken felt the sting of the acid in that one word. Dominick took Ken's hand, allowing the slightly taller boy to help him to his feet.
"I just want to go home," said Nick. As he licked at his bleeding lip, he started walking down the corridor towards the doorway that Brad and some of the other students had headed towards. Ken just looked on in silence, and was surprised when Nick turned around. "You not coming?"
Wordlessly, Ken half-dragged his feet to his friend's side. His eyes never left the ground as they exited the building and walked the asphalt pathway to the school gate.
Nick and Ken had met only a year before, when they both got into high school. Ken had thought it was funny that they'd lived just two blocks away from each other all their lives. As their friendship grew, they developed a custom of walking the 10-minute distance together.
But this time, Ken felt such shame that he could not bring himself to speak the entire way home. They were walking slowly. Other students - girls in their blue and boys in their khaki - walked past them easily. Ken briefly looked up sometimes to see one or two look back at them (well, Nick specifically), probably having been among the group to have witnessed the scuffle.
When they were almost at Nick's house, it was he that broke the silence. "I don't know why I did it. I guess..." Ken looked up at him then. "I was thinking about my brother. You know, one of those bad moods. It's been four years almost, but still it hurts. I... didn't want him to bug me today."
Ken thought that, with his hair cut so low, Nick did seem to look a lot like the picture of his brother that the family kept in the living room. Nick had always said that his brother protected him from bullies in primary school. Maybe Nick wanted to be brave like his brother, Ken thought. And I just stood there. Watching.
They reached Nick's gate. "Oh, forgot to tell you," Nick said. "I got the video game my cousin sent. Can't even remember the name now, it has some funny name. So, when you're ready, you can come over and try it."
Ken's guilt swelled even more as he looked at Nick's forgiving smile and the red spot on his lower lip. "Okay, bro. Tomorrow." The two dark-skinned friends parted company.
Ken didn't wait to see Nick go through the white metal gate. He walked along, picking up pace now, wanted to get home. He tried not to imagine what Nick would say when his mother asked him how he burst his lip.
Nobody was home. Ken was glad for that. He'd have quiet, if only for a while. He quickly changed out of his khakis and put on a light-blue polo shirt and tan cargo shorts, then dropped himself onto his bed.
"It's summer," he told himself. "Smile."
For the next few seconds, the silence of his bedroom and of his thoughts kept him company. And yet that was quickly broken as a loud sound, the strange union of a pop and a snap, made him jump. There was suddenly something glowing in the air about a metre away from him. It was so bright he couldn't see what it was. And yet, somehow, it didn't hurt his eyes.
Sitting up, he saw it float towards him. And just as the hard object brushed his fingers, it sent out a burst of light that surrounded him. And suddenly, he knew he wasn't in his room anymore.
***
Porpamon's eyes opened slowly as his mind grew calmed. When they did, he found he was surrounded by a white light that preventing him from seeing anything at all. And yet, he knew there was someone there. He could sense it, somehow.
In almost an instant, the light faded, revealing the dark-skinned being whose name Porpamon already knew. It was strange; he hadn't known this person or his name until just a few moments before, after he'd arrived at that spot on the sea floor. The light-blue digimon was happy to see him, as though he had been waiting for them to meet since the day he hatched.
But he hadn't, of course; he'd only just learnt of Ken's existence.
Joy instantly turned to concern when Porpamon saw the boy's face. There was fear in those dark-brown eyes and his lips were pursed together. Ken couldn't breathe.
Instinct took over. Porpamon swam quickly towards the human and commanded, "Hold on to me." Ken obeyed immediately and they moved through the water as fast as the tiny blue fins and the boy's bare feet could propel them.
Porpamon was relieved that the surface had only been about five metres above them. They burst through, allowing Ken to take in a well-needed breath of air.
"Can you swim?" Porpamon asked, after his charge's breathing grew steady.
Ken answered the question with some stammered ones of his own: "W-what...? Where...?"
Porpamon smiled. The boy's confusion was understandable, appearing suddenly in this strange place. Plus, Porpamon had heard that humans were not nearly as diverse as digimon. He doubted that Ken had ever seen a creature like him, much less one that could talk.
"I'm Porpamon, I'm a kind of creature called a digimon. I'll explain more when we get to land, okay?"
***
"No! You can't be serious! He has a human now?" a voice exclaimed in a dark, empty place.
The only light emanated from a barely visible computer monitor-like screen that showed a gauge like those that show how close a download or installation is to being completed. But, of course, in the Digital World, screens don't need actual hardware to exist and it floated like a disembodied head in the middle of this enclosed area.
The lone living entity looked to the screen and the blue bar of the gauge. "This may prove useful. I think I will try a little experiment." A chuckle. "Maybe this human will speed up the process. Enjoy your moment of joy for now, little Porpamon..."
***
Ken was a bit embarrassed to be disrobing in front of Porpamon. Even though he wasn't a human, he could still talk. There were some other, furrier creatures around - mostly white, with some blue stripes - that Porpamon had said were called Gomamon. Ken decided not to take off his pants and, after wringing the salty water out of his polo shirt, he hung it on an almost horizontal branch of a tree that seemed to resemble a mangrove.
"So, this is the Digiworld," he said, saying the word slowly. "And you are digimons."
"No," corrected Porpamon in his slightly squeeky voice, "you don't pluralise it like that. It stays as 'digimon', no matter how many you're talking about."
"Oh." Oh, great, a grammar Nazi, Ken couldn't help but think. The five Gomamon were looking at him with intrigue. They'd said it was the first time they'd ever seen a human. Their orange manes fluttered in the sea breeze as they murmured excitedly to each other. "But, why am I here?"
Porpamon smiled a smile that seemed to speak of both patience and empathy. "I'm sorry, I don't know the answer. I think-"
"Porpamon? You're done playing already?"
A voice called out from inland, which was largely hidden by small dunes that seemed to have been kept safe from the tides by the roots more of those mangrove plants. Ken turned to his left and saw a large orange-brown monster as tall as a pick-up truck step out through a break in the dunes, bearing claws larger than he was wide. He stepped back, letting out a cry of fear, and almost ran away before Porpamon stopped him with, "Wait, Ken!"
The monster, which had two large claws and six legs, had a body that resembled a shrimp or lobster, though its head was more like a reptile's. "What's going on?" it asked, those yellow eyes focussed on Ken.
"Ken, this is Ebidramon," Porpamon said. "Ebidramon, Ken." Ebidramon stepped out unto the white sand of the beach, which was likely covered whenever the tide rose to its full height.
"Ken? A human?" Ebidramon said, with obvious surprise in her voice. Her voice sounded feminine to Ken, though her face was hard to read because she had an exoskeleton that didn't allow her face to move very much.
"Yeah," a Gomamon answered. "This is exciting!" The others chattered their agreement.
"Um," Ken said, feeling his confusion, frustration, and fear rising, "I really want to know how I got here, why, and how to get home."
Porpamon sighed audibly. "I don't know, Ken. All I know is, I was playing in the water when I saw that-" with his right fin, he pointed to the blue and white object that Ken still held in his hand - "and when I got to it, it disappeared and then came back with you holding it."
It was actually only then that Ken realised he'd been holding that thing the whole time. As he looked at it, he thought it looked like a sort of digital toy or game.
"I think it's called a digivice," announced Ebidramon. "And if that's true, then you, Ken, are a Chosen Child. We've heard stories about them haven't we?" She swung her huge head around to look at the other digimon, who all nodded. "Chosen Children from your world come here to protect the Digital World from danger.
"And you, Porpamon, are Ken's-"
"Partner," Porpamon said the word the same time that she did. "I know."
"What...? I'm here to protect this world? How am I supposed to do that?"
***
The Shakomon were worried. Porpamon had just left them with no explanation. They'd seen the bright light and seen the other digimon that appeared right in front of Porpamon, who'd taken him to safety. But they had no idea who that digimon was, and how he got there.
Well, they were sure that they were both safe on land. Ebidramon would make sure of that. But not knowing what was going on caused them to worry nonetheless.
While they chattered out their concern, six of the seven took a while to realise that one had grown quiet. And when they finally realised, all they could do was let out a collective shriek of shock and terror.
***
The roar and the splash caught Porpamon's attention, and that of Ken and the other digimon, and they all turned towards the water. What he was commonplace enough: an Octmon that seemed very angry. Digimon got angry all the time. He could see the worry in Ken's face and was about to tell him there was no need to fear when the Octmon started rushing towards them.
Something was wrong.
It didn't take long for the Octmon to get to shore, his red tentacles swinging, tipped with snapping black claws. Crimson eyes glared at the group from a hole in the huge, brown earthen pot that it wore over its head, which had a golden crown resting on it. Its roar was deep and gravelly.
Porpamon felt Ebidramon's claw close gently around him as she gathered up all the Child-form digimon, and Ken, and, with a leap, lifted them out of the the reach of Octmon's sword. "Stay back!" she commanded them, having no time to release them gently, and so letting them fall somewhat roughly unto the sand.
"Kaimei Bokuju!" Porpamon heard Octmon yell, turning to see the gun held by yet another tentacle blast out black ink at Ebidramon.
Fortunately, she was quick, yelling out, "Lobster Step!" before jumping into the air, propelled by water-like energy, then landing on the Octmon, causing an explosion of fire. Porpamon was sure that would have worked.
But it didn't. A single swat of a tentacle from the completely unfazed Octmon smashed Ebidramon into the direction of the sea. The laugh that came from Octmon made Porpamon feel a rage he'd never felt before. Soon after Ebidramon disappeared beneath the surface with a sickening splash, Octmon was going after her.
"No! Stop it!" Porpamon started towards the water, as quick as his fins could let him hop over the sand.
A Gomamon exclaimed, "Stay here, Porpamon!"
"You're not strong enough!" another added.
But he didn't care. He was not going to let this monster hurt Ebidramon anymore. But then, he felt the hand grip him, and it was so surreal that it broke his determination for just a moment. "Don't." That was all Ken had said as he held Porpamon close to his chest.
I have a human now, thought Porpamon. Ken is part of me... Never before had he felt that. If he were to be deleted, Ken would lose him. After he was re-hatched (if he was re-hatched), would they ever find each other again?
"Let me go!"
With his tail, he pushed against Ken and broke free, landing right into a wave as it broke on the beach. He didn't look back.
***
"He's gone."
Ken felt something in his heart that he couldn't name. That tiny creature had so much bravery. Porpamon was risking his life for Ebidramon. It was killing him that he couldn't see beneathe the waves, to know what was happening to Porpamon and Ebidramon. He wished he could help somehow.
"Why'd you do it...?" he muttered, a tear running down his cheek.
And a moment after he spoke those words, he saw the digivice in his hand emit a small burst of light.
***
Porpamon watched helplessly as Octmon pummelled Ebidramon. He was too slow to keep up. And his attacks were doing nothing. Yet, he still tried.
"Bubble Bonanza!" he yelled, sending an onslaught of baseball-sized bubbles at Octmon, glad that his attack could cross the wide distance so much faster than he could. But Octmon merely continued to laugh and to attack Ebidramon with sword, claws, and gun.
"Swim away, Porpamon," he heard Ebidramon say right before a tentacle gripped her and smashed her into a rock on the sea floor.
His Shakomon friends screamed their fright as the fray moved closer to them. Porpamon could feel the hope slipping away from him. Until:
"Porpamon, evolution!" He knew that sensation. He'd felt it when he'd finally evolved from Dorsamon. He felt himself change. He grew taller and his pectoral fins become arms. Long white hair streamed out from his head. His upper body maintained its light-blue colour, while below the belt became a dark-blue dolphin tail with a dorsal fin. His humanoid lower arms wore golden manacles with the digiletters for WATER. When it was all over, he announced his new name, "Aquatomon."
The speed came instantly. He was able to catch up to them in almost no time. Pointing his hand at Octomon, he said in his deep, velvety voice, "Aqua Surge!" A blast of water (invisible in the sea) pushed the tentacled digimon off of the almost unconscious Ebidramon.
But something was still strange about that Octmon. He... laughed. And those bright red eyes instantly filled with malevolent mirth, but then quickly seemed to lose their focus as if Octmon was daydreaming. And then, somehow, the digimon's form began to change. In its stead, a little Shakomon was floating towards the seabed.
Aquatomon caught him, recognising his friend.
"What... happened?" Shakomon asked after shaking his head violently, as if trying to remove whatever was blocking his memory.
"I don't know," was the answer. "But, you're safe." Aquatomon turned to where Ebidramon lay, opening her eyes and looking at him with a small smile. "You both are."
***
The Gomamon kept Ken company as he waited. They all kept a solemn silence, staring out into the salty expanse.
"There!" one of the Gomamon said, pointing. Ken saw a head had popped out of the water. A head with white hair and light-blue skin. And dark-blue eyes. He knew those eyes. Porpamon.
Porpamon, in this new form, led Ebidramon towards the beach, an arm wrapped around her large head. When they got closer, he became Porpamon again and hopped unto the beach, Ebidramon walking weakly beside him.
She stopped before Ken and, with as much of a smile as the hard exoskeleton that covered most of her face allowed, she said, "Because of you, I am safe. You helped Porpamon evolve. Thank you."
Ken still didn't understand what was going on. But he was glad that everyone was all right.
***
"It worked!" Laughter filled the underwater chamber. "It actually worked!"
The gauge was closer to being completely full. The experiment had been a success.
"And so, the human does come in handy after all. This will be all too easy."
The digimon was almost tempted to have a bit more fun, but he knew Porpamon needed to rest or the gauge would remain exactly as it was. Not to mention, there were some other little snags he needed to get out of the way first.
